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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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80 records · Page 5
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Seismicity and Stress Associated With a Fluid-Driven Fracture: Estimating the Evolving Geometry

A coupled approach, combining the theory of rate- and state-dependent friction and methods from poroelasticity, forms the basis for a quantitative relationship between displacements and fluid leak-off from a growing fracture and changes in the rate of seismic events in the region surrounding the fracture. Poroelastic Green's functions link fracture aperture changes and fluid flow from the fracture to changes in the stress field and pore pressure in the adjacent formation. The theory of rate- and state-dependent friction provides a connection between Coulomb stress changes and variations in the rate of seismic events. Numerical modeling indicates that the Coulomb stress changes can vary significantly between formations with differing properties. The relationship between the seismicity rate changes and the changes in the formation stresses and fluid pressure is nonlinear, but a transformation produces a quantity that is linearly related to the aperture changes and fluid leak-off from the fracture. The methodology provides a means for mapping changes in seismicity into fracture aperture changes and to image an evolving fracture. An application to observed microseismicity associated with a hydrofracture reveals asymmetric fracture propagation within two main zones, with extended propagation in the upper zone. Furthermore, the time-varying volume of the fracture agrees with the injected volume, given by the integration of rate changes at the injection well, providing validation of the estimated aperture changes.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Unsupervised learning from three-component accelerometer data to monitor the spatiotemporal evolution of meso-scale hydraulic fractures

Enhanced geothermal systems can provide a substantial share of the global energy demand. There exist several hurdles in the engineering implementations of such geothermal systems. One such hurdle is the accurate monitoring of the fracture networks created in subsurface through hydraulic stimulation of these systems. Micro seismicity associated with the stimulation is the primary means to locate the event hypocenters for estimating the stimulated rock volume. Existing methods for location the hypocenters are restricted to only the highest amplitude impulsive signals that are simultaneously detected on several sensors. Consequently, a large portion (usually ~99%) of the measurements are left unused. In this paper, an unsupervised manifold-approximation followed by clustering of 3-component accelerometer data is used to analyze the seismicity recorded on a monitoring well. With this method, a larger portion of the measured signal is used for the monitoring of the hydraulic fracture network. We analyze the EGS Collab experiment 1 microseismic data, recorded at the Sanford Underground Research Facility, South Dakota. Using the data from a single three-component accelerometer, the polarization features viz. Azimuth, incidence, rectilinearity, and planarity are used as inputs for the unsupervised manifold approximation followed by clustering. Our study shows that density-based clusters in the projected 3D space correspond to distinct types of hydraulically fractured zones around the injection point. Finally, we show that the temporal evolution of these clusters can be used to track fracture creation and propagation.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Localization of deformation in fluid-saturated sandstone

Herein we discuss a laboratory study of inelastic deformation and localization was conducted to evaluate microseismicity and fracture in fluid-saturated rock. Plane strain compression experiments were performed on oil- and water-saturated Berea sandstone under dry, drained, undrained, and quasi-unjacketed conditions. Parameters associated with the elastic and inelastic material response were accurately measured and used in a constitutive model to predict localization of deformation under the drained and undrained conditions. Acoustic emission (AE) activity was recorded and the onset of inelastic response in fluid-saturated rock, similar to dry rock, coincided with an increase in AE rate. Fracture initiation and propagation were successfully monitored by AE locations. Clustering of AE events and the start of inhomogeneous deformation inferred from displacement measurements are shown to be well correlated with the model prediction of the onset of localized deformation under various rock-fluid interaction conditions.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2022

Monitoring Seismic Velocity Changes Across the San Jacinto Fault Using Train‐Generated Seismic Tremors

Abstract Microseismic noise has been used for seismic velocity monitoring. However, such signals are dominated by low‐frequency surface waves that are not ideal for detecting changes associated with small tectonic processes. Here we show that it is possible to extract stable, high‐frequency body waves using seismic tremors generated by freight trains. Such body waves allow us to focus on small velocity perturbations in the crust with high spatial resolution. We report on 10 years of seismic velocity temporal changes at the San Jacinto Fault. We observe and map a two‐month‐long episode of velocity changes with complex spatial distribution and interpret the velocity perturbation as produced by a previously undocumented slow‐slip event. We verify the hypothesis through numerical simulations and locate this event along a fault segment believed to be locked. Such a slow‐slip event stresses its surroundings and may trigger a major earthquake on a fault section approaching failure.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Analysis and Integration of the Hydraulic Fracturing Test Site-2 (HFTS-2) Comprehensive Dataset

Hydraulic Fracturing Test Site-2 (HFTS-2) is a field-based research experiment performed in the Permian (Delaware) Basin. The unique aspect of this program was the acquisition of a unique, comprehensive, diagnostic dataset. Additionally, shorter parent wells drilled three years before the child wells offered clear distinction between the stages influenced by parent-child effects and the stages without any effects. The goal of this study was to analyze and integrate this comprehensive diagnostic dataset to understand the areal and vertical extent of hydraulic fractures (HF). The paper also provides insights on the effects of parent wells’ depletion on child well HF geometry based on various monitoring methods and subsurface models. Areal and vertical coverage for all HFTS-2 wells during stimulation and depletion was estimated based on analysis and interpretation of diagnostics and advanced modeling results. HFTS-2 diagnostics included microseismic (MS), pre- and post-stimulation logs and cores, bottomhole gauges, and fiber optic (FO) data. The diagnostics results (MS, FO, image logs) were integrated and used to calibrate subsurface models. Additional field tests were designed and implemented for depletion monitoring. The tailored program for monitoring depletion included vertical and slant well pressures, interference testing, and a vertical strain depletion trial. Areal Coverage: Conventional MS (and FO MS) were used to compute HF dimensions, which were compared with diagnostics (FO strain, gauge, image logs) observations and calibrated subsurface models. A post-production interference test did not show offset well communication. Vertical Coverage: Vertical coverage during stimulation was monitored using a vertical monitoring well. The stronger mechanical strain signals showed good correlation with MS event intensities, geomechanical properties, and gauge inferences. Vertical depletion was estimated based on vertical/slant well gauges and strain depletion tests. Parent-Child Effects: Diagnostics and calibrated subsurface models show asymmetry in child well fracture geometries for stages that overlap parent wells. Child well image logs serve as a good indicator for parent Downloaded from http://onepetro.org/URTECONF/proceedings-pdf/21URTC/2-21URTC/D021S031R004/2477423/urtec-2021-5241-ms.pdf/1 by Carol Worster on 28 February 2022 URTeC 5241 well HF tracking. Child well MS events had an eastward bias, in line with pre-stimulation image logs, and was confirmed by parent well frac hits. Novel/Additive Information: The dataset presents a unique, over-constrained problem space to compare independent techniques to arrive at HF metrics (i.e., stimulation height and/or half-length), unlike a single source dataset, in which calibration is done using available data to guide predictions. Here, the asymmetry in HF geometry seen in the stages influenced by parent-child effects offers unique insights into well spacing and landing, which are key capital decisions the unconventional resources industry is seeking to optimize.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Hydraulic and Thermal Stimulation Program at Raft River Idaho, A DOE EGS

A Department of Energy Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) stimulation program has injected over 254 million gallons of water into the well RRG-9 ST1 since the summer of 2013. Three major stimulations have been conducted during the program increasing injection flow rates from less than 20 gpm to 550 gpm. Geologic, water chemistry, microseismic activity, and borehole imaging data have been used to develop a conceptual model describing possible flow paths of this injected water. This model contains two major fracture zones one of which intersects the RRG-9 ST1 wellbore. Modified Hall and injectivity index plots constructed using injection flow rates, surface temperatures, and wellhead pressures show steady improvement in the injectivity of the well. Here, the injectivity index has risen from 0.15 gpm/psi to 2.0 gpm/ psi. A pressure falloff test conducted on April 28, 2015 indicates a reservoir permeability of 1,220 md and -5.38 skin factor. The well stimulation program was simulated numerically using an Idaho National Laboratory reservoir simulation code, FALCON. These simulations show a significant increase in the permeability of connecting fracture pathways after each stimulation event.

Enhanced geothermal system↗
DOE OSTI2025

Continuous surface-to-distributed acoustic sensor snapshots explain reactivation of individual natural fractures during an unconventional reservoir stimulation

ABSTRACT Fiber-optic sensing technologies allow petroleum engineering teams to detect hydraulic fracture interaction with boreholes during unconventional reservoir stimulation. In combination with high-repeatability seismic sources, the same distributed acoustic sensors (DASs) enable vertical seismic profiling (VSP) of the fracture evolution away from the boreholes. We discovered clear signatures of seismic scattering on activated fractures during nine days of continuous seismic monitoring of the fracturing stages at the Austin Chalk/Eagle Ford Field Laboratory. The present study applies a novel approach for quantitative analysis of the scattering events in terms of the evolution of the geometry and elastic stiffness of individual fractures. Our characterization strategy sequentially refines the fracture models: from a stack of 1D soft layers to 3D rectangular inclusions. First, we estimate the number of fracture locations and reflectivity using a modified sparse-spike deconvolution of the stacked VSP traces. The fracture set consists of five fractures spaced by 15–30 m with a reflectivity of approximately 1%. Then, we develop a scattering integral method to refine these estimates along with an inversion of the fracture top and bottom for each monitoring vintage. We find that, initially, some of the fractures are located above the monitoring fiber with the height of approximately 100 m. Then we integrate the seismic interpretation with the low-frequency DAS and pressure and microseismic monitoring to reconstruct the activation process of the fractures. Most likely, some of the natural fractures slowly grew downward to the monitoring fiber as a result of fluid injections in the stimulated well. This led to bright strain anomalies but did not trigger seismicity. The top of the fractures remained almost constant and were limited by a lithologic boundary/stress barrier. To our knowledge, this is the first time VSP data enabled tracking of the fracture evolution with such high spatial and temporal resolution, which was previously only available for crosswell surveys and at a much smaller scale.

Glubokovskikh, Stanislav↗
DOE OSTI2021

Data Arrays for Microearthquake (MEQ) Monitoring using Deep Learning for the Newberry EGS Sites

The 'Machine Learning Approaches to Predicting Induced Seismicity and Imaging Geothermal Reservoir Properties' project looks to apply machine learning (ML) methods to Microearthquake (MEQ) data for imaging geothermal reservoir properties and forecasting seismic events, in order to advance geothermal exploration and safe geothermal energy production. As part of the project, this submission provides data arrays for 149 microearthquakes between the year 2012 and 2013 at the Newberry EGS Site for use with the Deep Learning Algorithm that has been developed. The data provided includes raw waveform data, location data, normalized waveform data, and processed waveform data. Penn State Geothermal Team has shared the following files from the project: - 149 microearthquakes (MEQs) between 2012 and 2013 at Newberry EGS sites, 'Normalized Waveform Inputs.npz' are normalized waveforms. - labels of 149 MEQs: Processed Waveform Inputs.npz - location labels of 149 MEQs: Location Data.npz Note: .npz is the python file format by NumPy that provides storage of array data.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗