Magnetic signatures produced by fluid flow in porous sediments

Mike F. Middleton; Dag Winkler; Marcel Bick; Torgny Sahlin

doi:10.1071/EG00413

ISSN: 0812-3985
E-ISSN: 1834-7533

Magnetic signatures produced by fluid flow in porous sediments
Authors Mike F. Middleton^a, Dag Winkler^b, Marcel Bick^c and Torgny Sahlin^d
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^a School of Applied Geology Curtin University of Technology, Perth, WA, Australia ^b Dept. of Applied PhysicsChalmers University of Technology Göteborg, Sweden ^c Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH Institut für Schicht - und Ionentechnik Jülich, Germany ^d Geoscience Center Göteborg University Göteborg, Sweden
Publisher: Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists
Source: Exploration Geophysics, Volume 31, Issue 1-2, Mar 2000, p. 413 - 417
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/EG00413
- Published online: 01 Mar 2000

Abstract

Laboratory experiments have demonstrated that a magnetic field is created during the displacement of water by oil in a porous medium. This magnetic field is interpreted to be generated by the electrokinetic effect. The results of the experiments are up-scaled to permit modelling of the electrokinetic-magnetic field generated by a producing oil field. Predicted maximum magnetic anomalies (measured at the Earth’s surface) near oil wells, where the oil-water contact moves vertically at rates between 1 to 5 m/yr (conventional production rates), are in the vicinity of 1 nT or less. However, in the situation where producing wells have unstable pressure regimes, vertical flow rates can exceed 100 m/yr for short periods; maximum magnetic anomalies in the vicinity of 150 nT are predicted under such conditions. Accepting the interpretation that the electrokinetic-magnetic field is produced by randomly changing current loops in the partially oil-saturated zone (transition-zone) of the reservoir, the observed magnetic field is expected to exhibit time-transient behaviour. It is proposed that such a technique could be used to monitor changes to the pressure regime in producing petroleum reservoirs.

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References

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Article Type: Research Article

Keyword(s): Electrokinetic effect; fluid flow; magnetic field; reservoir geophysics

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Magnetic signatures produced by fluid flow in porous sediments

Abstract

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