Fracture Detection Interpretation Beyond Conventional Seismic Approaches

Gary Jones¹ and Rocky Roden²
¹ IHS Kingdom, Houston, TX, United States
² Rocky Ridge Resources, Inc.

In unconventional resource plays it is important to identify fractures and fracture trends, whether naturally occurring or hydraulically induced. It is the delineation of these fractures that is critical for production and the optimal positioning of drilling locations. In an effort to identify fracture trends the industry routinely employs various seismic techniques such as processing of seismic attributes (geometric attributes), defining azimuthal variation of amplitude, running microseismic surveys, etc. What is not routinely applied to interpret fracture trends is combining seismic approaches. Spectral decomposition analysis can be employed to determine the optimal frequency bands that define fracture lineations. These optimally defined frequency volumes can then be processed for geometric seismic attributes to significantly improve the interpretation of fracture trends and increase understanding of the reservoir. Interpreting the optimal frequency band for seismic attribute processing requires a systematic methodology of frequency analysis and amplitude normalization. This combining of spectral decomposition and geometric seismic attributes has shown to not only improve fracture identification, but also more clearly define stratigraphic variations in most geologic settings. The methodology presented can be easily applied by asset teams working unconventional resource plays, reducing risk and optimizing development programs.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90154©2012 AAPG Eastern Section Meeting, Cleveland, Ohio, 22-26 September 2012