Linking oil production to surface subsidence from satellite radar interferometry

Abstract

Land subsidence over the Belridge and Lost Hills oil fields, Southern California, was measured using spaceborne interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR). During the 105‐day period between 11/5/95 and 2/17/96, the subsidence in the center of the Lost Hills field reached 15 cm. We assume that this surface subsidence resulted from the vertical shrinkage of the reservoir, which in turn was due to oil production and the resulting pore pressure drop. We model this mechanical effect using an elastic deformation theoretical solution with input constants taken from relevant experiments. The modeled surface deformation matches the InSAR measured values. This result indicates that it is possible, in principle, to monitor hydrocarbon production using satellite‐based measurements of earth deformation.