Evaluating the Degree of Tectonic Fracture Development in the Fourth Member of the Leikoupo Formation in Pengzhou, Western Sichuan, China

The extent of fracture development is associated with the degree of enrichment of a natural gas reservoir and its productivity. Based on numerical simulation results of the paleotectonic stress field, a set of evaluation methods for determining the degree of development of reservoir tectonic fractures were established using rock rupture criteria. Taking the fourth member of the Leikoupo Formation in the Pengzhou area of western Sichuan as an example, a finite element (FE) method was employed to simulate the paleo-tectonic stress field during the period of fracture development, and the degree of tectonic fracture development was further evaluated using the above methods. The results indicated that effective fractures were created in the Himalayan period. In this time, mainly NE–NEE and nearly E–W strike tectonic fractures were developed in the target layer. The fractures were mainly low-angle and oblique fractures, while the high-angle fractures were less developed. According to the integrative fracture index (F), five typical fracture development areas were determined: the fault zone, and the northern, eastern, southeastern, and central regions of the study area. The reliability of the fracture prediction results was verified using fracture distribution statistics and gas production test results