Mechanical-Chemical-Mineralogical Controls on Permeability Evolution of Shale Fractures

Figure 9

RMS roughness change after core flooding experiments. -axis is the measurement window with fluid flow direction from left (upstream) to right (downstream). (a) Longmaxi shale, (b) Green River shale, and (c) Marcellus shale. larger than 0 means roughness increase and potentially fracture aperture gaping while smaller than 0 indicates a roughness decrease and a fracture aperture closing.

(a)

(b)

(c)