Quantifying hydraulically induced fracture height and density from rapid time-lapse distributed acoustic sensing vertical seismic profile data

Abstract

Several recent studies have advanced the use of time-lapse distributed acoustic sensing vertical seismic profile data in horizontal wells for determining hydraulically stimulated fracture properties. Hydraulic fracturing in a horizontal well typically generates vertical fractures in the rock medium around each stage. We have modeled the hydraulically stimulated formation with vertical fracture sets about the lateral wellbore as a horizontally transverse isotropic medium. Rock-physics modeling is used to relate the anisotropy parameters to the fracture properties. This modeling is used to develop an inversion for compressional wave time delay to the fracture height and density of each stage. Field data from two horizontal wells are analyzed, and the fracture height evaluated using this technique is consistent with the microseismic analysis.