Aldridge, David F. | Engineering Papers

DOE OSTI2021

Systems and methods for locating and imaging proppant in an induced fracture

Born Scattering Inversion (BSI) systems and methods are disclosed. A BSI system may be incorporated in a well system for accessing natural gas, oil and geothermal reserves in a geologic formation beneath the surface of the Earth. The BSI system may be used to generate a three-dimensional image of a proppant-filled hydraulically-induced fracture in the geologic formation. The BSI system may include computing equipment and sensors for measuring electromagnetic fields in the vicinity of the fracture before and after the fracture is generated, adjusting the parameters of a first Born approximation model of a scattered component of the surface electromagnetic fields using the measured electromagnetic fields, and generating the image of the proppant-filled fracture using the adjusted parameters.

Aldridge, David F.↗

DOE OSTI2020

Systems and methods for locating and imaging proppant in an induced fracture

Born Scattering Inversion (BSI) systems and methods are disclosed. A BSI system may be incorporated in a well system for accessing natural gas, oil and geothermal reserves in a geologic formation beneath the surface of the Earth. The BSI system may be used to generate a three-dimensional image of a proppant-filled hydraulically-induced fracture in the geologic formation. The BSI system may include computing equipment and sensors for measuring electromagnetic fields in the vicinity of the fracture before and after the fracture is generated, adjusting the parameters of a first Born approximation model of a scattered component of the surface electromagnetic fields using the measured electromagnetic fields, and generating the image of the proppant-filled fracture using the adjusted parameters.

03 NATURAL GAS↗

DOE OSTI2018

Systems and methods for locating and imaging proppant in an induced fracture

Born Scattering Inversion (BSI) systems and methods are disclosed. A BSI system may be incorporated in a well system for accessing natural gas, oil and geothermal reserves in a geologic formation beneath the surface of the Earth. The BSI system may be used to generate a three-dimensional image of a proppant-filled hydraulically-induced fracture in the geologic formation. The BSI system may include computing equipment and sensors for measuring electromagnetic fields in the vicinity of the fracture before and after the fracture is generated, adjusting the parameters of a first Born approximation model of a scattered component of the surface electromagnetic fields using the measured electromagnetic fields, and generating the image of the proppant-filled fracture using the adjusted parameters.

Aldridge, David F.↗

DOE OSTI2017

BRNBOX v.1.0

Program BRNBOX conducts a systematic search through a pre-defined 3D volume of candidate sub-surface Born scattering points in order to identify the particular point that minimizes the misfit between predicted (i.e., calculated) and observed electromagnetic (EM) data. This global minimum misfit point is interpreted as the location where electrically conductive proppant is injected into a sub-surface petroleum reservoir in a hydraulic fracturing experiment.

Aldridge, David F.↗

DOE OSTI2017

Reflection and Transmission of Plane Electromagnetic Waves by a Geologic Layer.

Electric field and magnetic field reflection and transmission responses generated by a plane wave normally incident onto a finite - thickness geologic layer are mathematically derived and numerically evaluated. A thin layer with enhanced electric current conductivity and/or magnetic permeability is a reasonable geophysical representation of a hydraulic fracture inject ed with a high - contrast proppant pack. Both theory and numerics indicate that backward - and forward - scattered electromagnetic wavefields are potentially observable in a field experiment, despite the extreme thinness of a fracture compared to a typical low - frequency electromagnetic wavelength. The First Born Approximation (FBA) representation of layer scattering, significant for inversion studies, is shown to be accurate for a thin layer with mild medium parameter (i.e., conductivity, permeability, and per mittivity) contrasts with the surrounding homogeneous wholespace. However, FBA scattering theory breaks down for thick layers and strong parameter contrasts. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Sandia National Laboratories is a multi - mission laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the US Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE - AC04 - 94AL85000. This research is conducted under the auspices of CRADA (Cooperative Research and Development Agreement) SC11/01780.00 between Carbo Ceramics Inc. and Sandia National Laboratories. The author acknowledges former Carbo R&D Vic e - President Mr. Chad Cannan and former SNL Geophysics Department manage r Ms. Amy Halloran for their interest i n and support of this work. Technical discussions with Project Manager and Principal Investigator Dr. Chester J. Weiss of the SNL Geophysics Department greatly benefited this work. Dr. Lewis C. Bartel, formerly with S NL and presently a consultant to Carbo Ceramics, provided many useful and intuitive insights, and is acknowledged as the originator of the concept underpinning a recent patent grant (Aldridge and Bartel, 2016) involving electromagnetic wave scattering.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2016

BOREFIELD v. 1.0

Program BOREFIELD is an electromagnetic data modeling algorithm that calculates the frequency-domain electric vector E (with SI unit (V/m)/Hz) and magnetic vector H (in (A/m)/Hz) generated by an electric current source deployed within a fluid-filled, steel-cased (and possibly cemented) geologic borehole. The medium surrounding the borehole is assumed to be a homogeneous and isotropic electrically conducting wholespace. The source may involve axial, azimuthal, or radial current flow, localized at a point or along a finite-length line aligned with the borehole axis.

Aldridge, David F.↗

DOE OSTI2016

FDEM v. 2.0

Program FDEM_v2.0 is designed to simulate three-dimensional (3D) electromagnetic (EM) wave propagation within an isotropic and heterogeneous body. The medium is characterized by the three isotropic (but spatially-variable) parameters electric permittivity, magnetic permeability, and current conductivity. The numerical solution methodology is explicit, time-domain, finite-differencing of the EH (i.e., electric vector – magnetic vector) coupled partial differential system on uniform, but staggered, spatial and temporal grids. FDEM_v2.0 incorporates “perfectly matched layer” (PML) absorbing boundary conditions on all flanks of the 3D spatial grid that effectively suppress grid boundary reflections.

Aldridge, David F.↗

DOE OSTI2016

FDEM v. 3.0

Program FDEM_v3.0 is designed to simulate three-dimensional (3D) electromagnetic (EM) wave propagation within an isotropic and heterogeneous body. The medium is characterized by the three isotropic (but spatially-variable) parameters electric permittivity, magnetic permeability, and current conductivity. The numerical solution methodology is explicit, time-domain, finite-differencing of the EH (i.e., electric vector – magnetic vector) coupled partial differential system on uniform, but staggered, spatial and temporal grids. In order to suppress grid boundary reflections, FDEM_v3.0 implements “perfectly matched layer” (PML) absorbing boundary conditions on all flanks of the 3D spatial grid in a memory efficient manner.

Aldridge, David F.↗

DOE OSTI2016

LETS v. 3.0

Program LETS calculates the electric current distribution (in space and time) along an electrically energized steel-cased geologic borehole situated within the subsurface earth. The borehole is modeled as an electrical transmission line that “leaks” current into the surrounding geology. Parameters pertinent to the transmission line current calculation (i.e., series resistance and inductance, shunt capacitance and conductance) are obtained by sampling the electromagnetic (EM) properties of a three-dimensional (3D) geologic earth model along a (possibly deviated) well track.

Aldridge, David F.↗

DOE OSTI2016

THEMBED v. 1.0

Utility program THEMBED calculates the normal incidence plane wave electromagnetic (EM) reflection and transmission responses of a (possibly thin) plane interface geologic layer embedded within a homogeneous and isotropic EM background medium.

Aldridge, David F.↗

DOE OSTI2016

EMHOLE v. 2.1

Program EMHOLE is an electromagnetic (EM) forward modeling algorithm that calculates time-domain electric vector e (with SI unit V/m) and magnetic vector h (in A/m) responses generated by a variety of point body sources situated within a homogeneous and isotropic wholespace. A mathematically exact (i.e., without low-frequency or far-field approximation) numerical evaluation procedure is utilized to simulate EM responses (alternately, Green functions) observed at a set of multicomponent receivers distributed throughout the wholespace.

Aldridge, David F.↗

DOE OSTI2016

EMODEL_1D v. 1.0

Program EMODEL_1D is an electromagnetic earth model construction utility designed to generate a three-dimensional (3D) uniformly-gridded representation of one-dimensional (1D) layered earth model. Each layer is characterized by the isotropic EM properties electric permittivity ?, magnetic permeability ?, and current conductivity ?. Moreover, individual layers of the model may possess a linear increase/decrease of any or all of these properties with depth.

Aldridge, David F.↗

DOE OSTI2016

EMRECORD v. 1.0

Program EMRECORD is a utility program designed to facilitate introduction of a 3D electromagnetic (EM) data acquisition configuration (or a “source-receiver recording geometry”) into EM forward modeling algorithms EMHOLE and FDEM. A precise description of the locations (in 3D space), orientations, types, and amplitudes/sensitivities, of all sources and receivers is an essential ingredient for forward modeling of EM wavefields.

Aldridge, David F.↗

DOE OSTI2016

The direct-current response of electrically conducting fractures excited by a grounded current source

Hydraulic fracture stimulation of low permeability reservoir rocks is an established and cross–cutting technology for enhancing hydrocarbon production in sedimentary formations and increasing heat exchange in crystalline geothermal systems. Whereas the primary measure of success is the ability to keep the newly generated fractures sufficiently open, long–term reservoir management requires a knowledge of the spatial extent, morphology, and distribution of the fractures — knowledge primarily informed by microseismic and ground deformation monitoring. To minimize the uncertainty associated with interpreting such data, we investigate through numerical simulation the usefulness of direct-current (DC) resistivity data for characterizing subsurface fractures with elevated electrical conductivity by considering a geophysical experiment consisting of a grounded current source deployed in a steel cased borehole. In doing so, the casing efficiently energizes the fractures with steady current. Finite element simulations of this experiment for a horizontal well intersecting a small set of vertical fractures indicate that the fractures manifest electrically in (at least) two ways: (1) a local perturbation in electric potential proximal to the fracture set, with limited farfield expression and (2) an overall reduction in the electric potential along the borehole casing due to enhanced current flow through the fractures into the surrounding formation. The change in casing potential results in a measurable effect that can be observed far from fractures themselves. Under these conditions, our results suggest that farfield, timelapse measurements of DC potentials can be interpreted by simple, linear inversion for a Coulomb charge distribution along the borehole path, including a local charge perturbation due to the fractures. As a result, this approach offers an inexpensive method for detecting and monitoring the time-evolution of electrically conducting fractures while ultimately providing an estimate of their effective conductivity — the latter providing an important measure independent of seismic methods on fracture shape, size, and hydraulic connectivity.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗