Permeability inversion from low‐frequency seismoelectric logs in fluid‐saturated porous formations

In this paper, a method is proposed to invert permeability from seismoelectric logs in fluid‐saturated porous formations. From the analysis of both the amplitude and the phase of simulated seismoelectric logs, we find that the Stoneley wave amplitude of the ratio of the converted electric field to the pressure (REP) is sensitive to porosity rather than permeability while the tangent of the REP's phase is sensitive to permeability. The REP's phase reflects the phase discrepancy between the electric field and the pressure at the same location in the borehole. We theoretically derive the frequency‐dependent expression of the REP of the low‐frequency Stoneley wave and find that the tangent of the REP's argument is approximately in inverse proportion to permeability. We obtain an inversion formula and present the permeability inversion method by using the tangent of the REP's phase. To test this method, the permeabilities of different sandstones are inverted from the synthetic full‐waveform data of seismoelectric logs. A modified inversion process is proposed based on the analysis of inversion errors, by which the relative errors are controlled below 25% and they are smaller than those of the permeability inversion from the Stoneley wave of acoustic logs.     

随钻声波测井FDTD模拟及钻铤波传播特性研究

幅度大的钻铤波掩盖地层信号是困扰随钻声波测井技术的难题,认识钻铤波特性对于消除或有效降低钻铤波至关重要.记录岩石动电效应引起电磁场的随钻动电测井,被认为有望彻底解决钻铤波干扰问题.本文采用有限差分法,模拟不同钻铤、不同井孔结构的随钻声场,对比分析了单极源钻铤波的传播特性,阐明存在伴随钻铤波动电信号的原因.结果表明:钻铤声波在沿钻铤传播时向外部介质辐射能量,透过井壁进入地层的具有视钻铤波速度的声波,与地层纵横波一样可发生动电转化,因而可导致随钻动电测井时产生钻铤波速度的电磁信号.计算还表明,高频情况下,随钻声波测井钻铤波呈现两阶模式:具有低频截止频率的高阶钻铤波幅度较小,其速度略低于钻铤纵波速度;无截止频率的低阶钻铤波幅度较大,其波速在高频时甚至低于钻铤横波速度.这种频散特性和多阶模式特性,是径向多分层开波导结构的导波属性.     

多极源随钻动电测井波场特性实验研究

探索基于孔隙介质动电效应的随钻测井新方法是当前测井勘探领域的热点研究之一.本文针对随钻测井情况下的动(声)-电转换机理,在砂岩模型井中进行了多极源(单/偶/四极源)随钻动电测井实验研究,记录了井中声波激发动电转换波场的时域波形,给出了各分波的时间-速度图,并与多极源随钻声波测井数据进行对比,结果表明:钻铤波诱导的动电转换信号在随钻动电测井全波中的相对幅度显著降低,从而可准确提取到地层声波的传播速度,实现了利用随钻动电测井方法测量地层波速的目的,验证了随钻动电测井技术可有效抑制钻铤波的思想.本文还进一步分析了钻铤波的动电耦合特性,并结合有机玻璃模型井中随钻动电测井和无井孔模型下的随钻声波测量,研究了伴随钻铤波电场信号的传播特性和衰减规律,深入探讨了随钻动电测井全波中钻铤波被削弱的原因,并给出了定量的实验数据分析,为随钻动电测井理论模拟的解释提供有效实验数据支撑.     

矿化度界面对震电测井波场的影响

震电测井的现场试验中测得电磁首波幅值大于伴随电场幅值,这种情况在前人的理论模拟和模型井测量中从未出现.本文研究矿化度界面对震电测井波场的影响,基于Pride方程和边界连续条件模拟了震电测井波场,其中井外孔隙地层可以视为均匀的或者是径向分层的.计算结果表明:对于均匀孔隙地层,当井内流体矿化度大于井外地层孔隙流体矿化度时,电磁首波幅值可以比伴随斯通利波的电场幅值还大;井内流体矿化度与井外地层孔隙流体矿化度的比值越大,电磁首波相对伴随斯通利波的电场的幅值越大.对于径向分层地层,当井内流体矿化度大于内层地层的孔隙流体矿化度时,电磁首波幅值可以比伴随斯通利波的电场幅值还大;当外层地层矿化度小于内层地层矿化度时,电磁首波幅值可以比伴随斯通利波的电场幅值还大;增加内层地层厚度,电场全波幅值减小,电磁首波相对伴随电场的幅值减小.本文的模拟结果表明,震电测井中确实会出现电磁首波幅值比伴随电场幅值还大的情况,这对于解释震电测井的测量结果具有指导意义.     

Experimental measurements of the streaming potential and seismoelectric conversion in Berea sandstone

The streaming potential across a porous medium is induced by a fluid flow due to an electric double layer between a solid and a fluid. When an acoustic wave propagates through a porous medium, the wave pressure generates a relative movement between the solid and the fluid. The moving charge in the fluid induces an electric field and seismoelectric conversion. In order to investigate the streaming potential and the seismoelectric conversion in the same rock sample, we conduct measurements with Berea sandstone saturated by NaCl solutions with different conductivities. We measure the electric voltage (streaming potential) across a cylindrical sample in NaCl solutions with different conductivities and under different pressures to determine the DC coupling coefficients. We also measure the seismoelectric signals induced by acoustic waves with a Berea sandstone plate at different frequencies and solution conductivities. The pressures of the acoustic waves are calibrated with a standard hydrophone (Brüel & 8103) at different frequencies (15–120 kHz). We calculate the quantitative coupling coefficients of the seismoelectric conversion at DC and at high frequencies with samples saturated by solutions with different conductivities. When the Berea sandstone sample is saturated by the NaCl solution with 0.32 mS/m in conductivity, for example, the DC and seismoelectric coupling coefficients at 15 kHz are 0.024 μV/Pa and 0.019 μV/Pa, respectively. The seismoelectric coupling coefficient is an important and helpful parameter for designing a seismoelectric tool. More experimental measurements of seismoelectric coupling coefficients in the frequency range of 100 Hz to 15 kHz are needed in the future.     

井中声电转换波场辐射能量定量分析

井中声激发极化效应研究是实现声激发极化测井实用化的技术基础,实质上是声波在双相孔隙介质中向电磁波的转化,其结果就是形成井中声电转换波场,最终表现为井中声场辐射能向电磁场能的转化.通过对双相孔隙介质中声激发极化过程声电转换波场能量的理论分析,研究了井中声电转换波场能量的总体构成,提出了井中低频声激发极化电场电能体密度的概念,并推导出具体表达式.通过采用实际地层参数模型进行井中低频声激发极化电场的模拟计算得到了井中低频声激发极化过程中电能体密度与声波频率与地层参数的相关关系.     

基于简化的Pride理论模拟声电效应测井响应

针对声电效应测井问题，提出了一种全波列数值模拟方法.该方法忽略声电效应测井 时转换电场对声场的影响,并将电场视为似稳场.采用点声源模型，依据Biot理论得出了井外 孔隙介质声场的表达式，运用这些表达式和似稳电场近似方法，导出了声电效应测井时转换 电场的计算公式.在计算出的转换电场波形中，有伴随斯通利波的电场、伴随纵波和横波的 电场、和临界折射电磁波场.在25kHz以下的频率范围内，依据这种方法计算出来的声电转换 波波形与依据完整Pride理论计算的波形一致.     

随钻条件下井旁界面声电效应的辐射电磁波响应特征

孔隙地层中存在着动电耦合现象,弹性波作用在声阻抗或者电化学性质差异地层会产生辐射电磁波.本文探讨了随钻条件下,利用孔隙地层中的动电耦合效应探测井旁地质体的可行性.为此模拟了井外存在声阻抗差异和电化学差异界面时声波诱导的辐射电场响应特征.求出柱坐标下介质中声场和电场函数表达式,由此计算并比较了均匀介质和弹性差异界面情况下井中接收到的电场.发现随钻条件下,井外的弹性差异界面会产生以光速传播的辐射电磁波.该电磁波反映了井外地质信息,并先于井中直达声波的伴随电磁场到达接收器,因而可以直接观测到.此外,还发现界面辐射电磁波可以用来探测油、水等电化学性质差异大而弹性阻抗差异小的界面;声源频率以及界面两侧地层性质差异程度是辐射电磁波幅度的影响因素.     

含有倾斜薄裂缝孔隙地层中的井孔声场

应用三维交错网格应力-速度有限差分方法,数值模拟了含有倾斜裂缝孔隙介质地层中点声源所激发的井孔声场问题.为满足薄裂缝计算需求,开发了不均匀网格有限差分算法,提高了计算精度及计算速度.利用将孔隙介质方程参数取为流体极限的办法来处理裂缝中的流体,实现了流体-孔隙介质界面处的差分方程统一,使界面处的计算更加灵活方便.在验证了方法正确性的基础上,分别考察了单裂缝宽度、裂缝带宽度、裂缝倾斜角度以及孔隙介质渗透率等参数的变化对井轴上阵列波形的影响并进行了分析.结果表明,声波经过裂缝时可能产生反射横波及斯通利波,后者随裂缝宽度的减小而减小,而前者随裂缝宽度的改变,变化不大,在裂缝很小(20μm)时依然存在;裂缝带的宽度、密度越大,反射斯通利波越强;当裂缝(裂缝带)倾斜时,反射横波消失,但反射斯通利波受裂缝倾斜角度的影响较小;渗透率的改变对斯通利波的衰减影响较为明显.     

声电效应测井的有限差分模拟

本文研究声电效应测井波场的有限差分模拟算法.忽略井外地层中诱导电磁场对孔隙弹性波的影响,将求解动电耦合波方程组的问题解耦,先计算孔隙弹性波,再计算其诱导电磁场.基于轴对称柱坐标系下的速度-应力交错网格,采用时域有限差分计算井孔流体声波和井外地层孔隙弹性波.将电磁场近似看作似稳场,基于轴对称柱坐标系下的5点式有限差分网格,求解不同时刻的电位Poisson方程,计算诱导电场.结果表明:本文算法可准确模拟频率6.0 kHz的声电效应测井全波;在声波测井频率范围内,电导率、动电耦合系数和动态渗透率的低频近似对伴随电磁场的计算影响不大;地层水平界面导致伴随反射斯通利波的电场和显著的界面电磁波,后者对于探测地层界面具有潜在的应用价值.     

动电测井实验研究Ⅰ:渗透率的评价

本文针对流体饱和孔隙介质的动电效应,在砂岩模型井中开展了动电测井实验研究.记录到渗透率不同模型中单极源动电测井的全波波形,清晰地观测到了伴随纵波、横波和斯通利波的动电转换信号,给出了本文实验条件下,动电测井全波中各分波的幅度,并通过电声比的大小说明了各分波的动电转换能力.实验结果表明:孔隙介质动电效应与渗透率密切相关,动电信号的幅度随着地层渗透率的增大而增加,在高渗透率地层中记录动电信号的幅度较大,这一特性可用于地层渗透率的井下动电评估.本文实验结果还验证了动电测井的可行性,同时指出:与声波测井相比,动电测井信号对地层渗透率更加敏感,这为渗透率等地层参数的井下动电测量奠定了实验基础.     

地层波速的电缆和随钻动电测井实验研究

基于孔隙介质动电效应的测量方法在油气勘探领域有着巨大的潜在应用价值.本文针对理论预测的随钻动电测井可削弱钻铤波对地层声波干扰的问题,设计了室内随钻动电测井实验装置和测量系统,并在小尺寸砂岩模型井中开展了随钻动电测井实验研究.为了突出随钻动电测井技术的特点,本文先在砂岩模型井中进行了电缆声波测井和电缆动电测井实验测量,获得了地层声波的传播速度.然后又在同一模型井中进行了随钻声波测井和随钻动电测井实验,记录了这两种情况下的测井全波波形,比较了电缆声波/动电测井和随钻声波/动电测井的差异性,并进一步分析了钻铤波和井中动电转换信号的传播特性.本文还通过随钻动电测井的时域波形提取到被测地层的纵横波速度,从实验角度验证了随钻动电测井技术测量地层波速的可行性.此外,本文实验结果对随钻动电测井的仪器设计及现场测量也有参考意义.     

双声源激发随钻测井声电耦合波理论模拟

随钻单极源声波测井中,由于钻铤模式波的干扰而使地层纵波速度的测量变得困难.孔隙地层的声电转换物理效应给我们提供了通过测量转换电信号实现声学参数测量的可能性.针对随钻声电测井,采用Pride声电耦合方程组描述井外孔隙地层的声电耦合波场,考虑随钻环境条件下的边界条件,采用实轴积分法计算出了随钻声电测井瞬态响应的波场.计算结果表明,声电转换比与电缆声电测井量级相同,也说明随钻环境下声电效应是可应用的.但是,从得到的电场波形图中可以观察到,钻铤模式波成分虽有压制,但仍然存在.为了削弱钻铤模式波,鉴于钻铤的声波速度已知,我们尝试利用双发射源测井方法,通过控制源间距及合适的发射延迟时间对钻铤模式波进行进一步压制.结果表明,采用双源后的井内转换声场和电场波形中,钻铤模式波被有效地抑制,残余钻铤波的相对振幅明显减小,压制效果在电场波形中尤为明显,地层波的信噪比显著增强,有利于地层纵波速度的提取.     

Seismoelectric numerical simulation in 2D vertical transverse isotropic poroelastic medium

Seismoelectric coupling in an electric isotropic and elastic anisotropic medium is developed using a primary–secondary formulation. The anisotropy is of vertical transverse isotropic type and concerns only the poroelastic parameters. Based on our finite difference time domain algorithm, we solve the seismoelectric response to an explosive source. The seismic wavefields are computed as the primary field. The electric field is then obtained as a secondary field by solving the Poisson equation for the electric potential. To test our numerical algorithm, we compared our seismoelectric numerical results with analytical results obtained from Pride's equation. The comparison shows that the numerical solution gives a good approximation to the analytical solution. We then simulate the seismoelectric wavefields in different models. Simulated results show that four types of seismic waves are generated in anisotropic poroelastic medium. These are the fast and slow longitudinal waves and two separable transverse waves. All of these seismic waves generate coseismic electric fields in a homogenous anisotropic poroelastic medium. The tortuosity has an effect on the propagation of the slow longitudinal wave. The snapshot of the slow longitudinal wave has an oval shape when the tortuosity is anisotropic, whereas it has a circular shape when the tortuosity is isotropic. In terms of the Thomsen parameters, the radiation anisotropy of the fast longitudinal wave is more sensitive to the value of ε, while the radiation anisotropy of the transverse wave is more sensitive to the value of δ.     

Seismoelectric measurements in a porous quartz‐sand sample with anisotropic permeability

Seismoelectric coupling coefficients are difficult to predict theoretically because they depend on a large numbers of rock properties, including porosity, permeability, tortuosity, etc. The dependence of the coupling coefficient on rock properties such as permeability requires experimental data. In this study, we carry out a set of laboratory measurements to determine the dependence of seismoelectric coupling coefficient on permeability. We use both an artificial porous “sandstone” sample, with cracks, built using quartz‐sand and Berea sandstone samples. The artificial sample is a cube with 39% porosity. Its permeability levels are anisotropic: 14.7 D, 13.8 D, and 8.3 D in the x‐, y‐, and z‐directions, respectively. Seismoelectric measurements are performed in a water tank in the frequency range of 20 kHz–90 kHz. A piezoelectric P‐wave source is used to generate an acoustic wave that propagates through the sample from the three different (x, y, and z) directions. The amplitudes of the seismoelectric signal induced by the acoustic waves vary with the direction. The highest signal is in the direction of the highest permeability, and the lowest signal is in the direction of the lowest permeability. Since the porosity of the sample is constant, the results directly show the dependence of seismoelectric coefficients on permeability. Seismoelectric measurements with natural rocks are performed using Berea sandstone 500 and 100 samples. Because the Berea samples are nearly isotropic in permeability, the amplitudes of the seismoelectric signals induced in the different directions are the same within the measurement error. Because the permeability of Berea 500 is higher than that of Berea 100, the amplitude of the seismoelectric signals induced in Berea 500 is higher than those in Berea 100. To determine the relative contributions of porosity and permeability on seismoelectric conversion, we carried out an analysis, using Pride (1994) formulation and Kozeny–Carman relationship; the normalized amplitudes of seismoelectric coupling coefficients in three directions are calculated and compared with the experimental results. The results show that the seismoelectric conversion is related to permeability in the frequency range of measurements. This is an encouraging result since it opens the possibility of determining the permeability of a formation from seismoelectric measurements.     

井孔声电效应转换电磁波的特征

为探索声电效应在测井技术中的应用前景,利用微弱信号检测技术对岩石的声电效应进行了实验研究,在模型井孔中不同矿化度的条件下同时记录声波与电磁波信号,对比分析研究声波和电磁波的特征.结果表明所记录的电磁波信号为声波在井孔中传播时激发的转换电磁波.在频谱分析中发现,转换电磁波在频率谱上存在对称的双主频峰.声波在井孔中传播时激发的伪瑞利波产生声电转换,形成转换电磁波.     

Numerical analysis of seismoelectric wave propagation in spatially confined geological units

Using numerical modelling, we investigate the evolution of seismoelectric effects induced by seismic excitation in spatially confined lithological units. Typical geometries represent clay lenses embedded in an aquifer or petroleum deposits in a host rock. In fluid‐saturated rocks, seismic waves can generate electromagnetic fields due to electrokinetic coupling mechanisms associated with such processes in the vicinity of the fluid‐mineral interface. Two seismoelectric phenomena are investigated: (1) the co‐seismic field associated with the seismic displacement at each point in a subsurface and (2) the interface response generated at layer boundaries. Our modelling uses a simplified time‐domain formulation of the coupled problem and an efficient 2D finite‐element implementation. To gain insight into the morphogenetic field behaviour of the seismoelectric effects, several numerical simulations for various target geometries were treated. Accordingly, we varied both the thickness of the confined units and the value of the electrical bulk conductivity in porous media. Analysis of these effects shows differences between interface responses for electrically conductive versus resistive units. So the pertinent contrast in electrical bulk conductivity controls the shape and structure of these seismoelectric conversion patterns. Moreover, the seismoelectric interface response captures both the petrophysical and geometrical characteristics of the geological unit. These models demonstrate the value of using seismoelectric interface response for reservoir characterization in either hydrogeological or hydrocarbon exploration studies.     

Simulation of full-waveform log in saturated cracked formations using Hudson's approach

We study the propagation of elastic waves that are generated in a fluid‐filled borehole surrounded by a cracked transversely isotropic medium. In the model studied the anisotropy and borehole axes coincide. To obtain the effective elastic moduli of a cracked medium we have applied Hudson's theory that enables the determination of the overall properties as a function of the crack orientation in relation to the symmetry axis of the anisotropic medium. This theory takes into account the hydrodynamic mechanism of the elastic‐wave attenuation caused by fluid filtration from the cracks into a porous matrix. We have simulated the full waveforms generated by an impulse source of finite length placed on the borehole axis. The kinematic and dynamic parameters of the compressional, shear and Stoneley waves as functions of the matrix permeability, crack orientation and porosity were studied. The modelling results demonstrated the influence of the crack‐system parameters (orientation and porosity) on the velocities and amplitudes of all wave types. The horizontally orientated cracks result in maximal decrease of the elastic‐wave parameters (velocities and amplitudes). Based on the fact that the shear‐ and Stoneley‐wave velocities in a transversely isotropic medium are determined by different shear moduli, we demonstrate the feasibility of the acoustic log to identify formations with close to horizontal crack orientations.     

Experimental research on seismoelectric effects in sandstone

The seismoelectric effects induced from the coupling of the seismic wave field and the electromagnetic field depend on the physical properties of the reservoir rocks. We built an experimental apparatus to measure the seismoelectric effects in saturated sandstone samples. We recorded the seismoelectric signals induced by P-waves and studied the attenuation of the seismoelectric signals induced at the sandstone interface. The analysis of the seismoelectric effects suggests that the minimization of the potential difference between the reference potential and the baseline potential of the seismoelectric disturbance area is critical to the accuracy of the seismoelectric measurements and greatly improves the detectability of the seismoelectric signals. The experimental results confirmed that the seismoelectric coupling of the seismic wave field and the electromagnetic field is induced when seismic wave propagating in a fluid-saturated porous medium. The amplitudes of the seismoelectric signals decrease linearly with increasing distance between the source and the interface, and decay exponentially with increasing distance between the receiver and the interface. The seismoelectric response of sandstone samples with different permeabilities suggests that the seismoelectric response is directly related to permeability, which should help obtaining the permeability of reservoirs in the future.     

Tube wave to shear wave conversion at borehole plugs

In hydraulic fracturing experiments, perforation shots excite body and tube waves that sample, and thus can be used to characterize, the surrounding medium. While these waves are routinely employed in borehole operations, their resolving power is limited by the experiment geometry, the signal‐to‐noise ratio, and their frequency content. It is therefore useful to look for additional, complementary signals that could increase this resolving power. Tube‐to‐body‐wave conversions (scattering of tube to compressional or shear waves at borehole discontinuities) are one such signal. These waves are not frequently considered in hydraulic fracture settings, yet they possess geometrical and spectral attributes that greatly complement the resolution afforded by body and tube waves alone. Here, we analyze data from the Jonah gas field (Wyoming, USA) to demonstrate that tube‐to‐shear‐wave conversions can be clearly observed in the context of hydraulic fracturing experiments. These waves are identified primarily on the vertical and radial components of geophones installed in monitoring wells surrounding a treatment well. They exhibit a significantly lower frequency content (10–100 Hz) than the primary compressional waves (100–1000 Hz). Tapping into such lower frequencies could help to better constrain velocity in the formation, thus allowing better estimates of fracture density, porosity and permeability. Moreover, the signals of tube‐to‐shear‐wave conversion observed in this particular study provide independent estimates of the shear wave velocity in the formation and of the tube wave velocity in the treatment well.