3D Modeling and Inversion of Fluid Flow Tomography Data

Abstract

An advanced geophysical technique called as Fluid Flow Tomography (FFT) method for direct imaging of fluid flow behaviors in reservoirs has been developed by the Geophysical Exploration Laboratory of Kyushu University. In the FFT method, fluid flow fronts in the subsurface can be continuously visualized as a function of time from the transient phenomena of electric potential data observed during dynamic reservoir stimulations such as hydraulic fracturing, reinjection and swabbing operations for a well completion. SP anomalies for various fractures have been investigated with a numerical simulation for various 3D anomalous fractures. It is confirmed that the fluid flow fronts can be evaluated with a function of time by the 3D inversion of SP data during injection operations on the Hot Dry Rock geothermal power project at Ogachi area in Japan. The various computer programs developed for the FFT method can be directly applied to evaluate the electrical resistivity data for various electrode arrangement s of electrical tomography, spontaneous potential method and electrical logging data.