Non-Linear Flow Transients in Fractured Rock Masses: the 1995 Injection Experiment

Abstract

In July 1995 in the course of the Hot Dry Rock (HDR) site investigation studies in Soultz s.F. (France) multi rate hydraulic injection tests were conducted in the borehole GPK2. The downhole pressure records obtained from the lowermost depth domain between 3211 m and 3876 m demonstrate non-laminar hydraulic behavior. Such behavior was also observed earlier during a similar set of flow step tests in the GPKl borehole Soultz. Like the analysis of these earlier data sets, it could be shown that the pressure records from July 1995 are corresponding to empirical flow laws established for non-laminar hydraulic regimes. In this study a numerical model is described which is being developed for the analysis of non-laminar flow in fractures. Similar models have already been applied to production and injection tests at GPK1. The results show that the observed transient pressure record is well predicted by such a non-linear flow law. Conventional laminar flow models cannot reproduce these curves. An evaluation of the parameters resulting from both, steady state and transient analysis leads to assumptions on the geometry of the main fracture system. Our calculations show that surface areas above 0.05 km2 and apertures in the order of 0.4 mm results in an excellent fit of the data.