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Title: Subsurface fracture mapping using microearthquakes detected during primary oil production, Clinton County, Kentucky

Abstract

Downhole microseismic monitoring tests were conducted in Clinton County, Kentucky to determine if microearthquakes associated with primary production could be detected on a scale of interwell distances ({>=}400 ft) and to determine if such microearthquakes could be used to map reservoir fractures. The oil reservoirs occur in shallow (750 to 2400 ft), low-porosity (< 2%), carbonate rocks of Ordovician age. The reservoir system controlling the occurrence and flow of off and its relationship to the local and regional geology is poorly understood. Discrete reservoir microearthquakes were detected at an average rate of 11 events per week and at distances up to 4000 ft in an initial monitoring test using a single, triaxial downhole geophone receiver. In a second monitoring test 2 downhole, triaxial geophone tools were placed in a monitor well 800 ft from a new, high-volume oil well. Over a 6-month period of continuous monitoring 165 discrete, high-quality, microearthquake waveforms were recorded. Approximately 11,000 barrels of fluid were extracted in the monitor area during the 6-month period. Presently, it is unknown whether or not the microseismicity is induced by production. Hypocenters computed for 121 events delineate 4 extensive (up to 0.15 square-miles), low-angle, planar features striking approximately N65{degrees}E withinmore » the Ordovician reservoir depth interval. A composite fault-plane solution indicates a thrust focal mechanism. Such thrust structures are not observed in the surface-exposed Mississippian section, which lies above and is separated from the Ordovician section by a major unconformity of Devonian age. General relationships between the fractures revealed by the microseismicity and oil occurrence have yet to be demonstrated in the study area. The observed microseismicity occurs away from production wells, and to date, no new wells have been drilled into the mapped fracture along which shear displacement was detected.« less

Authors:
;  [1]; ;  [2];  [3]; ;  [4]
  1. Nambe Geophysical, Inc. (United States)
  2. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
  3. Kentucky Geological Survey (United States)
  4. Meridian Exploration Corp. (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
10179534
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-94-2871; SPE-28384; CONF-940907-1
ON: DE94018299
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-36
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: Annual technical conference and exhibition of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE),New Orleans, LA (United States),25-28 Sep 1994; Other Information: PBD: [1994]
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
02 PETROLEUM; MICROEARTHQUAKES; ACOUSTIC MONITORING; KENTUCKY; GEOLOGY; SEISMIC DETECTORS; MAPPING; OIL FIELDS; 020300; 020200; DRILLING AND PRODUCTION; RESERVES, GEOLOGY, AND EXPLORATION

Citation Formats

Rutledge, J T, Phillips, W S, Roff, A, Albright, J N, Hamilton-Smith, T, Jones, S K, and Kimmich, K C. Subsurface fracture mapping using microearthquakes detected during primary oil production, Clinton County, Kentucky. United States: N. p., 1994. Web.
Rutledge, J T, Phillips, W S, Roff, A, Albright, J N, Hamilton-Smith, T, Jones, S K, & Kimmich, K C. Subsurface fracture mapping using microearthquakes detected during primary oil production, Clinton County, Kentucky. United States.
Rutledge, J T, Phillips, W S, Roff, A, Albright, J N, Hamilton-Smith, T, Jones, S K, and Kimmich, K C. 1994. "Subsurface fracture mapping using microearthquakes detected during primary oil production, Clinton County, Kentucky". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/10179534.
@article{osti_10179534,
title = {Subsurface fracture mapping using microearthquakes detected during primary oil production, Clinton County, Kentucky},
author = {Rutledge, J T and Phillips, W S and Roff, A and Albright, J N and Hamilton-Smith, T and Jones, S K and Kimmich, K C},
abstractNote = {Downhole microseismic monitoring tests were conducted in Clinton County, Kentucky to determine if microearthquakes associated with primary production could be detected on a scale of interwell distances ({>=}400 ft) and to determine if such microearthquakes could be used to map reservoir fractures. The oil reservoirs occur in shallow (750 to 2400 ft), low-porosity (< 2%), carbonate rocks of Ordovician age. The reservoir system controlling the occurrence and flow of off and its relationship to the local and regional geology is poorly understood. Discrete reservoir microearthquakes were detected at an average rate of 11 events per week and at distances up to 4000 ft in an initial monitoring test using a single, triaxial downhole geophone receiver. In a second monitoring test 2 downhole, triaxial geophone tools were placed in a monitor well 800 ft from a new, high-volume oil well. Over a 6-month period of continuous monitoring 165 discrete, high-quality, microearthquake waveforms were recorded. Approximately 11,000 barrels of fluid were extracted in the monitor area during the 6-month period. Presently, it is unknown whether or not the microseismicity is induced by production. Hypocenters computed for 121 events delineate 4 extensive (up to 0.15 square-miles), low-angle, planar features striking approximately N65{degrees}E within the Ordovician reservoir depth interval. A composite fault-plane solution indicates a thrust focal mechanism. Such thrust structures are not observed in the surface-exposed Mississippian section, which lies above and is separated from the Ordovician section by a major unconformity of Devonian age. General relationships between the fractures revealed by the microseismicity and oil occurrence have yet to be demonstrated in the study area. The observed microseismicity occurs away from production wells, and to date, no new wells have been drilled into the mapped fracture along which shear displacement was detected.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/10179534}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994},
month = {Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994}
}

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