Evolution of Proppant Embedment and Its Impact on Shale Permeability

Hydraulic fracturing is important for modern gas extraction. However, the proppant embedment affects gas recovery significantly. This study investigates the impact of proppant embedment on permeability over time in shale reservoirs. The study utilized a series of experiments to determine the impact of proppant embedment on permeability over time and designed new methods to induce long-term proppant embedment in proppant-supported fractures. The results showed that the permeability loss after 8 weeks of compression ranges from 4.38 to 6.44 mD, and the percentage ranges from 6.74 to 8.89%. The study also found that the average proppant embedment depth reaches 87.96 µm after 8 weeks compression. The correlation between embedment depth and compression day can be suitably modeled with a logarithmic function. These findings can help optimize production in shale reservoirs by providing a better understanding of proppant embedment and its impact on gas recovery.