Analyzing Fractures Using Time-Lapse Electric Potential Data

Characterizing the fractures is an important task to improve the understanding and utilization of hydraulic fracturing. As an approach to augment and improve on the existing methods, time-lapse electric potential measurements could be used to characterize subsurface features. In this study we investigated the characterization of fracture length and fracture density by using time-lapse electric potential data. A new borehole ERT (electric resistivity tomography) method designed specifically for hydraulic fracture characterization is proposed to better capture reservoir dynamics during hydraulic fracturing. This method uses high resolution electric potential data by implementing electrodes in or near boreholes and monitor electric potential distribution near the horizontal fracture zone. The time-lapse electric potential data generated by this tool were simulated and subsequently used to analyze fracture characteristics. Inverse analysis was then performed on the electric potential data to estimate fracture length and fracture density. Last, we performed sensitivity analysis to examine the robustness of the estimates in nonideal environments. The results of this work show that time-lapse electric potential data are capable of capturing flow dynamics during the fracturing process. Using the proposed borehole ERT method we successfully estimated the true fracture length and true fracture density of a constructed fracture model. We were able to determine the best locations in the constructed reservoir to place the electrodes, and through sensitivity analysis we found the maximum noise level of the electric potential data that can still allow the proposed method to make robust fracture length and fracture density estimates. Our proposed method offers a new approach to make robust estimates of fracture length and fracture density. Electric potential data have been used mostly for well logging in the past. This study demonstrates a novel way of using electric potential data in unconventional development and opens possibilities for more applications such as production monitoring.