Research on three-dimensional in-situ stress testing methods in soft rock formations: A case study of the Ningjin salt cavern gas storage

doi:10.3969/j.issn.2096-1693.2026.02.006

Petroleum Science Bulletin ›› 2026, Vol. 11 ›› Issue (1): 131-142. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2096-1693.2026.02.006

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Research on three-dimensional in-situ stress testing methods in soft rock formations: A case study of the Ningjin salt cavern gas storage

LEI Yajun¹^,²(), YANG Yuehui²^,³, NIU Yaohui⁴, LI Shiyuan¹^,⁵, SUN Dongsheng²^,³^,^*()

1 School of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China
2 Institute of Geomechanics, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
3 Engineering Technology Innovation Center of In-situ Stress, Ministry of Natural Resources, Beijing 100081, China
4 Second Geological Team of Hebei Coalfield Geological Bureau, Xingtai 054000, China
5 State Key Laboratory of Deep Geothermal Resources, China University of Petroleum-Beijing, Beijing, 102249, China

Received:2025-07-24 Revised:2025-10-28 Online:2026-02-15 Published:2026-02-12
Contact: SUN Dongsheng E-mail:leiyajun1998self@163.com;dongshengsun@cags.ac.cn

软岩地层三维地应力测试方法研究——以宁晋盐穴储气库为例

雷雅钧¹^,²(), 杨跃辉²^,³, 牛耀辉⁴, 李世远¹^,⁵, 孙东生²^,³^,^*()

1 中国石油大学(北京)石油工程学院，北京 102249
2 中国地质科学院地质力学研究所，北京 100081
3 自然资源部地应力工程技术创新中心，北京 100081
4 河北省干热岩研究中心煤田地质局第二地质队，邢台 054000
5 中国石油大学(北京)深层地热富集机理与高效开发全国重点实验室，北京 102249

通讯作者: 孙东生 E-mail:leiyajun1998self@163.com;dongshengsun@cags.ac.cn
作者简介:雷雅钧(1998年—)，在读博士研究生，主要从事地应力和岩石力学研究， leiyajun1998self@163.com。
基金资助:
国家自然科学基金面上项目(42174122);国家自然科学基金面上项目(52174011);中国地质科学院基本科研业务费项目(DZLXJK202407);中国石油大学(北京)学科前沿交叉探索专项(2462024XKQY006);国家科技重大专项(2025ZD1401400)

Abstract

Abstract:

In-situ stress is a fundamental parameter for seismic research, deep resource development, and underground engineering. However, in soft rock formations with strong rheological behavior, the hydraulic fracturing(HF) method cannot directly determine the maximum horizontal principal stress(σ_H), and the anelastic strain recovery(ASR) method often suffers from large uncertainties due to the difficulty of accurately determining the anelastic strain recovery compliance. To address these limitations, this study proposes a novel approach for in-situ 3D stress in soft rock formations that integrates the hydraulic fracturing method with the anelastic strain recovery method. The minimum horizontal principal stress(σ_h) is obtained through hydraulic fracturing tests, while the anelastic strain recovery compliance is back-calculated from ASR data on recovered core samples, enabling the complete in-situ 3D stress tensor to be reconstructed. This combined method has been successfully applied in the Ningjin salt cavern gas storage project, confirming its reliability and applicability in deep soft rock formations. The proposed approach provides a new technical solution for acquiring in-situ stress in soft rock formations and offers valuable support for salt cavern gas storage construction, unconventional hydrocarbon development, and wellbore stability evaluation.

Key words: soft rock formation, in-situ stress, hydraulic fracturing method, anelastic strain recovery method, anelastic strain recovery compliance

摘要：

地应力是地震科学研究、深部资源开发和地下工程建设的重要基础参数。针对强流变软岩地层中水压致裂(Hydraulic Fracturing, HF)法无法直接计算最大水平主应力和非弹性应变恢复(Anelastic Strain Recovery, ASR)法柔量难以准确测定的问题，本文提出一种HF与ASR相结合的软岩地层三维地应力测试方法。该方法通过HF法获取最小水平主应力，结合ASR测试数据反演岩芯非弹性应变恢复柔量，从而计算三维地应力。该方法已在拟建宁晋盐穴地下储气库项目中成功应用，结果表明该方法能够可靠反演深部软岩地层的三维地应力状态。研究为软岩地层地应力获取提供了新的技术途径，可为盐穴储气库建设、非常规油气开发及井壁稳定性评价等方面提供技术支撑。

关键词: 软岩地层, 地应力, 水压致裂法, 非弹性应变恢复法, 非弹性应变恢复柔量

CLC Number:

TE822
P55

LEI Yajun, YANG Yuehui, NIU Yaohui, LI Shiyuan, SUN Dongsheng. Research on three-dimensional in-situ stress testing methods in soft rock formations: A case study of the Ningjin salt cavern gas storage[J]. Petroleum Science Bulletin, 2026, 11(1): 131-142.

雷雅钧, 杨跃辉, 牛耀辉, 李世远, 孙东生. 软岩地层三维地应力测试方法研究——以宁晋盐穴储气库为例[J]. 石油科学通报, 2026, 11(1): 131-142.

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URL: https://sykxtb.cup.edu.cn/EN/10.3969/j.issn.2096-1693.2026.02.006

https://sykxtb.cup.edu.cn/EN/Y2026/V11/I1/131

Figures/Tables 12

Fig. 1 The three-dimensional in-situ stress measurement process is comprehensively obtained by using the HF method and the ASR method

Fig. 2 Geological sketch map of Z1 well

Fig. 3 Downhole instruments of the recently developed HF stress measurement system

Fig. 4 The variation curves of downhole pressure and surface flow over time measured by the HF method

Table 1 Measurement results of minimum horizontal principal stress in Z1 well

测段中心深度/m	岩性	单切线/MPa	(dt/dP)/MPa	(dP/dt)/MPa	最大差值/MPa	平均值/MPa	σ_h/MPa	σ_v/MPa
2620	泥岩	43.21	42.86	43.50	0.64	43.19	43.19	57.64
2668	泥岩	45.20	43.01	43.37	2.19	43.86	43.86	58.70
2838	盐岩	52.14	51.51	52.38	0.87	52.01	52.01	62.44
2878	盐岩	50.68	49.61	48.53	2.15	49.61	49.61	63.32
2950	盐岩	51.38	51.65	51.13	0.52	51.39	51.39	64.90

Fig. 5 Distribution map of minimum horizontal principal stress measured by Z1 drilling HF method with depth

Fig. 6 ASR method in-situ stress testing system

Fig. 7 Salt core sample for bonding precision strain gauge (2891.40~2891.60 m)

Fig. 8 Curves of ASR method of salt rock salt rock samples

Table 2 Results of dipole acoustic anisotropy processing in Well Z1

井段/m	σ_h/MPa	σ_H/MPa	σ_H方向/°
2599.9~2602.0	43.3	49.1	98.7
2613.3~2615.3	44.0	49.6	83.4
2617.6~2619.3	43.5	49.1	94.4
2620.3~2622.5	40.7	46.2	96.0
2626.0~2627.4	43.2	47.5	125.1
2700.0~2707.8	46.6	49.4	98.5

Fig. 9 Minimum horizontal principal stress vs anelastic strain recovery compliance

Table 3 Three dimensional in-situ stress measurement results of salt rock strata

测深/m	岩性	σ₁/MPa	σ₂/MPa	σ₃/MPa	σ_H/MPa	σ_h/MPa	σ_v/MPa
2891.50	盐岩	64.39	53.91	50.80	54.69	50.83	63.61
2891.70		67.03	52.15	50.60	55.41	50.84	63.62
2938.50		69.22	52.20	50.66	55.29	52.13	64.65
2961.80		68.29	53.70	50.26	54.27	52.80	65.16

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