The presence of fractures, whether natural or induced, has become increasingly important in recent years in the exploitation of Earth’s natural resources. Especially in rocks that have a low matrix permeability, the presence of fractures is critical for reaching flow rates sufficient for economic hydrocarbon production and heat extraction for geothermal reservoirs. Better prediction of subsurface fracture arrangements and their mechanical and flow response have become an increasingly relevant field of research.
We propose here a multi-disciplinary session on the arrangement and mechanical evolution of natural and induced fracture networks and their response to fluid flow in low-permeability rocks on a multitude of scales (from pore-scale to basin-scale). We encourage submissions from experimental, numerical and field studies on fracture network formation and control on fluid flow of naturally and hydraulically fractured systems. Also studies that address the role of fractures on both shale gas and tight geothermal reservoir application cases are welcomed.

Solicited people: Sonja L. Philipp, sonja.Philipp@geo.uni-goettingen.de; Nicola de Paola, nicola.de-paola@durham.ac.uk