Microseismic monitoring as a tool for mapping fractures in the San Andres dolomite. [Microearthquakes]
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
- Murphy Operating Corp., Roswell, NM (United States)
Microseismic monitoring shows promise of being a practical tool for mapping fractures in the San Andres dolomite in terms of rate of microearthquake occurrence and the areal coverage possible from a single downhole seismometer. Microearthquakes were detected during normal waterflood production but monitoring was not complete enough to correlate injection/production activity with microseismic event recurrence. Constant monitoring time capability with at least 3 downhole seismometers is needed to more accurately locate events, and to reliably characterize seismic recurrence in the field. In addition, modeling pressure variations in the reservoir may help explain the mechanisms that produces the microearthquakes. Data useful in modeling the pressure variations could be from tracer experiments, pressure interference tests and individual well production-injection volume. Understanding the mechanism of producing the microearthquakes should, in turn, allow the correlation of the microseismicity with fluid flow within the reservoir. 2 refs., 3 figs.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 5786499
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-92-195; CONF-9103222-1; ON: DE92007436
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Oklahoma geologic survey on petroleum reservoirs in the southern midcontinent, Norman, OK (United States), 26-27 Mar 1991
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
DOLOMITE
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
EARTHQUAKES
DETECTION
MAPPING
OIL WELLS
WATERFLOODING
OPTIMIZATION
ENHANCED RECOVERY
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
MONITORING
PETROLEUM
SEISMICITY
CARBONATE MINERALS
DATA
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
INFORMATION
MINERALS
NUMERICAL DATA
RECOVERY
SEISMIC EVENTS
WELLS
020300* - Petroleum- Drilling & Production