Mass-Transfer in Rock Mass with Contrasting Permeability: Theory and Laboratory Experiment

The authors have theoretically substantiated and experimentally tested the method of determining permeability of discontinuities as function of stresses in rock masses and reservoirs of quasi-regular layered deformation structure when fluid flows across the strike of the discontinuities. A linear model produces an analytical solution of a problem on stationary fluid flow in media with discontinuities, which allows finding the permeability $$k_{J}$$ of the latter by the recorded flow rate. The tests are carried out using samples of sandstone blocks and a dependence is obtained for the interblock space opening h and the normal stress s. A lab-scale testing plant is proposed for the permeability tests with the coincident directions of compression and fluid flow. As a result of the experiments on gas flow in block samples subjected to normal loading, an empirical dependence is found for the specific discontinuity permeability $$k_{J}/h$$ and the stress s, which can be approximated by a two-parameter fractional rational function.