Microseismic Monitoring Developments in Hydraulic Fracture Stimulation

The last decade has seen a significantly increased interest in microseismic monitoring by the hydrocarbon industry due to the recent surge in unconventional resources such as shale-gas and heavy-oil plays. Both hydraulic fracturing and steam injection create changes in local pore pressures and in situ stresses and thereby brittle failure in intact rock plus additional slip/shearing in naturally fractured rock. Local rock failure or slip yields an acoustic emission, which is also known as a microseismic event. The microseismic cloud represents thus a volumetric map of the extent of induced fracture shearing, opening and closing. Microseismic monitoring can provide pertinent information on in situ reservoir deformation due to fluid stimulation, thus ultimately facilitating reservoir drainage. This paper reviews some of the current key questions and research in microseismicity, ranging from acquisition, processing to interpretation

Natural Fractures Characterization and In Situ Stresses Inference in a Carbonate Reservoir—An Integrated Approach

In this paper, we characterized the natural fracture systems and inferred the state of in situ stress field through an integrated study in a very complex and heterogeneous fractured carbonate heavy oil reservoir. Relative magnitudes and orientations of the in-situ principal stresses in a naturally fractured carbonate heavy oil field were estimated with a combination of available data (World Stress Map, geological and geotectonic evidence, outcrop studies) and techniques (core analysis, borehole image logs and Side View Seismic Location). The estimates made here using various tools and data including routine core analysis and image logs are confirmatory to estimates made by theWorld Stress Map and geotectonic facts. NE-SW and NW-SE found to be the dominant orientations for maximum and minimum horizontal stresses in the study area. In addition, three dominant orientations were identified for vertical and sub-vertical fractures atop the crestal region of the anticlinal structure. Image logs found useful in recognition and delineation of natural fractures. The results implemented in a real field development and proved practical in optimal well placement, drilling and production practices. Such integrated studies can be instrumental in any E&P projects and related projects such as geological CO2 sequestration site characterization

Hydraulic Fracturing Mine Back Trials — Design Rationale and Project Status

Last year, a joint Mining and Oil & Gas industry consortium was established in Canada to conduct hydraulic fracturing (HF) tests accompanied by a mine-back of fractured regions to assess HF models and microseismic monitoring data during controlled experiments. Details about the displacement field, fracture aperture and extent, and micro-seismic parameters could then be verified and used as calibration data for modeling of HF processes in igneous and dense sedimentary rocks

Data Analytics Techniques for Performance Prediction of Steamflooding in Naturally Fractured Carbonate Reservoirs

Thermal oil recovery techniques, including steam processes, account for more than 80% of the current global heavy oil, extra heavy oil, and bitumen production. Evaluation of Naturally Fractured Carbonate Reservoirs (NFCRs) for thermal heavy oil recovery using field pilot tests and exhaustive numerical and analytical modeling is expensive, complex, and personnel-intensive. Robust statistical models have not yet been proposed to predict cumulative steam to oil ratio (CSOR) and recovery factor (RF) during steamflooding in NFCRs as strong process performance indicators. In this paper, new statistical based techniques were developed using multivariable regression analysis for quick estimation of CSOR and RF in NFCRs subjected to steamflooding. The proposed data based models include vital parameters such as in situ fluid and reservoir properties. The data used are taken from experimental studies and rare field trials of vertical well steamflooding pilots in heavy oil NFCRs reported in the literature. The models show an average error of <6% for the worst cases and contain fewer empirical constants compared with existing correlations developed originally for oil sands. The interactions between the parameters were considered indicating that the initial oil saturation and oil viscosity are the most important predictive factors. The proposed models were successfully predicted CSOR and RF for two heavy oil NFCRs. Results of this study can be used for feasibility assessment of steam flooding in NFCRs..

A non-local plasticity model of stimulated volume evolution during hydraulic fracturing

The final publication is available at Elsevier via https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2018.09.023� 2018. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/Hydraulic fracturing in naturally fractured rocks often leads to the creation of a stimulated zone in which the target rock formation is deformed and fractured by the reactivation and shear dilation of natural fractures and the plastic deformation, damaging, and fracturing of the bulk. In this paper, we present a novel mathematical model with the goal of simulating the evolution of the stimulated volume during hydraulic fracturing. This was achieved by introducing an equivalent continuum non-local poro-elastic-plastic zone of enhanced permeability for the stimulated region, characterized by an internal length scale. The non-local plastic constitutive behavior of the rock, combined with the classical Biot�s poroelastic theory, was implemented using a new implicit C0 non-local finite element method. A predictor-corrector return algorithm for the non-local plasticity model was formulated as an extension of the classical plasticity algorithm. To improve the performance of the iterative solution scheme, a consistent algorithmic stiffness tangent modulus was developed. First, the elastic-plastic constitutive behavior of the proposed methodology is verified using the standard non-porous biaxial compression test with strain softening behavior. Next, it is verified that the poro-elastic-plastic model correctly simulates the evolution of the stimulated zone and the subsequent change in the flow and fluid pressure for several hydraulic fracturing examples under various far-field in-situ stress conditions. Lastly, the non-local poro-elastic-plastic model is shown to be mesh-independent and capable of capturing a wide range of complex fracturing behavior.Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canad

Compressed air energy storage: characteristics, basic principles, and geological considerations

With increasing global energy demand and increasing energy production from renewable resources, energy storage has been considered crucial in conducting energy management and ensuring the stability and reliability of the power network. By comparing different possible technologies for energy storage, Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) is recognized as one of the most effective and economical technologies to conduct long-term, large-scale energy storage. In terms of choosing underground formations for constructing CAES reservoirs, salt rock formations are the most suitable for building caverns to conduct long-term and large-scale energy storage. The existing CAES plants and those under planning have demonstrated the importance of CAES technology development. In both Canada and China, CAES plants are needed to conduct renewable energy storage and electricity management in particular areas. Although further research still needs to be conducted, it is feasible and economical to develop salt caverns for CAES in Canada and China.Cited as: Li, L., Liang, W., Lian, H., Yang, J., Dusseault, M. Compressed air energy storage: characteristics, basic principles, and geological considerations. Advances in Geo-Energy Research, 2018, 2(2): 135-147, doi: 10.26804/ager.2018.02.0

Report of the Nova Scotia Independent Panel on Hydraulic Fracturing

On August 28, 2013, the Province of Nova Scotia and the Nova Scotia Department of Energy signed an agreement with the Verschuren Centre for Sustainability in Energy and the Environment at Cape Breton University to conduct an external review on the environmental, socio-economic, and health impacts of hydraulic fracturing. Simultaneously, Dr. David Wheeler, President and Vice Chancellor of Cape Breton University, was asked to convene and Chair the review and expert panel on a voluntary and unpaid basis.1 The mandate for the review was to: create a panel of technical experts based on input from the public and hire technical consultant(s) to facilitate the work of the panel; hire a part-time project administrator; conduct public consultations on the process of hydraulic fracturing with online tools and face-to-face meetings with stakeholders; and conduct a literature review on the health and socio-economic impacts of hydraulic fracturing. These activities would result in a final report to the Government of Nova Scotia with recommendations on the potential of hydraulic fracturing to develop unconventional gas and oil resources in the Province. The scope of work included, but was not limited to, the following areas of research: effects on groundwater - including both water quality and quantity issues; effects on surface water; impacts on land; management of additives to hydraulic fracturing fluids; waste management; site restoration; requirements for hydraulic fracturing design including chemicals used; and the engineered design and financial security considerations that operators are required prior to conducting activity in the Province. The intended outcome for the project was for the Province of Nova Scotia to be able to make an informed decision on the future of hydraulic fracturing activity in Nova Scotia, based on input from technical experts and the public on environmental, health, and socio-economic impacts. The original end date for the review was June 30, 2014, but the deadline was extended until August 31, 2014

A comprehensive study of geothermal heating and cooling systems

The final publication is available at Elsevier via https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2018.09.036� 2018. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/Geothermal heat is an energy source that is local, reliable, resilient, environmentally-friendly, and sustainable. This natural energy is produced from the heat within the earth, and has different applications, such as heating and cooling of buildings, generating electricity, providing warm/cold water for agricultural products in greenhouses, and balneological use. Geothermal energy is not dependent on weather or climate and can supply heat and electricity almost continuously throughout the year. It may even be possible to use geothermal projects as �thermal batteries�, wherein waste or collected heat is stored for future use, even seasonal use, making geothermal energy �renewable� at a time scale of years. Extensive research has been carried out on different technologies and applications of geothermal energy, but comprehensive assessment of geothermal heating and cooling systems is relevant because of changing understanding, scale of application, and technology evolution. This study presents a general overview of geothermal heating and cooling systems. We provide an introduction to energy and the environment as well as the relationship between them; a brief history of geothermal energy; a discussion of district energy systems; a review of geothermal heating and cooling systems; a survey of geothermal energy distribution systems; an overview of ground source heat pumps; and, a discussion of ground heat exchangers. Recognition and accommodation of several factors addressed and discussed in our review will enhance the design and implementation of any geothermal heating or cooling system

Alien Registration- Dusseault, Maurice (Lewiston, Androscoggin County)

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