Many fractured gas reservoirs could be produced in the United States and abroad if reserve assessments could be made. However, fractured gas reservoirs are often by-passed because reserve figures cannot be assigned to the reservoir to determine the economics of production. This project will collect, manipulate, and analyze multicomponent seismic data in order to develop, verify, and validate geological models that would predict the width and volume of fractures containing readily producible reserves in source/reservoir rocks such as the Devonian Shales. The utility of related seismic techniques also will be evaluated as reconnaissance tools for fractured reservoirs. During Phase I, geology and tectonic history will be also reviewed to determine the types of fractures that should exist in the region. Remote sensing imagery and photography will be used to map surface expressions of the various fracture systems. Geophysical studies will examine the probability of detecting each type of fracture, specify the location and orientation of geophone sets to optimize data collection, and identify procedures required to interpret the data to detect the fractures and map them 3-dimensionally. Geologic models of the fractures will be proposed relating to differing genetic origins.
Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: A number fractured shale reservoirs in the United States would benefit from utilizing this methodology as a reconnaissance technique. The methodology is expected to be tested in Michigan, Texas, and Kansas in an attempt to commercialize the procedure.
