Research on Fracture Mapping with Surface Tiltmeters for “Hot Dry Rock” Stimulation in Gonghe Basin, Qinghai

The three stages of hydraulic fracturing treatment in Well X1 were monitored from surface tilt mapping to better understand the fracture azimuth and length in the Gonghe Basin with enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), which would provide reference data in later deployment of adjacent wells and fracturing design. The fracture length and azimuth of Well X1 in the three stages of fracturing were obtained, and the mapping results were combined with geological features to analyze the impact of natural fractures on hydraulic fractures complexity in the target layers. The results demonstrated that some natural fractures are activated in the treatment and horizontal components of fractures are approximate to 50%, which will largely increase the complexity and heat transfer area of the fracture system. This research can provide a reference for fracturing optimization and the deployment of adjacent wells for geothermal development in Gonghe Basin of Qinghai Province.