August 2007 BAGS Meeting:
Reservoir characterisation using microearthquake data

Andy Jupe
altcom microseismics Ltd.
 Wednesday, August 15, 2007

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Abstract:

For a long time microearthquake monitoring (microseismics or Passive Seismic Monitoring) has been an important reservoir characterisation and diagnostic tool in Geothermal Energy development. This is particularly true for Hot Dry Rock (HDR) and Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) where it has been used routinely to map the massive hydraulic fracturing operations used to stimulate the natural fracture system. It has enabled the delineation of fracture controlled flow paths, the planning of secondary stimulations and also the targeting of new production and injection wells. Microseismic data has also been used to constrain fluid-flow models and to condition simulator grids.

After 20+ years PSM has finally become an overnight-success in the hydrocarbons industry. Frac mapping is now a routine diagnostic in the booming US unconventional gas market. Microseismic frac mapping has led to a number of highly significant improvements in the stimulation approaches that are being used in tight-gas plays and these closely mirror some of the approaches proposed in EGS. However a key difference is that in the unconventional gas business the economics are such that the technology changes are being adopted.

This presentation will discuss how microseismic monitoring has been used in EGS for reservoir characterisation and development purposes. It will examine some of the changes in EGS development strategy that have been inferred from microseismic information and then compare this with the impact microseismics is having in the unconventional gas development.


Biography: Andy Jupe



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