Fracture Properties of Nash Point Limestone and Implications for Fracturing of Layered Carbonate Sequences

Abstract Carbonate reservoirs accommodate a significant proportion of global hydrocarbon reserves. However they are often tight and permeability is therefore usually dependent on either flow through existing fractures or those produced by hydraulic stimulation. Hence, understanding how fracture networks develop in carbonate reservoir rocks key to efficient effective production. However, despite their prevalence as rocks, there paucity data properties particularly more than one orientation. Here, we report measurements both the tensile strength toughness Nash Point limestone three principal orientations determine what effect any mechanical anisotropy might have propagation. We find be essentially isotropic terms its microstructure properties. When comparing with that others limestones, decreases increasing porosity, although this dependency not strong found other porous rocks. Finally, many so-called actually comprise layered sequences, extend our analysis consider sequence limestones shales at Point. higher shale but energy lower. discuss implications fracturing multi-layered sequences could explored future work.