Thermal dynamics in deep shale reservoirs: Influences of the kerogen microstructural behavior on the gas adsorption/desorption capacity

In shale gas extraction projects, an investigation into the mechanisms of energy/mass transfer associated with shale gas adsorption/desorption in organic matter (kerogen) microstructure under high temperature and stress condition is crucial for improving the efficiency of shale gas production. This study presents a coupling thermo-hydro-mechanical model based on an improved fractal method that could explain the microstructural evolution of the kerogen system and the resultant alterations during the gas adsorption/desorption process under varying thermal conduction, gas seepage, and stress conditions. The influence of porosity, diameter, and tortuosity on the abundance, length, and complexity of kerogen networks under coupled multi-field effects is evaluated. The significance of this study is it could address the following aspects quantitively: (1) the spatiotemporal evolution of kerogen fractal dimensions following various extraction timelines; (2) the influence of shale temperatures on kerogen structures; (3) the influence of the kerogen fractal dimension on the shale gas desorption capacity and production efficiency; and (4) under different temperatures, when the fractal dimension/tortuosity fractal dimension of kerogen changes due to extraction disturbances, the volumetric deformation induced by gas adsorption increases by a maximum of 26.1%/decreases by 28.1% and in the later stages of extraction, the maximum gas pressure decreases by 44.7%/increases by 47.1%. The proposed fractal method adeptly reveals shale gas desorption behaviors under multi-field coupling conditions from a microscopic perspective, which cannot be found in the literature.