Influence of Mineral Composition on Initiation Pressure of Waterflood-Induced Fractures in Tight Sandstone Reservoir

Abstract

Revealing the impact of core mineral composition on the initiation pressure of waterflood-induced fractures (WIFs) in tight sandstone reservoirs is a crucial aspect of studying the initiation mechanism of WIFs. In this paper, through quantitative characterization of the core mineral composition from six samples of the Chang 6 reservoir in the Wuqi oilfield, western Ordos Basin, and modified experimental cores and displacement equipment for WIF experiments, the influence of the core mineral composition on the initiation pressure of WIFs in tight oil reservoirs is investigated. The conclusions are as follows. (1) The rock mineral composition of the Chang 6 reservoir in the Wuqi oilfield, western Ordos Basin, includes quartz, feldspar calcite, and clay, characterizing it as a typical feldspar sandstone reservoir. Quartz and calcite are considered as brittle minerals, while feldspar and clay are categorized as lithologic minerals. (2) For feldspar sandstone reservoirs, including quartz, feldspar, calcite, and clay minerals, when the combined content of quartz and feldspar exceeds 600% of the total mineral content, the changes of quartz and feldspar content will affect the initiation pressure of WIFs. As the ratio of the quartz content to feldspar content R qf increases, the initiation pressure of WIFs exhibits a logarithmic function decrease. (3) Considering the contribution of diagenetic minerals to rock brittleness, the calculation method for the brittleness index of feldspar tight sandstone reservoirs is improved. (4) The relationships between R qf, brittleness index, and initiation pressure of induced fractures suggest that an increase in R qf leads to a power-law increase in the brittleness index, while the initiation pressure of WIFs relative to the brittleness index shows a power-law decrease. This phenomenon indicates an increased likelihood of WIFs occurring during the long-term water injection process in feldspar sandstone reservoirs. This work contributes to understanding how core minerals affect the initiation pressure of WIFs in tight sandstone reservoirs.