The AVO Effect of Formation Pressure on Time-Lapse Seismic Monitoring in Marine Carbon Dioxide Storage

The phase change of CO_(2) has a significant bearing on the siting, injection, and monitoring of storage. The phase state of CO_(2) is closely related to pressure. In the process of seismic exploration, the information of formation pressure can be response in the seismic data. Therefore, it is possible to monitor the formation pressure using time-lapse seismic method. Apart from formation pressure, the information of porosity and CO_(2) saturation can be reflected in the seismic data. Here, based on the actual situation of the work area, a rockphysical model is proposed to address the feasibility of time-lapse seismic monitoring during CO_(2) storage in the anisotropic formation. The model takes into account the formation pressure, variety minerals composition, fracture, fluid inhomogeneous distribution, and anisotropy caused by horizontal layering of rock layers(or oriented alignment of minerals). From the proposed rockphysical model and the well-logging, cores and geological data at the target layer, the variation of P-wave and S-wave velocity with formation pressure after CO_(2) injection is calculated. And so are the effects of porosity and CO_(2) saturation. Finally, from anisotropic exact reflection coefficient equation, the reflection coefficients under different formation pressures are calculated. It is proved that the reflection coefficient varies with pressure. Compared with CO_(2) saturation, the pressure has a greater effect on the reflection coefficient. Through the convolution model, the seismic record is calculated. The seismic record shows the difference with different formation pressure. At present, in the marine CO_(2) sequestration monitoring domain, there is no study involving the effect of formation pressure changes on seismic records in seafloor anisotropic formation. This study can provide a basis for the inversion of reservoir parameters in anisotropic seafloor CO_(2) reservoirs.

Landslide monitoring in southwestern China via time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography

The dynamic monitoring of landslides in engineering geology has focused on the correlation among landslide stability,rainwater infiltration,and subsurface hydrogeology.However,the understanding of this complicated correlation is still poor and inadequate.Thus,in this study,we investigated a typical landslide in southwestern China via time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography（TLERT） in November 2013 and August 2014.We studied landslide mechanisms based on the spatiotemporal characteristics of surface water infiltration and flow within the landslide body.Combined with borehole data,inverted resistivity models accurately defined the interface between Quaternary sediments and bedrock.Preferential flow pathways attributed to fracture zones and fissures were also delineated.In addition,we found that surface water permeates through these pathways into the slipping mass and drains away as fissure water in the fractured bedrock,probably causing the weakly weathered layer to gradually soften and erode,eventually leading to a landslide.Clearly,TLERT dynamic monitoring can provide precursory information of critical sliding and can be used in landslide stability analysis and prediction.

Monitoring the change in horizontal stress with multi-wave time-lapse seismic response based on nonlinear elasticity theory

Monitoring the change in horizontal stress from the geophysical data is a tough challenge, and it has a crucial impact on broad practical scenarios which involve reservoir exploration and development, carbon dioxide (CO_(2)) injection and storage, shallow surface prospecting and deep-earth structure description. The change in in-situ stress induced by hydrocarbon production and localized tectonic movements causes the changes in rock mechanic properties (e.g. wave velocities, density and anisotropy) and further causes the changes in seismic amplitudes, phases and travel times. In this study, the nonlinear elasticity theory that regards the rock skeleton (solid phase) and pore fluid as an effective whole is used to characterize the effect of horizontal principal stress on rock overall elastic properties and the stress-dependent anisotropy parameters are therefore formulated. Then the approximate P-wave, SV-wave and SH-wave angle-dependent reflection coefficient equations for the horizontal-stress-induced anisotropic media are proposed. It is shown that, on the different reflectors, the stress-induced relative changes in reflectivities (i.e., relative difference) of elastic parameters (i.e., P- and S-wave velocities and density) are much less than the changes in contrasts of anisotropy parameters. Therefore, the effects of stress change on the reflectivities of three elastic parameters are reasonably neglected to further propose an AVO inversion approach incorporating P-, SH- and SV-wave information to estimate the change in horizontal principal stress from the corresponding time-lapse seismic data. Compared with the existing methods, our method eliminates the need for man-made rock-physical or fitting parameters, providing more stable predictive power. 1D test illustrates that the estimated result from time-lapse P-wave reflection data shows the most reasonable agreement with the real model, while the estimated result from SH-wave reflection data shows the largest bias. 2D test illustrates the feasibility of the proposed inversion method for estimating the change in horizontal stress from P-wave time-lapse seismic data.

深部场源变化微重力观测系统设计与模型研究

基于陆地μGal级精度的重力重复测量可以获取高精度区域重力场时变信号,实现对地壳内部介质物性变化的监测能力。提出一种基于现有地震重力监测网络,通过优化场地观测条件,联合应用高精度绝对重力、相对重力,联合水准、GNSS系统和水文等观测手段,设计一种新型的场地重力阵列式观测系统,有助于分离不同深部场源引起的微重力变化信号。该观测系统除可以提高地壳深部场源信号的信噪比外,还可以通过调整阵列间距来监控敏感区场源变化,有助于探测地壳深部地震孕育和发生阶段的场源介质物理变化过程。

基于微重力监测技术的地下储气库库容动用评价方法

地下储气库(以下简称储气库)高速、频繁交替注采过程中的库容动用情况及圈闭动态密封性是储气库注采运行安全管理的重中之重。为了直观评价库容动用效果,以及高速往复注采过程中气水界面变化情况及圈闭动态密封性,以目前中国库容量最大、调峰能力最强的新疆H储气库为研究对象,在国内首次利用微重力监测技术在新疆H储气库西部气水混合区进行微重力监测现场试验,并评价储气库注采交互驱替过程中天然气富集区、气驱前缘及气水界面变化情况。研究结果表明:(1)利用微重力监测技术监测储气库注采层内因流体密度变化产生的重力异常,对储气库内流体的动态变化特征具有一定的指示性;(2)通过监测区微重力数据采集、注采层剩余重力异常提取与分析,可有效评价储气库注采层内流体富集特征;(3)采用层密度反演边缘检测技术,可辅助圈定储气库气水界面,评价注采交互驱替过程中气驱前缘的动态变化;(4)实际生产动态资料验证,该技术的评价结果与生产动态相吻合,说明微重力监测结果对储气库库容动用情况可进行有效判断。结论认为,微重力监测技术可直观评价储气库库容动用效果和气水边界变化情况,进而评价储气库高速往复注采过程中的圈闭动态密封性,对优化调整储气库注采运行政策、实现库容有效动用、提升储气调峰运行效率、保障注采运行安全具有重要的指导作用。

蒸汽腔立体监测技术在SAGD开发中的应用

在蒸汽辅助重力泄油（SAGD）开发中,有效监测蒸汽腔的发育形态,对生产动态调控、剩余油挖潜、延长SAGD开发生命周期及开发效果评价具有重要意义。辽河油田经过十余年的SAGD开发实践,不断摸索研究,利用超稠油油藏SAGD开发前后温度场、微重力场及地震速度场等方面参数的变化,建立了以观察井温度监测、时移微重力及四维地震等开发地球物理技术为主体的SAGD蒸汽腔立体监测技术,实现了SAGD蒸汽腔由单一技术向多技术监测、由单点向点-面-体立体监测、由定性静态描述向定量动态预测的转变。该立体监测技术可以较好地判断蒸汽腔扩展形态,计算蒸汽腔扩展速度及高度,辅助判断SAGD开发阶段,准确判断沉积微相、隔夹层及注采关系等因素对蒸汽腔扩展规律的控制。该立体监测技术在SAGD生产动态调控及开发调整方面也取得了较好的应用效果。

Enhanced Prospect Definition Using Well and 4D Seismic Data in a Niger Delta Field

We carried out time-lapse analysis in a producing Niger Delta X-field, by first investigating the response and sensitivity of rock properties/attributes to lithology and pore fill in 3-D cross plot domain and by Gassmann’s fluid substitution modeling. Furthermore, 4-D seismic data were inverted into acoustic impedance volumes through model based inversion scheme. This served as input into a multi-attribute neural network algorithm for the extraction of rock attribute volumes based on the results of the petrophysical log analysis. Subsequently, horizon slices of rock properties/ attributes were extracted from the inverted seismic data and analyzed. In this way, we mapped hydrocarbon depleted wells in the field, and identified probable by-passed hydrocarbon zones. Thus, the integration of well and time lapse seismic (4-D) data in reservoir studies has remarkably improved information on the reservoir economic potential, and enhanced hydrocarbon recovery factor.

Study on attribute characterization for reservoir dynamic monitoring by seismic

Study on characterizing reservoir parameters dynamic variations by time-lapse seismic attributes is the theoretical basis for effectively distinguishing reservoir parameters variations and conducting time-lapse seismic interpretation,and it is also a key step for time-lapse seismic application in real oil fields. Based on the rock physical model of unconsolidated sandstone,the different effects of oil saturation and effective pressure variations on seismic P-wave and S-wave velocities are calculated and analyzed. Using numerical simulation on decoupled wave equations,the responses of seismic amplitude with different offsets to reservoir oil saturation variations are analyzed,pre-stack time-lapse seismic attributes differences for oil saturation and effective pressure variations of P-P wave and P-S converted wave are calculated,and time-lapse seismic AVO (Amplitude Versus Offset) response rules of P-P wave and P-S converted wave to effective pressure and oil saturation variations are compared. The theoretical modeling study shows that it is feasible to distinguish different reservoir parameters dynamic variations by pre-stack time-lapse seismic information,including pre-stack time-lapse seismic attributes and AVO information,which has great potential in improving time-lapse seismic interpreta-tion precision. It also shows that the time-lapse seismic response mechanism study on objective oil fields is especially important in establishing effective time-lapse seismic data process and interpreta-tion scheme.

Numerical Modeling of Anisotropic Elastic-Wave Sensitivity Propagation for Optimal Design of Time-Lapse Seismic Surveys

Reliable subsurface time-lapse seismic monitoring is crucial for many geo-physical applications,such as enhanced geothermal system characterization,geologic carbon utilization and storage,and conventional and unconventional oil/gas reservoir characterization,etc.We develop an elastic-wave sensitivity propagation method for optimal design of cost-effective time-lapse seismic surveys considering the fact that most of subsurface geologic layers and fractured reservoirs are anisotropic instead of isotropic.For anisotropic media,we define monitoring criteria using qP-and qS-wave sensitivity energies after decomposing qP-and qS-wave components from the total elastic-wave sensitivity wavefield using a hybrid time-and frequency-domain approach.Geophones should therefore be placed at locations with significant qP-and qS-wave sensitivity energies for cost-effective time-lapse seismic monitoring in an anisotropic geology setting.Our numerical modeling results for a modified anisotropic Hess model demonstrate that,compared with the isotropic case,subsurface anisotropy changes the spatial distributions of elastic-wave sensitivity energies.Consequently,it is necessary to consider subsurface anisotropies when designing the spatial distri-bution of geophones for cost-effective time-lapse seismic monitoring.This finding suggests that it is essential to use our new anisotropic elastic-wave sensitivity modeling method for optimal design of time-lapse seismic surveys to reliably monitor the changes in subsurface reservoirs,fracture zones or target monitoring regions.

双树复小波变换在时移微重力监测上的应用——以辽河油田SAGD区为例

SAGD开发会引起地下介质密度产生较大的变化,进而引起地表重力值的变化.时移微重力监测技术通过测量地表重力值的变化来监测SAGD开发过程中蒸汽腔的形态变化,从而获得油藏开发动态变化信息.针对微重力监测技术的重力异常提取对于描述储层变化至关重要.本文利用双树复小波变换将微重力数据分解为不同尺度小波系数,结合软硬阈值折中法对小波域系数进行处理,实现不同尺度微重力异常分离的目的,方法应用于方向模型和通用模型,验证了其在异常分离方面的优越性.相对于常用的离散小波变换,双树复小波变换能极大地减小异常分离中的平移敏感性,改善方向选择性.新方法应用于SAGD开发区时移微重力监测中,得到了可靠的剩余重力异常场,并得到了油气生产动态数据中井温数据的验证.