Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Geophysical Research Letters

Rights and Access Note

This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. In addition, no permission is required from the rights-holder(s) for educational uses. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

Publication Date

5-6-2008

Issue Number

9

Publication Number

L09303

Volume Number

35

Abstract/ Summary

We present a fracture-mechanics-based formulation to investigate primary oil migration through the propagation of an array of periodic, parallel fractures in a sedimentary rock with elevated pore fluid pressure. The rock is assumed to be a linearly elastic medium. The fracture propagation and hence oil migration velocity are determined using a fracture mechanics criterion together with the lubrication theory of fluid mechanics. We find that fracture interactions have profound effects on the primary oil migration behavior. For a given fracture length, the mass flux of oil migration decreases dramatically with an increase in fracture density. The reduced oil flux is due to the decreased fracture propagation velocity as well as the narrowed fracture opening that result from the fracture interactions.

Citation/Publisher Attribution

Jin, ZH, and Johnson, SE, 2008, Primary Oil Migration Through Buoyancy-Driven Multiple Fracture Propagation: Oil Velocity and Flux: Geophysical Research Letters, v. 35, L09303. To view the published open abstract, go to http://dx.doi.org and enter the DOI.

Publisher Statement

© Copyright 2008 American Geophysical Union

DOI

10.1029/2008GL033645

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publisher's version of the published document

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In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted.