Integration of 3D Seismic Fracture Attributes and Micro-Seismic Monitoring for Reservoir Stimulation Optimization

Abstract

Summary Natural fractures are both geological and engineering sweet spots for shale gas. Areas with relatively well-developed natural fractures are often preferred, but too many natural fractures will have a negative effect on the transformation of the reservoir via hydraulic fracturing. Large-magnitude micro-seismic events are often observed in hydraulic fracturing micro-seismic monitoring, whereas these large-magnitude events are often associated with natural fractures. The causes were analysed of these large-magnitude micro-seismic events in four horizontal-well groups in the Sichuan Basin in China, introduces 3D seismic fracture properties in the field of hydraulic fracturing to explain the influences of natural fractures on hydraulic fracturing, and proposes a method that combines 3D seismic attributes with micro-seismic attributes to optimize hydraulic fracturing on site. First, before hydraulic fracturing, the fracture attributes and shear wave impedance are extracted from the 3D seismic data to indicate where casing deformation is possible. At the hydraulic fracturing site, the influence of natural fractures on hydraulic fracturing is analysed, and a real-time hydraulic fracturing optimization method is proposed. The actual data show that the proposed method can greatly improve the hydraulic fracturing efficiency of the reservoir of interest.