Analysis of hydraulic fracture initiation and propagation in deep shale formation with high horizontal stress difference

Deeply buried shale formations (vertical depth > 3500 m) that are rich in shale gas are abundant in south China. The primary problems in the exploitation of these formations are the relatively small stimulated reservoir volume (SRV) and low production rates in comparison with their shallower counterparts. These issues are attributed to the high fracturing pressure, limited fracture extension because of sand plugging, significant horizontal...