3D Analysis and Prediction of Microseismicity in Fracturing by Coupled Geomechanical Modeling

Abstract Microseismic monitoring is widely used for mapping fractures but the fracture dimensions are only inferred from it. This paper presents a 3-D analysis to relate the seismic events and fracture geometry. The method is based on continuum geomechanical modeling and shows that the poroelastic as well as thermal stresses are the key to explaining the characteristic pattern of events recorded in the Cotton Valley waterfracs. The method provides a tool for relating the geometry of the fracture to the microseismic image. The analysis shows that events can occur ahead of fluid and also suggests possibility of recorded events far from the fracture.