Scaling of Fault Damage Zones and Implications for Naturally Fractured Reservoirs

Summary In this study, we focus on fault damage zones in carbonate rocks. We analyse fracture damage from small-scale outcrops to map-scale analyses, using scanlines adjacent to fault cores ( Figure 1a, b ) far from fault tip zones, and aerial images. This enabled the detailed characterisation of 12 faults, on which we define the Displacement-Thickness relationship. We analyse the resulting scaling laws and discuss their properties with respect to the map scale observations and previous models proposed in the literature. Finally, we propose new explanations based on fault segmentation and linkage and discuss their application to NFR.