Data Interpretation and Stress Calculations in Hydraulic Fracturing Measurements

水压致裂地应力测量方法在过去的15年中已经发展成为地球物理研究中不可或缺的工具。例如，美国在加利福尼亚州卡洪山口进行的第一次深科学钻探的一个主要目标是测量圣安德烈亚斯断层附近的应力状态，主要是通过水力压裂。尽管水力压裂总体上是可靠的，但它的解释仍然存在不确定性，这种方法只有部分成功或完全不成功的情况现在正在浮出水面。水力压裂资料解释的困难至少有三个主要来源：1)从现场记录中读取正确的压力；2)使用正确的地应力计算模型；3)评价先前存在的裂缝对水力压裂压力和方向的影响。这项研究将通过实验室测试和数据分析来解决其中的一些困难。此外，还对该方法提出的创新性改进进行了实验验证。这种对一种或多种替代技术的确认将使它们能够用于补充取代传统水力压裂。

The hydrofracturing method of in situ stress measurements has evolved in the last fifteen years into an indispensable tool in geophysical research. For example, a major objective of the first deep scientific drilling in the U.S. at Cajon Pass, California, is to measure the state of stress, primarily by hydrofracturing, in the vicinity of the San Andreas fault. Despite the general reliability of hydrofracturing, uncertainties in its interpretation still exist and cases where the method is only partially successful or totally unsuccessful are now surfacing. There are at least three major sources of difficulties in hydrofracturing data interpretation: 1) reading the correct pressures from field records, 2) using the correct model for calculating the in situ stresses and 3) evaluating the effect of preexisting fractures on hydrofrac pressures and directions. The research will resolve some of these difficulties through laboratory testing and data analysis. In addition, experimental verification of suggested innovative improvements of the method has been carried out. Such confirmation of one or more of these alternate techniques would enable their use in either complementing replacing conventional hydrofracturing.