Characterizing hydraulically fractured reservoirs using induced microearthquakes

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:5506964

Fehler, M

Hydraulic fracturing is a common method employed to increase the production of oil and gas fields. Recently, there has been increased interest in monitoring the microearthquakes induced by hydraulic fracturing as a means of obtaining data to characterize reservoir changeS induced by the injection. Two types of microearthquakes have been observed during hydraulic fracturing. Tensile events have been observed and modeled as the parting of the surfaces of a fracture. A majority of the events observed have been shear-slip events, where two sides of a fault plane slip parallel to each other but in opposite directions. The locations of the microearthquakes can be analyzed to determine regions where significant seismic energy was released, which presumably are regions where injected fluid penetrated into the rock along pre-existing fractures or zones of weakness. The spatial patterns in the locations can be analyzed to fine regions where events cluster along planes, which are interpreted to be the dominant fluid flow paths. Imaging methods can also be applied to the travel time and waveform data to obtain direct evidence for the locations of the fractures or fracture zones. 27 refs., 2 figs.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 5506964
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-91-2482; CONF-9107159--1; ON: DE91016324
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
03 NATURAL GAS
030200 -- Natural Gas-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
58 GEOSCIENCES
580000 -- Geosciences
COMMINUTION
EARTHQUAKES
FLUID FLOW
FRACTURING
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGY
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
INJECTION WELLS
MICROEARTHQUAKES
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
RESERVOIR ROCK
RESOURCES
SEISMIC EVENTS
SEISMIC SURVEYS
SEISMIC WAVES
SURVEYS
WELLS