A new approach, developed by specialists from the Ishlinsky Institute for Problems in Mechanics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, makes it possible to predict the “behavior” of rock at gas extraction sites during the design phase, reducing accident rates and increasing the efficiency of gas extraction in the Arctic, according to the press service of the Russian Science Foundation.

Arctic gas deposits often consist of weak sandstone layers that disintegrate easily during the production process. This has led to accidents, equipment wear-and-tear, and the need to purify the gas from impurities, but it has been difficult to predict the loads at which destruction would occur.

Scientists from the Ishlinsky Institute for Problems in Mechanics of the Russian Academy of Sciences recreated the stress geometry in the laboratory using samples of sandstone rocks from a deposit in the Arctic. Using a high-resolution microtomograph, they created 3D twins of the samples and studied their internal structure.

During the experiment, the specialists were able to determine the optimal size of the filter packing installed inside the well, which could reliably hold individual grains and large rock fragments. Also, they determined the safe pressure difference at which the well walls remain stable.

“The results obtained will help reduce the risks of accidents caused by the collapse of well walls and equipment failure, which is especially important for remote and hard-to-reach facilities where repairs involve enormous costs and time,” said Valery Khimulia, the project manager and researcher at the Geomechanics Laboratory at the Institute of Problems in Mechanical Engineering of the Russian Academy of Sciences.