Abstract:
To address the water lock effect induced by imbibition during hydraulic fracturing in shale gas reservoirs, the regulatory mechanisms of CO
2 phase states (gaseous CO
2 and supercritical CO
2) on pore structure and imbibition behavior in shale-water coupled systems are systematically investigated. Core samples from the Longmaxi Formation shale in the Sichuan Basin, deposited in shallow to deep-water shelf facies, are selected and subjected to four pretreatment conditions: untreated, hydration, G-CO
2-H
2O-shale coupling, and SC-CO
2-H
2O-shale coupling. By integrating low-temperature nitrogen adsorption, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and ambient-pressure imbibition experiments, the evolution of pore structure is quantitatively characterized, and a quantitative relationship model between imbibition kinetics and pore parameters is established. The results show that: G-CO
2 treatment significantly reduces micro-mesopore volume and greatly enhances pore connectivity, while SC-CO
2 treatment simultaneously enlarges multiscale pores and induces macroscopic fractures, but leads to a notable decrease in specific surface area. G-CO
2 treatment yields the highest imbibition volume and rate, demonstrating the best potential for mitigating water lock; SC-CO
2 treatment increases imbibition volume by 24.6%, yet the imbibition efficiency decreased due to the expansion of hydration and compression of micropore volume. Analysis of imbibition kinetics reveals that the rate during the spontaneous imbibition stage is controlled by hydrophilicity and the volume fraction of P
Mic pores (pore size < 50 nm), whereas the rate in the diffusion stage correlates positively with pore connectivity and specific surface area. Phase state of CO
2 can actively regulate shale imbibition behavior through differentiated pore-structure modification. The imbibition-kinetics pore model provides a quantitative tool for fracturing design and flowback regulation. Furthermore, a process concept of composite fracturing combined with G-CO
2 injection for CH
4 displacement is proposed, wherein SC-CO
2 can be applied to suppress excessive fracturing-fluid imbibition and promote flowback, while G-CO
2 is used to enhance subsequent imbibition displacement and reservoir stimulation. This approach offers a new technical pathway for efficient shale-gas development coupled with CO
2 storage.