Experimental Characterization of Hydrodynamic Properties of a Deformable Rock Fracture

Characterization of stress-dependent single-phase and multiphase fluid transport in fractured geo-materials is essential for a wide range applications, including CO2 sequestration, energy storage, geo-energy extraction. However, pivotal studies on capillarity flow deformable rock fractures are surprisingly sparse. In this study, we initially investigated the hydro-mechanical properties an intact mixed-wet Calumet carbonate from Waterways formation (Alberta) under isothermal conditions (40 °C). Then, conducted core-flooding experiments using water N2 to assess changes aperture, absolute permeability, relative capillary pressure artificially core response effective confining stress during loading (0–10 MPa) unloading (10–3 MPa). We quantified fracture’s non-linear closure hysteresis effect cyclic loading–unloading processes. found that porosity permeability fracture decreased 1.5% 19.8 D 1.18% 0.22 D, respectively, loading. revealed systematic rightward shift significant upward dynamic curves as deformed. This fundamental study demonstrates critical role deformation rocks, which paves way future research geoscience engineering.