LAUSR

Abstract It is a common phenomenon during CBM drilling and production that reservoir damage is not eliminated completely. In view of this, a technical idea of composite pulsating hydraulic fracturing of radial horizontal wells which is conducive to blockage removing and stimulation was put forward in this paper. Speaking of the hydraulic jetting in a multi-branch radial well, it is to conduct pulsating hydraulic fracturing moderately through a high-diversion radial hole, so as to crush and break coal beds near the main hole to the uttermost. Thus, an extensive pressure relief and permeability increase area where high-diversion pathways are combined with fracture networks is formed. Then, to verify its technical principles, laboratory tests on pulsating hydraulic fracturing of radial wells were designed and carried out. Besides, the relationships of the features of acoustic emission (AE) response during the formation of fractures by composite fracturing of radial horizontal wells vs. coal breaking degree and macro fracture morphology were experimentally studied by using a pulse servo fatigue testing machine and an acoustic emission detector. And the following research results were obtained. First, under experimental conditions, fractures initially occur when the pressure of composite pulsating hydraulic fracturing of radial horizontal wells is 1/3–1/4 of the peak pressure of conventional fracturing, and the amount of its AE events is 1.38–7.07 times that of conventional fracturing. Second, when composite pulsating hydraulic fracturing of radial horizontal wells is conducted, AE emission signals respond strongly, the peak pressure for macro fracturing is lower and a larger fracture network can be generated more easily under the same condition. Third, radial laterals amount, borehole length, dynamic loading frequency and amplitude are the important factors affecting the effect of composite pulsating hydraulic fracturing of radial horizontal wells. In conclusion, composite pulsating hydraulic fracturing of radial horizontal wells provides a new idea of removing the blockages in CBM reservoirs and developing CBM efficiently, realizing effective blockage removing and stimulation of CBM wells.