Fractures and Rock Mechanics, Phase 1: EFP-96: Summary Report

The main objectives of the project are to combine geological description of fractures, chalk types and rock mechanical properties, and to investigate whether the chosen outcrops can be used as analogues to reservoir chalks. Five chalk types, representing two outcrop localities: Stevns and Hillerslev, and three reservoir zones: Tyra Maastrictian, Valhall Tor and Valhall Hod are investigated. Different test types are applied in small and large scale in order to investigate the influence on stiffness and strength from natural and induced fractures, stylolites, bedding planes and healed fractures. The main conclusions are: that Hillerslev and Stevns can be regarded as close analogues to the Valhall Tor formation, but neither to Valhall Hod nor to Tyra formations; and that compressive strength is reduced by initial fractures, whereas stifness seems to be unaffected; and that large test specimens have reduced strength compared to normal scale test specimens.