Burying receivers for improved time‐lapse seismic repeatability: CO2CRC Otway field experiment

4D seismic is widely used to remotely monitor fluid movement in subsurface reservoirs. This technique is especially effective offshore where high survey repeatability can be achieved. It comes as no surprise that the first 4D seismic that successfully monitored the CO₂ sequestration process was recorded offshore in the Sleipner field, North Sea. In the case of land projects, poor repeatability of the land seismic data due to low S/N ratio often obscures the time‐lapse seismic signal. Hence for a successful on shore monitoring program improving seismic repeatability is essential. Stage 2 of the CO2CRC Otway project involves an injection of a small amount (around 15,000 tonnes) of CO₂/CH₄ gas mixture into a saline aquifer at a depth of approximately 1.5 km. Previous studies at this site showed that seismic repeatability is relatively low due to variations in weather conditions, near surface geology and farming activities. In order to improve time‐lapse seismic monitoring capabilities, a permanent receiver array can be utilised to improve signal to noise ratio and hence repeatability. A small‐scale trial of such an array was conducted at the Otway site in June 2012. A set of 25 geophones was installed in 3 m deep boreholes in parallel to the same number of surface geophones. In addition, four geophones were placed into boreholes of 1–12 m depth. In order to assess the gain in the signal‐to‐noise ratio and repeatability, both active and passive seismic surveys were carried out. The surveys were conducted in relatively poor weather conditions, with rain, strong wind and thunderstorms. With such an amplified background noise level, we found that the noise level for buried geophones is on average 20 dB lower compared to the surface geophones. The levels of repeatability for borehole geophones estimated around direct wave, reflected wave and ground roll are twice as high as for the surface geophones. Both borehole and surface geophones produce the best repeatability in the 30–90 Hz frequency range. The influence of burying depth on S/N ratio and repeatability shows that significant improvement in repeatability can be reached at a depth of 3 m. The level of repeatability remains relatively constant between 3 and 12 m depths.     

Application of diffracted wave analysis to time‐lapse seismic data for CO2 leakage detection

Time‐lapse seismic analysis is utilized in CO₂ geosequestration to verify the CO₂ containment within a reservoir. A major risk associated with geosequestration is a possible leakage of CO₂ from the storage formation into overlaying formations. To mitigate this risk, the deployment of carbon capture and storage projects requires fast and reliable detection of relatively small volumes of CO₂ outside the storage formation. To do this, it is necessary to predict typical seepage scenarios and improve subsurface seepage detection methods. In this work we present a technique for CO₂ monitoring based on the detection of diffracted waves in time‐lapse seismic data. In the case of CO₂ seepage, the migrating plume might form small secondary accumulations that would produce diffracted, rather than reflected waves. From time‐lapse data analysis, we are able to separate the diffracted waves from the predominant reflections in order to image the small CO₂ plumes. To explore possibilities to detect relatively small amounts of CO₂, we performed synthetic time‐lapse seismic modelling based on the Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Technologies (CO2CRC) Otway project data. The detection method is based on defining the CO₂ location by measuring the coherency of the signal along diffraction offset‐traveltime curves. The technique is applied to a time‐lapse stacked section using a stacking velocity to construct offset‐traveltime curves. Given the amount of noise found in the surface seismic data, the predicted minimum detectable amount of CO₂ is 1000–2000 tonnes. This method was also applied to real data obtained from a time‐lapse seismic physical model. The use of diffractions rather than reflections for monitoring small amounts of CO₂ can enhance the capability of subsurface monitoring in CO₂ geosequestration projects.     

Rotation and strain seismology

Asymmetric continuum theory points to the equal roles of the rotation motions and those related directly to shear or confining strains. The strain motions could be quite independent or mutually related with the eventual phase shifts, while the displacements have only a mathematical sense; a real displacement may appear along the fracture slip only. Formally, any deformation could be presented as related to the displacements; however, its origin in a fracture source should be considered either as belonging to an individual process or to complex correlated events; in these cases, the confining, shear and rotation strains can be related mathematically to the different displacement fields. Some of these related deformations could be emitted from a source with a phase shift, while the observed displacements (deduced from records) result as a sum of these independent displacements. An important influence on a source process and on the premonitory micro-events has the material defects, their distribution, and mobility. The defect arrays lead to a concentration of stresses and their local reorganization. Thus, in this paper, we consider the induced stresses and strains related to defect content and to its modification and redistribution. Moreover, an important role in understanding the complex correlated events in a source plays the release?Crebound mechanism. The release?Crebound mechanism in an earthquake source processes leads to a possible direct or phase-shifted correlations between the emitted motions; in this aspect, a propagation of the coupled strain and rotation waves is discussed. In particular, we consider the point fracture events as related either to a confining load or/and to the shear and rotation processes; we discuss the related effects and their meaning when discussing the fault plane mechanism and emitted waves. In some important seismic regions, we have the recording system which permits to record the strains and rotations. However, we should point that the wordwide seismological network is not adequate to record the complex strain deformations released in the fracture processes and remains quite insufficient to understand the global stress changes and related strain waves of a very low period. Consideration on a recording mechanism of the long displacement waves indicates the insufficiencies of the present global recording system and points that recording of the global strain and rotation waves is an important and urgent task.     

Differences in the abiotic parameters of water in coastal lakes in the light of the EU water framework directive: An example of the Polish southern Baltic coast

Coastal lakes have a specific hydrological regime determined by the influence of sea and inland water and the local hydrographic conditions. There are several problems concerning the protection and assessment of water quality of these bodies. The most important features differentiating coastal lakes from other lakes are: high salinity, a wide range of seasonal and short-term water quality changes, and specific aquatic ecosystems adapted to these conditions. These matters have not been sufficiently taken into account in the existing classifications and typologies of lakes in Poland. The problem has not been solved by the establishment of the adequate reference conditions and new guidelines for the classification of water status (which are being prepared according to the Common Strategy for the Implementation of the Water Framework Directive) regarding inland surface waters (rivers and lakes) and marine waters (coastal and transitional). An important issue is to define criteria which would help to distinguish all those hydrographic objects and to establish water quality standards for them.     

Intermittent generation of mafic enclaves in the 1991–1995 dacite of Unzen Volcano recorded in mineral chemistry

Mafic enclaves in the 1991–1995 dacite of Unzen volcano show chemical and textural variability, such as bulk SiO₂ contents ranging from 52 to 62 wt% and fine- to coarse-grained microlite textures. In this paper, we investigated the mineral chemistry of plagioclase and hornblende microlites and distinguished three enclave types. Type-I mafic enclaves contain high-Mg plagioclase and low-Cl hornblende as microlites, whereas type-III enclaves include low-Mg plagioclase and high-Cl hornblende. Type-II enclaves have an intermediate mineral chemistry. Type-I mafic enclaves tend to show a finer-grained matrix, have slightly higher bulk rock SiO₂ contents (56–60 wt%) when compared with the type-III mafic enclaves (SiO₂?=?53–59 wt%), but the overall bulk enclave compositions are within the trend of the basalt–dacite eruptive products of Quaternary monogenetic volcanoes around Unzen volcano. The origin of the variation of mineral chemistry in mafic enclaves is interpreted to reflect different degree of diffusion-controlled re-equilibration of minerals in a low-temperature mushy dacitic magma reservoir. Mafic enclaves with a long residence time in the dacitic magma reservoir, whose constituent minerals were annealed at low-temperature to be in equililbrium with the rhyolitic melt, represent type-III enclaves. In contrast, type-I mafic enclaves result from recent mafic injections with a mineral assemblage that still retains the high-temperature mineral chemistry. Taking temperature, Ca/(Ca?+?Na) ratio of plagioclase, and water activity of the hydrous Unzen magma into account, the Mg contents of plagioclase indicate that plagioclase microlites in type-III enclaves initially crystallized at high temperature and were subsequently re-equilibrated at low-temperature conditions. Compositional profiles of Mg in plagioclase suggest that older mafic enclaves (Type-III) had a residence time of ~100 years at 800 °C in a stagnant magma reservoir before their incorporation into the mixed dacite of the 1991–1995 Unzen eruption. Presence of different types of mafic enclaves suggests that the 1991–1995 dacite of Unzen volcano tapped mushy magma reservoir intermittently replenished by high-temperature mafic magmas.     

Compressibility of Sands of Various Geologic Origins at Pre-crushing Stress Levels

This study quantifies the influence of various intrinsic soil properties including particle roundness, R, sphericity, S, 50% size by weight, D ₅₀, coefficient of uniformity, C _u, and the state property of relative density, D _r, on the compression and recompression indices, C _c and C _r, of sands of various geologic origins at pre-crushing stress levels. Twenty-four sands exhibiting a wide range of particle shapes, gradations, and geologic origins were collected for the study. The particle shapes were determined using a computational geometry algorithm which allows characterization of a statistically large number of particles in specimens. One dimensional oedometer tests were performed on the soils. The new data was augmented with many previously published results. Through statistical analyses, simple functional relationships are developed for C _c and C _r. In both cases, the models utilized only R and D _r since other intrinsic properties proved to have lesser direct influence on the compression indices. However, previous studies showed that the contributions of S and C _u are felt through their effects on index packing void ratios and thus on D _r. The accuracy of the models was confirmed by comparison of predicted and observed C _c and C _r values.     

Intrusion versus inversion—a 3D density model of the southern rim of the Northwest German Basin

An unsolved problem of regional importance for both the evolution and structure of the Northwest German Basin is the existence or non-existence of the so-called Bramsche Massif. Explaining the nature of this massif and the cause of a related strong, positive Bouguer anomaly (Bramsche Anomaly) is critical. In the study described here, we tested an existing “intrusion model” against a newer “inversion model” in the southern Northwest German Basin. In the intrusion model, the strongly-positive Bouguer anomaly represents the gravity effect of an intrusion at depths between 6 and 10 km. More recent interpretations invoke tectonic inversion rather than intrusion to explain increased burial and the low level of hydrocarbon maturity found in boreholes. We tested these different interpretations by constructing 3D forward density models to 15 km depth. The intrusion model was updated and adjusted to incorporate recent data and we also modelled pre-Zechstein structures using different scenarios. The final model has a very good fit between measured and modelled gravity fields. Based on currently available seismic and structural models, as well as borehole density measurements, we show that the positive Bouguer anomaly cannot be modeled without a high-density, intrusive-like body at depth. However, further in-sight into the crustal structures of the Bramsche region requires more detailed investigations. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Molecular transport in fracture processes

The Asymmetric Continuum Theory based on deformation fields includes the strain rotation as an equally important deformation part as the shear and confining strains; all these fields can be related to their origin in the fracture processes by some displacement motions in a source. Some of these motions may belong to an individual process, some to complex correlated events; in this latter case the displacements related to these strains could be shifted in phase. Moreover, we may expect an appearance of some molecular transport motions; the molecular transport may be helpful for understanding an interaction of the molecular processes and related molecular momentum flux. These correlated events should be mutually related in a source by the release-rebound mechanism. In particular, we consider the point fracture events as associated with a confining load or/and with the shear and rotation processes; we discuss the related effects and their meaning when discussing the fault plane mechanism and emitted waves. It is to be pointed out that such molecular motions are too small to be observed by the existing seismological networks.     

How to assess hydromorphology? A comparison of Ukrainian and German approaches

Recently, the Ukrainian Western Bug water authorities developed a national field survey to assess the quality of river habitats. The Ukrainian government already cooperates with EU member states along transboundary rivers and also orientates itself towards the European Water Framework Directive (WFD). As a future application for EU membership is feasible, the water authorities started to implement WFD criteria into their national survey schemes including the assessment of rivers’ hydromorphology. This article compares two different hydromorphological survey methods to identify similarities and differences of the classification approaches with regard to the conformity of obtained outputs with the WFD demands. The field surveys, the Ukrainian (UA-FS) and the German (LAWA-FS), were applied in parallel on 14 river sections along the Western Bug River and parts of its tributaries. Results show a wide range of conformity, but also several differences between and gaps within all methods. The UA-FS generally lacks the idea of reference condition in rivers’ hydromorphology and the definition of different stream types or near-natural land uses. The UA-FS and the LAWA-FS approaches are similar with respect to their incorporated compartments and most main parameters, but differ in definition and interpretation of specific functional units and single parameters. Greatest similarities down to single parameters exist in aspects of land use, bank vegetation, currents diversity, and within-stream variation of water depths. Differences include the assessment and interpretation of lateral erosion, sinuosity, type and depth of profile, substrate diversity, as well as special structures of bank and riverbed. Overall, the LAWA-FS is more conservative in its rating than the UA-FS. Still, UA-FS can be regarded as an important improvement for a systematic and reliable monitoring of river hydromorphology in the Ukraine that will help to successfully engage with both the integrated water resources management and the WFD harmonisation process in the future.     

Repeatability analysis of land time‐lapse seismic data: CO2CRC Otway pilot project case study

Time‐lapse seismics is the methodology of choice for remotely monitoring changes in oil/gas reservoir depletion, reservoir stimulation or CO₂ sequestration, due to good sensitivity and resolving power at depths up to several kilometres. This method is now routinely applied offshore, however, the use of time‐lapse methodology onshore is relatively rare. The main reason for this is the relatively high cost of commercial seismic acquisition on land. A widespread belief of a relatively poor repeatability of land seismic data prevents rapid growth in the number of land time‐lapse surveys. Considering that CO₂ sequestration on land is becoming a necessity, there is a great need to evaluate the feasibility of time‐lapse seismics for monitoring. Therefore, an understanding of the factors influencing repeatability of land seismics and evaluating limitations of the method is crucially important for its application in many CO₂ sequestration projects. We analyse several repeated 2D and 3D surveys acquired within the Otway CO₂ sequestration pilot project (operated by the Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Technologies, CO2CRC) in Australia, in order to determine the principal limitations of land time‐lapse seismic repeatability and investigate the influence of the main factors affecting it. Our findings are that the intrinsic signal‐to‐noise ratio (S/N, signal to coherent and background noise levels) and the normalized‐root‐mean‐square (NRMS) difference are controlled by the source strength and source type. However, the post‐stack S/N ratio and corresponding NRMS residuals are controlled mainly by the data fold. For very high‐fold data, the source strength and source type are less critical.