A Systematic Investigation Into the Control of Roughness on the Flow Properties of 3D?Printed Fractures

Heterogeneous fracture aperture distribution, dictated by surface roughness, mechanical rock and properties, effective stress, limits the predictive capabilities of many reservoir-scale models that commonly assume smooth walls. Numerous experimental studies have probed key hydromechanical responses in single fractures; however, are constrained difficulties associated with sample preparation quantitative roughness characterization. Here, we systematically examine effect on fluid flow properties 3D printing seven self-affine fractures, each controlled distributions akin to those observed nature. Photogrammetric microscopy was employed validate topology printed surface, enabling quantification using traditional metrics, namely Joint Roughness Coefficient (JRC). Core-flooding experiments performed across eight incremental confining pressure increases (11–25 bar), shows smoother fractures (JRC < 5.5) exhibit minor permeability variation, whilst rougher > 7) show as much a 219% increase. Micro-computed tomography imaging roughest under varying stresses (5–13.8 coupled inspection into degree similarity between closure behavior 3D-printed natural highlight materials act useful analogs rocks. Comparison data existing empirical aperture-permeability demonstrates contact area is better predictor than when below ?20 ?m. Such findings relevant for incorporating effects heterogeneous structures applied stress predict deep subsurface.