38
Nine-Component, Cross-Well Seismic Imaging of Fractured Gas Reservoirs--Paulsson Geophysical Services, Inc., 1300 Beach Blvd., La Habra, CA 90631-6374; 562-694-7161
Dr. Bjorn N. P. Paulsson, Principal Investigator
Dr. Bjorn N. P. Paulsson, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-99ER82851
Amount: $100,000
In a fractured rock, natural gas reservoir, the fractures, not the matrix, provide the largest contribution to the bulk permeability. The ability to effectively map fracture properties is the key to identifying economically productive gas reservoirs. This project will develop a nine-component, cross-well seismic data acquisition technology for mapping the fracture properties of gas reservoirs. Phase I will first collect data at a factured reservoir with two deep wells. P and S wave data will be collected at 80 source points using an existing downhole axial vibrator, an orbital vibrator, and an 80 level, three-component clamped receiver array. The data will be used to generate both cross-well tomographic images and reflection images, and a visco-elastic code will be used to model the observed behavior.
Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: A commercially available, nine-component, cross-well seismic system should provide gas producers with a tool to effectively map the fracture properties in fractured gas reservoirs. This should lower the risk of development of many reservoirs and make it possible to economically produce some reservoirs that otherwise would be abandoned.