Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Characteristics of Highly Heterogeneous Rock Mechanical Responses in Tight Sandy Conglomerate Reservoir Rock Under Tri-axial Compression

Due to the use of horizontal wells and hydraulic fracturing, commercial tight oil production from some sandy conglomerate reservoirs has been achieved. Since widely distributed gravels in matrix reservoir rocks are harder than matrix, rock mechanical response conglomerates under compression is highly heterogeneous. This increases complexity understanding fracturing behaviors reservoirs. Previous tri-axial tests provided stress-strain relationships samples as a whole, stress strain were not investigated due limitation test lab. study presents results for sample cored that economically developed. Lab then used calibrate numerical model simulation process. Numerical indicate elastic modulus size have significant impacts on axial stresses strains conglomerate. Stress concentrations observed heterogeneous properties The reorientation maximum principal quantified mechanisms interaction types between fractures embedded matrix.