Identifying Reservoir Drainage Patterns from Microseismic Data

Microseismic data provides insights on the efficiency of a hydrocarbon field stimulation program. Current interpretation is often limited to assessing stimulated fracture geometry and number of events. Classical flow patterns, based on symmetric and homogeneous flow, are then often assumed to predict drainage areas and production volumes. In an attempt to link geophysical data with reservoir engineering, we here present a novel approach, using in situ measurements on the strain imparted on the rock mass by individual rock failures. Moment tensor inversion of the microseismic events yields the failure mechanism and orientation of each event. Historically, the resultant strain field of all events has been used to mapping compartments of parallel strain. Here, we here extent this approach assuming that tensile strain on the rock mass opens preferred flow path ways. By mapping stream lines through the strain field it is thus possible to identify drainage patterns of individual ports throughout the stimulated reservoir volume.