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The AAPG/Datapages Combined Publications Database

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Abstract

DOI:10.1306/13131051H33324

Understanding Hydraulic Fractures in Tight-gas Sands through the Integration of Borehole Microseismic Data, Three-dimensional Surface Seismic Data, and Three-dimensional Vertical Seismic Profile Data: A Jonah Field Case Study

Nancy House,1 Julie Shemeta2

1EnCana Oil and Gas (U.S.A.) Inc., Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
2Pinnacle Technologies, Centennial, Colorado, U.S.A.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank EnCana Oil and Gas for permission to publish this work and the support of Dean Dubois, Jeff Johnson, and Mark Turner in implementing this project. We are indebted to Brian Fuller of Sterling Seismic for his contributions to the project.

ABSTRACT

Completion techniques in tight hydrocarbon reservoirs commonly include hydraulic fracturing (ldquofracingrdquo) to increase conductivity and improve deliverability. Because completion techniques are expensive, often costing as much as half of the cost of a well in tight formations, it is important to understand the factors that control the fracture geometry. Improved understanding of the fracs leads to better overall reservoir management by more accurately executed treatments, identification of bypassed resources, and optimizing infill well placement for maximum reservoir drainage. All disciplines associated with the development of the reservoir: drilling, completions, reservoir engineering, geology, and geophysics can benefit from increased understanding of the frac mechanisms and resultant fracture geometry. This Jonah field study illustrates the integration of several different data types: surface seismic data, vertical seismic profile (VSP), and borehole microseismic data to determine the magnitude and direction of induced hydraulic fractures in a complex, tight-gas reservoir.

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