Hydraulic fracturing of rocks boosts the production rate by increasing the fracture-face surface area through the use of a pressurized liquid. Complex stress distribution and magnitude are the main factors that hinder the use of information gathered from in situ hydraulic fracturing in other locations. Laboratory tests are a good method for precisely determining the characteristics of these processes. One of the most important parameters is breakdown pressure, defined as the wellbore pressure necessary to induce a hydraulic fracture. Therefore, the main purpose of this investigation is to verify fracture resistance of rock samples fractured with the assistance of the most popular industry fluids. The experiments were carried out using a stand designed specifically for laboratory hydraulic fracturing. Repeatable results with a relative error within the range of 6-11% prove that the experimental methodology was correct. Moreover, the obtained results show that fracturing pressure depends significantly on fluid type. In the case of a water test, the fracturing pressure was 7.1±0.4 MPa. A similar result was achieved for slickwater, 7.5±0.7 MPa; however, a much lower value (4.7±0.5 MPa) was registered in the case of carbon dioxide.

Lower Carboniferous limestone has been extracted in the “Czatkowice” open-pit hill-slope quarry in southern Poland since 1947, for the needs of metallurgical and building industries, as well as farming. We can distinguish two aquifers in the Czatkowice area: the Quaternary porous aquifer and the Carboniferous fissure-porous one. Two vertical zones representing different hydrodynamic characteristics can be indentified in the Carboniferous formations. One is a weathering zone and the other one the zone of fissures and interbedding planes. Groundwater inflows into the quarry workings have been observed at the lowest mining level (+315 m above the sea level (asl)) for over 30 years. This study concerns two hypotheses of the sources of such inflows originating either from (a) the aeration zone or from (b) the saturation zone. Inflows into the quarry combine into one stream flowing gravitationally to the doline under the pile in the western part of the quarry. This situation does not cause a dewatering need. Extending eastward mining and lowering of the exploitation level lead to increased inflows.

In the paper, the technology of the production of the modified ceramic proppants used in the shale gas extracting process is described. The natural available materials and uncomplicated process to new ceramic proppants preparation were applied. The modification of the ceramic proppants based on the addition of the waste material as fly ash. The produced ceramic material in the form of granules characterized by high mechanical properties and low production costs. Moreover, the obtained good values of compressive strength and gas permeability for investigated proppants confirmed that this material has appropriate properties to be used in the hydraulic fracturing.

In Poland, the economic use of methane from coal seams has been recognized as one of the objectives of the „Energy Policy of Poland until 2030“. In Poland at the Upper Silesian Coal Basin, reconnaissance operations were initiated to collect methane from coal seams using drilling wells and hydraulic fracturing operations.

During these operations, noise emission can have a significant impact on the environment. In order to limit the negative impact of noise, well pads are usually located in undeveloped areas. However, in the European Union, the majority of hard coal deposits from which methane can be extracted are located in areas with a high population density.

This article presents the results of noise measurements carried out during hydraulic fracturing operations of coal seams and the results of calculations of the equivalent sound level during the daytime. Based on the analysis of noise emission, some recommendations are given regarding the location of planned new well pads in highly urbanized areas in order to meet the applicable standards of noise protection.

Unconventional oil and gas reservoirs are characterised by low porosity, low permeability and low natural deliverability. At present, horizontal wells staged fracturing is an effective development method. However, in the case of staged hydraulic fracturing in horizontal wells, stress interference occurs between multiple fractures, leading to fracture deformation and even inhibiting the formation of fractures, thereby affecting reservoir production. In this paper, based on the extended finite element method (XFEM), considering the fluid flow in the fracture and fracturing fluid filtration, we analyse the effects of fracturing fluid pumping rate, fracture spacing and elastic modulus on horizontal in-situ stress, fracture parameters and fracture extension pattern during different fracturing initiation processes. The results show that the induced stress generated by the action of fracturing fluid changes the direction of horizontal in-situ stress in the elliptical region around the fracture. In the mode of simultaneous fracture initiation (TFIS), the extension of two symmetrical fractures is “repulsive”; in the mode of two fractures initiated at different times (TFIDT), the extension direction is “mutual attraction”. A large pumping rate and small elastic modulus are conducive to fracture propagation. In the TFIS mode, two fractures alternately expand, while in the TFIDT mode, the impact of rock mechanical properties and construction parameters on fracture propagation will be amplified. The extension of subsequent fractures will be restrained, especially when the fracture spacing is less than 10 m. The width of the previously created fracture will be severely affected, even causing a partial closure and becoming elongated fractures.

Influenced by the dynamic pressure of the front abutment pressure and the lateral abutment pressure, large deformation of surrounding rock occurs advancing working face in the entry heading adjacent to the active longwall mining face. Based on the cause analysis of entry large deformation, a new technology was put forward to solve the problem, and the designing method of drilling hole parameters for directional hydraulic fracturing was formed. Holes are drilled in the entry or in the high drainage entry to a certain rock layer over the adjacent working face, hydraulic cutting or slotting at the bottom of a borehole were also applied in advance to guide the hydraulic fractures extend in expected direction, through which the hard roof above the coal pillar can be cut off directionally. As a result, the stress concentration around the entry was transferred, and the entry was located in a destressing area. The field test at Majialiang coal mine indicates that the propagation length of cracks in single borehole is more than 15 m. After hydraulic fracturing, the large deformation range of the entry is reduced by 45 m, the average floor heave is reduced by 70%, and the average convergence of the entry’s two sides is reduced by 65%. Directional hydraulic fracturing has a better performance to control the large deformation of the dynamic pressure of the entry heading adjacent to the advancing coal face. Besides, it can improve the performance of the safety production.