Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Evaluation of CBM reservoir fracture characteristics by azimuthal AVA inversion

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Arabian Journal of Geosciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Exploitation of coalbed methane (CBM) is directly affected by the strike and density of fractures, particularly because fractures can act as conduits for water and gas (after desorption). To realize the azimuthal amplitude versus angle (AVA) inversion for a CBM reservoir, we treated reservoirs whose fractures are aligned vertically as being equivalent to a horizontal transverse isotropic medium and simplified the P-P wave reflection coefficient formula to an approximately linear equation. Then, we adopted a modified damping least squares algorithm to solve the azimuthal AVA inversion problem. With edited macro-bins, corrected residual moveout, and normalized amplitude, the azimuthal gathers exhibited unambiguous azimuthal AVA characteristics. The #3 CBM reservoir in the Qinshui Basin was selected for a case study. The density and strike of the reservoir fractures were obtained and analyzed, and the reservoir was divided into three classes according to fracture density. Finally, in comparison with the gas production data, we confirmed that the inversion results and reservoir classification were both reasonable and credible.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Chen TJ, Wang X, Chi RF (2010) The detect ability analysis on HTI tectonic coal cracks by azimuth avows forward modeling. J China Coal Soc 35(4):640–644

    Google Scholar 

  • Dong SH (2004) Evaluation technique of azimuth anisotropic cracks from P wave data and test of elastic anisotropic coefficients of coal. China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou

    Google Scholar 

  • Duxbury A, White D, Samson C et al (2012) Fracture mapping using seismic amplitude variation with offset and azimuth analysis at the Weyburn CO2 storage site. Geophysics 77(6):B295–B306

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fu XH, Qin Y, Wei ZT (2007) Coalbed methane geology. China University of Mining and Technology press, Xuzhou

    Google Scholar 

  • Hall SA, Kendall JM (2003) Fracture characterization at Valhall: application of P-wave amplitude variation with offset and azimuth (AVOA) analysis to a 3D ocean-bottom data set. Geophysics 68(4):1150–1160

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hobbs DW (1967) The formation of tension joints in sedimentary rocks: an explanation. Geol Mag 104(06):550–556

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mallick S, Craft KL, Meister LJ et al (1998) Determination of the principal directions of azimuthal anisotropy from P-wave seismic data. Geophysics 63(2):692–706

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luo M, Evans BJ (2003) 3D fracture assessment using AVAz and a layer-stripping approach. Explor Geophys 34(1/2):1–6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luo M, Evans BJ (2004) An amplitude-based multiazimuthal approach to mapping fractures using P-wave 3D seismic data. Geophysics 69(3):690–698

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peng SP, Gao YF, Yang RZ et al (2005) Theory and application of AVO for detection of coalbed methane - a case from the Huainan coal field. Chinese Journal of Geophysics (in Chinese) 48(6):1475–1486

    Google Scholar 

  • Peng SP, Chen H, Yang RZ et al (2006) Factors facilitating or limiting the use of AVA for coal-bed methane. Geophysics 71(4):C49–C56

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peng SP, Wang HW, Du WF et al (2013) AVO response characteristics and its influencing factors in HTI coalbed. J China Coal Soc 38(10):1715–1719

    Google Scholar 

  • Pollard DD, Aydin A (1988) Progress in understanding jointing over the past century. Geol Soc Am Bull 100(8):1181–1204

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rüger A (1997) P-wave reflection coefficients for transversely isotropic models with vertical and horizontal axis symmetry. Geophysics 62(3):713–722

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rüger A (1998) Variation of P-wave reflectivity with offset and azimuth in anisotropic media. Geophysics 63(3):935–947

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shen F, Sierra J, Burns DR et al (2002) Azimuthal offset-dependent attributes applied to fracture detection in a carbonate reservoir. Geophysics 67(2):355–364

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou SN, Lin BQ (1999) The theory of gas flow and storage in coal seams. China coal industry publishing house, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the PAPD (A Project Funded by the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions), Jiangsu Natural Science Fund Project (No. BK20130201), and Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. 2012QNA62) for funding this research.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Resources and Geosciences, China University of Mining and Technology, 221116, Xuzhou, People’s Republic of China

    Yiming Zhuang, Shouhua Dong, Haibo Wu & Yaping Huang

  2. School of Earth and Environment, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, People’s Republic of China

    Haibo Wu

Authors
  1. Yiming Zhuang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Shouhua Dong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Haibo Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yaping Huang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shouhua Dong.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zhuang, Y., Dong, S., Wu, H. et al. Evaluation of CBM reservoir fracture characteristics by azimuthal AVA inversion. Arab J Geosci 10, 66 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-017-2844-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-017-2844-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation