Seismic and geomechanical physical properties of bitumen saturated carbonates: application in the development of the Grosmont formation of Alberta

沥青饱和碳酸盐的地震和地质力学物理特性：在阿尔伯塔省 Grosmont 地层开发中的应用

• 批准号: 452419-2013
• 负责人: Schmitt, Douglas
• 金额: $ 6.44万
• 依托单位: University of Alberta
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Collaborative Research and Development Grants
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2015-01-01 至 2016-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=575525
• 关键词: Seismic; geomechanical; physical; properties; bitumen

The carbonate Grosmont formation in NE Alberta holds upwards of 25% of Canada's bitumen resources. To date this resource remains essentially untapped. Production is held back by the unknown risks associated with producing such high viscosity fluids from a rock that is quite different from the more conventional oil sands. One way to reduce this risk is to carry out 'time lapse' seismic surveys over the area in question. Such surveys can help to map out disturbances of the underground c conditions. However, the full value of these expensive seismic surveys cannot be realized without corresponding information on the in situ physical properties of the rocks in the earth. In order to properly interpret this seismic data, one must also have knowledge of how the density and the seismic wave speeds of the rock will change with variations in pressure, temperature, and fluid content. This study seeks to address this problem through a three year collaboration with Laricina Energy Ltd., operator of the joint venture Saleski field pilot project, and its partner OSUM Oil Sands Ltd. We will measure the physical properties of bitumen saturated core materials as they are subject to the conditions of pressure and temperature that are encountered in the earth during stimulation. Seed funding from an ENGAGE grant has allowed us to construct a new pressure-temperature control system; this proposal will now work with this equipment to measure the physical properties of a wide variety of core samples. The initial work will be carried out using ultrasonic transducers at very high frequencies of 1 MHz. However, an important component to this research program is the construction of a novel system that allows us to measure the same properties at low frequencies that are more comparable to the actual seismic field measurements. This is very important for such materials as the wave speeds and attenuations can be quite different between the ultrasonic and the seismic frequency bands. The work will also include a third complementary component that takes advantage of the unique and world class core and log data set obtained by our industrial partner. This allows us to look at in situ fractures and interpret stress adding to our knowledge of the factors influencing seismic responses.

艾伯塔省东北部的碳酸盐岩 Grosmont 地层蕴藏着加拿大 25% 以上的沥青资源。 迄今为止，这一资源基本上尚未开发。 从与传统油砂截然不同的岩石中生产如此高粘度的流体，存在未知的风险，从而阻碍了生产。 降低这种风险的一种方法是在相关区域进行“延时”地震勘测。 此类调查可以帮助绘制地下条件的干扰情况。 然而，如果没有地球岩石原位物理特性的相应信息，这些昂贵的地震勘探的全部价值就无法实现。 为了正确解释这些地震数据，人们还必须了解岩石的密度和地震波速度如何随着压力、温度和流体含量的变化而变化。 本研究旨在通过与 Laricina Energy Ltd.（合资企业 Saleski 油田试点项目的运营商）及其合作伙伴 OSUM Oil Sands Ltd. 为期三年的合作来解决这一问题。我们将测量沥青饱和芯材的物理特性，因为它们是受到刺激期间在地球中遇到的压力和温度条件的影响。 来自 ENGAGE 赠款的种子资金使我们能够构建一个新的压力-温度控制系统；该提案现在将与该设备一起测量各种岩心样品的物理特性。 初步工作将使用 1 MHz 非常高频率的超声波换能器进行。 然而，该研究计划的一个重要组成部分是构建一个新颖的系统，该系统使我们能够在低频下测量相同的特性，这些特性与实际地震场测量更具可比性。 这对于此类材料非常重要，因为超声波和地震频带之间的波速和衰减可能有很大不同。 这项工作还将包括第三个补充组件，该组件利用我们的工业合作伙伴获得的独特且世界一流的核心和日志数据集。 这使我们能够观察原位裂缝并解释应力，从而增加我们对影响地震响应因素的了解。