Seeing Beyond the Frac: Integration of Hydraulic Fracture Mapping With Multicomponent 3D Seismic Data

摘要

The Colorado School of Mines Reservoir Characterization Project (RCP) has performed a multi-year study of the Rulison Field in the Piceance Basin, Colorado in cooperation with the Williams Production Company. Rulison is a gas field producing from the Williams Fork Formation, which is part of the Mesaverde Group and consists of stacked fluvial sandstones. Commercial production in Rulison depends on hydraulic fracture (frac) stimulation, typically multiple stages targeting sands and some coals in the lower section of the formation. During fracing, the induced seismicity was recorded using borehole geophones as part of the 2006 RCP field campaign at Rulison. 3D surface seismic surveys collected over multiple years at Rulison are being used to characterize the faulting and natural fracture distribution within the field. This paper discusses integration of the hydraulic fracture microsesimic mapping results with 3D seismic volumes, which provides insight into hydraulic fracture growth and geometry and additional information for short and long term reservoir management.