Four Stage Permeability Evolution Theory for Low Permeable Rocks

公众在一定程度上对非常规天然气的开采方式感到焦虑。水平钻井和水力压裂是开采非常规天然气的两项关键技术。但是，目前的研究显示，油井和油田的生产率出现了急剧下降。这意味着目前的做法可能是不可持续的。该项目的成功完成将提供一种科学方法，通过检验一个假设，即水力裂缝之间的岩石块的性质决定天然气生产的可持续性，而不是水力压裂，来看待可持续性问题。

There is a degree of public anxiety on how unconventional gases is extracted. Horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing are two key enabling technologies to extract unconventional gases. But, the current study reveals well and field productivities exhibit steep declines. This implies that current practice may not be sustainable. The successful completion of this project will provide a scientific approach to look at the sustainability issue through testing a hypothesis that the properties of rock blocks between hydraulic fractures determine the sustainability of gas production instead of hydraulic fracturing.