A multi-field coupling model for CO₂ enhanced shale gas recovery integrating chemical dissolution and mechanical weakening effects
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Abstract
CO₂ enhanced shale gas recovery technology can effectively promote gas production and achieve CO₂ storage. The coupling relationship among the thermo-hydro-mechanical fields within the reservoir exhibits dynamic evolution during CO₂ injection. Additionally, the geochemical interactions between shale and CO₂ cause mineral dissolution and mechanical weakening, significantly influencing the shale reservoir characteristics. However, the impact mechanism of this coupling effect on CO₂ enhanced shale gas recovery is still unclear. This study first establishes and validates a thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical coupling model. Then, the impacts of CO₂ injection on the reservoir physical characteristics and gas recovery under different influencing factors are investigated. The findings indicate that the relative permeability of the matrix and fractures in shale demonstrates an initial rapid increase, followed by a gradual decline during CO₂ injection. This complex behavior is governed by the comprehensive impacts of effective stress evolution, competitive adsorption, chemical dissolution, and mechanical weakening. During the initial injection period, gas production and CO₂ storage increase rapidly as CO₂ injection pressure increases and injection temperature decreases, primarily governed by the effective stress and disso lution effect. During the middle and late injection periods, competitive adsorption-induced swelling and mechanical weakening effects are dominant, rendering the process highly sensitive to reservoir stress. At this stage, excessive injection pressure and excessively low temperatures accelerate permeability reduction. Consequently, when evaluating the efficacy of CO₂ enhanced shale gas recovery, it is essential to incorporate the coupling relationship between the chemical dissolution-mechanical weakening effect and thermo hydro-mechanical fields of shale reservoir.
Document Type: Original article
Cited as: Yang, K., Sun, Y., Zhou, J., Chen, Q., Deng, G., Li, D. A multi-field coupling model for CO₂ enhanced shale gas recovery integrating chemical dissolution and mechanical weakening effects. Advances in Geo-Energy Research, 2025, 18(2): 180-194. https://doi.org/10.46690/ager.2025.11.07
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References
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.46690/ager.2025.11.07
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