Print this pageInterpretation of Subsurface Fracture Systems by Changing Prediction Resolution
WU, HAIQING, DAVID D. POLLARD, ATILLA AYDIN, and LAIRD B. THOMPSON
Progress on the prediction of subsurface fracture systems using borehole image data has been made by developing a new technology based on current understanding of the physics of fracture growth in sedimentary rocks. The prediction method has been incorporated into software, PRED2/3D, that scans borehole image data and outputs 3D visualizations of fracture parameters in the surrounding reservoir. There are several techniques for changing the visual resolution of a predicted fracture network: (1) increasing or decreasing the length of the scanning window; (2) changing the dimensions of the prediction volume; or (3) studying individual fracture sets. Changing the resolution of the fracture network emphasizes different geological features of the network. For example, decreasing the length of the scanning window provides more details on fracture geometry; and investigating individual fracture sets leads to a determination of their relative ages.
FMS databases for two horizontal boreholes, Mobil Canada 1-14 and 7-14, in the Rainbow Field AA pool, Alberta, Canada, have been processed and evaluated using PRED2/3D to illustrate the prediction capabilities.