Seismic Wave Induction for Fracture Dislocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hydraulic fracturing in tight formations often fails to effectively induce fractures due to frictional stresses on non-planar fracture planes, limiting the permeability and hydrocarbon extraction efficiency, as proppants cannot enter all fractures and micro-seismic monitoring systems lack sensitivity to detect significant permeability improvements.
Innovation Solution
Inducing micro-seismic events and fracture slip in reservoir formations during hydraulic fracturing by generating multi-component seismic signals from multiple seismic sources, optimizing the direction and magnitude of seismic waves to overcome frictional stresses and create permanent dislocations in fractures, thereby enhancing permeability and hydrocarbon extraction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If proppants are used to hold fractures open, then fracture permeability is improved, but proppants cannot enter fractures that are not large enough
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes proppants from the system entirely, replacing them with induced micro-seismic events and fracture dislocations to maintain fracture openness. This extraction allows the solution to work for all fracture sizes without the size limitation that proppants impose.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical proppant filling system with a seismic wave-induced dislocation system. By generating micro-seismic events through controlled blasting or vibration sources, the method creates permanent fracture dislocations that maintain permeability without requiring physical proppant materials.
2Reliability
If hydraulic pressure is applied to create fractures, then formation permeability is improved, but frictional stresses on non-planar fracture planes prevent effective fracture induction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies mechanical vibration through seismic wave generation to induce fracture dislocations. The vibrational energy from micro-seismic events overcomes frictional stresses on non-planar fracture surfaces, creating permanent slip and improving permeability where static hydraulic pressure alone is insufficient.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses periodic seismic wave generation to repeatedly stress fracture planes, gradually overcoming frictional resistance. The cyclic loading from multiple micro-seismic events accumulates displacement on fracture surfaces, ultimately creating permanent openings that static pressure cannot achieve.
3Loss of information
If micro-seismic monitoring is used to detect fracture events, then fracture activity can be monitored, but the system lacks sensitivity to detect significant permeability improvements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the monitoring parameters from detecting small micro-seismic events to detecting larger induced seismic events and permanent fracture dislocations. By focusing on measurable permanent displacement and larger-scale seismic signatures rather than subtle micro-events, the system achieves sufficient sensitivity to detect meaningful permeability improvements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method improves both short-term and long-term hydrocarbon production by optimizing fracture permeability and maintaining open fractures after pressure relief, overcoming the limitations of traditional proppant use and micro-seismic monitoring sensitivity.
Implementation Method 1
creating multi-component generated signals from two or more seismic signal generators located on the surface or below the surface
Implementation Method 2
water, which is mixed with sand and specialized chemicals, is injected under high pressure into the formation to create small fractures in the rock
Implementation Method 3
On function of the sand is to block the fractures in an open position after the pressure is removed
Implementation Method 4
The stresses which reside on the fracture interface may not overcome remaining friction cause by non-planar heterogeneity of the fracture plane
Data Source
AI summary
There is taught herein a method of inducing micro fractures and fracture slip in formations thereby creating new dislocations in pre-existing fractures during hydraulic fracturing operations. An embodiment uses multi-component generated signals from multiple seismic signal generators located on or below the surface; and rotating the generated signals such that their vectors of propagation can be varied and optimized for inducing the micro-seismic and fracture slip events for highest cumulative hydrocarbon extraction considering the mechanical properties and direction of the stresses and pre-existing fractures. Embodiments relate to methods for inducing additional seismic events and fracture slip during hydraulic fracturing, particularly micro-seismic events and fracture slip which improve the short and long term production from the reservoir formation. More specifically, but not by way of limitation, embodiments of the present invention relate to such methods for inducing and optimizing the events in the target reservoir formation.