Sealing factors of faults and their sealing effects

Present research situation, including relationships between the capacity of fault sealing and some main control factors (present ground stress, fault type, fault intensity, contact probability between reservoirs on fractured surface and geometric characteristics of faults) on this capacity, is analyzed and discussed. It is pointed out that if the angle between the maximum axis of principle stress and fault strike is closer to 90° and the combination between maximum principal stress and gravity of overlaying formation is larger than or closer to the compression stress of the formation, the sealing of fault is better; if it is a wrench fault, the sealing of fault is the best, abnormal fault, better, normal fault, worse; if the fault does not break the sealing, its fault displacement is longer, the capacity of fault is better, and if its recent activity is lower, capacity of fault is better.