Magnetotelluric monitoring of unconventional energy resource development: Disruptive technology or damp squib?

Graham Heinson

doi:10.1071/ASEG2016ab002

25th International Conference and Exhibition – Interpreting the Past, Discovering the Future

ISSN: 2202-0586
E-ISSN:

oa Magnetotelluric monitoring of unconventional energy resource development: Disruptive technology or damp squib?
Authors Graham Heinson^a
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^a Department of Earth SciencesUniversity of Adelaide, , Adelaide, SA, 5005, [email protected]
Publisher: Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists
Source: ASEG Extended Abstracts, Volume 2016, Issue 25th International Conference and Exhibition – Interpreting the Past, Discovering the Future, Dec 2016, p. 1 - 3
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/ASEG2016ab002
- Published online: 01 Dec 2016

Abstract

A significant scientific and engineering challenge for the energy resources industry is to monitor injected or produced fluid at depths of hundreds or thousands of metres, and over time-scales of hours to years. A new approach using surface magnetotelluric (MT) methods has been developed over the last five years to map deep-fluid pathways by virtue of their electrical resistivity changes, both spatially and temporally. This is a cheap technology as it uses natural electromagnetic source-fields and does not require drilling. However, is this method really effective for industry for economic reasons and for social and environmental compliance? In other words, is it a disruptive technology or a damp squib?

This paper reviews the physics of the approach, and demonstrates the feasibility of the MT method for monitoring unconventional energy resource development. A number of case studies will be shown, including shallow coal seam gas de-pressurisation, deep hydraulic stimulation of a shale gas reservoir, and enhanced geothermal system development.

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2016-12-01

2026-01-18

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References

Didana, Y. L., Heinson, G., Thiel, S., and Krieger, L.2015, Magnetotelluric monitoring of permeability enhancement at enhanced geothermal system project, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, Submitted.
Kirkby, A., Heinson, G., Holford, S. and Thiel, S., 2015, Mapping fractures using 1D anisotropic modelling of magnetotelluric data: a case study from the Otway Basin, Victoria, Australia, Geophysical Journal International, 201, no. 3, 1961-1976, doi: 10.1093/gji/ggv116.
Kirkby, A., and Heinson, G., Relating permeability and electrical resistivity in fractures using random resistor network models, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, Accepted 23rd Feb 2016.
Macfarlane, J., Thiel, S., Pek, J., Peacock, J. and Heinson, G., 2014, Characterisation of induced fracture networks within an enhanced geothermal system using anisotropic electromagnetic modelling, Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 288, 17, doi: 10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2014.10.002.
Nesbitt, B. E., 1993, Electrical resistivities of crustal fluids, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth (1978-2012), 98, no. B3, 4301-4310, doi: 10.1029/92jb02576.
Peacock, J., Thiel, S., Heinson, G. and P. Reid, 2013, Time-lapse magnetotelluric monitoring of an enhanced geothermal system, Geophysics, 78, no. 3, B121-B130, doi: 10.1190/geo2012-0275.1.
Peacock, J., Thiel, S., Reid, P. and Heinson, G., 2012, Magnetotelluric monitoring of a fluid injection: Example from an enhanced geothermal system, Geophysical Research Letters, 39, no. 18, L18403, doi: 10.1029/2012gl053080.
Rees, N., Carter, S., Heinson, G., Krieger, L., Conway, D., Boren, G., and Matthews, C., 2016, Magnetotelluric monitoring of coal-seam gas and shale-gas resource development in Australia, The Leading Edge, 35(1), 64-70. doi: 10.1190/tle35010064.1
Rosas-Carbajal, M., Linde, N., Peacock, J., Zyserman, F., Kalscheuer, T., and Thiel, S., Probabilistic 3-D time-lapse inversion of magnetotelluric data: application to an enhanced geothermal system, Geophysical Journal International 203 (3): 1946-1960. doi: 10.1093/gji/ggv406

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Article Type: Research Article

Keyword(s): Magnetotellurics; monitoring; unconventional energy resource

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