While the energy transition is real and active, the hydrocarbon sector will continue to be major energy sources for the foreseeable future. In consequence, to reduce risks in hydraulic fracturing operations and to study its interaction with geology, it is very important to monitor the evolution of the fracking. It was developed a simulation of the electromagnetic (EM) response and its joint interpretation with microseismic monitoring simulation during hydraulic fracturing in an unconventional reservoir. A multiphysics workflow is presented, using a criterion based on a breakdown pressure to generate and propagate the fracking and its associated pressure, saturation, electric field, magnetic field, electrical current and electrical resistivity maps. A second step of this study comprises the simulation of the EM response to different electrical anisotropic scenarios and transmitter to receiver configurations. The results indicate: first, the EM response might be sensitive enough to be monitored and the magnetic field correlates better with the saturation distribution than the electric field, yielding additional information to determine the stimulated reservoir volume. Second, in an anisotropic resistive scenario, the magnetic field is the most sensitive field when discriminating different types of anisotropy for all receiver positions; in both stratified and fractured medium the vertical electric field have higher total amplitudes inside the layer whereas the magnetic field in the top and inside it, and the horizontal electric field does in the top and above it; independently of the symmetry, the horizontal electric field is one order of magnitude higher than the vertical electric field above the anisotropic layer and this relation changes inside the layer. Finally, in a horizontal well hydraulically fractured, the relative percent difference of the vertical electric field is higher than the other fields, but this relation can change when moving to other geometries.
Ana Curcio simultaneously earned her degrees in physics from the faculty of exact and natural sciences; engineering and MS in geodetic-geophysical engineering from the faculty of engineering and a PhD, summa cum laude, at Buenos Aires University. Also, she is Oil and Gas production specialist (ITBA). With 15 years experienced in the energy sector, Ana specialized in multiphysics for complex geophysical exploratory problems in hydrocarbons and lithium industries, covering the entire scope of the technology spectrum. Currently she is advisor in both industries.
Share this page on your timeline