The Use and Applicability of Non-Seismic Methods in Exploration, Frac Monitoring and Reservoir Monitoring

Abstract

Description: In this presentation we investigate the use of non-seismic but complementary methods primarily applied in mineral exploration to the hydrocarbon situation. The methods to be examined include magnetotellurics (MT), controlled source audio magnetotellurics (CSAMT), time ddomain electromagnetics (TDEM), DC resistivity and IP Chargeability. A combination of computer simulations, real data examples and 2D and 3D acquisition and inversion methodologies (including joint MT and DC resistivity inversion) are presented to establish the applicability of the methodologies to exploration, hydrofracking and reservoir monitoring.

Applications: For exploration, MT, CSAMT and DCIP surveys can be acquired and inverted in 1D, 2D and 3D to define the electrical characteristics of the hydrocarbon target. The results can be further refined through correlation to existing or post survey acquired borehole resistivity and density logs. This allows for the development of resistivity to porosity relationships. For hydrofracking, it may prove possible to monitor or determine frac effectiveness through the acquiring of MT, CSAMT and DCIP data pre, during and post fracking. For reservoir monitoring use od distributed array DC resisitivity, CSAMT, TDEM and MT may prove effective in evaluating effectiveness of exploitation, presence/absence of water/hydrocarbon in pockets of the reservoir.

Results and Conclusions: Practical results from geothermal and hydrocarbon surveys will be presented for the exploration applications. The hydrofracking monitoring will be a combination of survey results and theoretical examples. The reservoir monitoring will present a theoretical study (forward modelling) of the application of the methods to SAGD monitoring.

Technical Contributions: 1) Utility of MT, CSAMT, TDEM and DCIP to hydrocarbon exploration with real examples - limitations and usefulness; 2) Furthering the application of MT, CSAMT, TDEM and DCIP to monitoring fracking activities; 3) Applicability of the methods to reservoir mapping and monitoring.

AAPG Datapages/Search and Discovery Article #90323 ©2018 AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition, Salt Lake City, Utah, May 20-23, 2018