American Oil and Gas Reporter - July 2015 - 85

SpecialReport: New Products/Technology
released while fracturing the two wells).
Proximal cross-well energy released during
the stimulation of wells 2 and 3 was 56,407
joules (31 percent of the total for the two
wells). Given the greater distance separating
the well 1 and well 3 laterals, the proximal
cross-well energy released during stimulation of these two wells was noticeably
less at 29,131 joules (12 percent of the
total 242,956 joules of energy released
stimulating wells 1 and 3).
The spatial distribution of proximal
microseismicity does suggest some tendency to align in the northeast direction.
Interpreted northeast-trending alignments
strike roughly between N45E to N60E.
Minor northwest event alignments with a
approximate N60W trend also are present.
The density of microseismic activity increased northwest toward the heel of wells
1, 2 and 3. The pattern of microseismicity
distribution also became more amorphous
to the northwest. This change from narrow
to widened fracture fairway may be associated with reduced stress anisotropy from
toe to heel. The region of reduced
anisotropy also corresponds to a region
of increased cross-well activity.
Key Conclusions
The results of the six-well study show
significant out-of-zone microseismicity ob-

THOMAS H.
WILSON

Thomas H. Wilson is a professor of
geophysics at West Virginia University.
He worked as a senior geophysicist at
Exxon before joining the WVU department of geology and geography, where
he teaches applied geophysics and subsurface interpretation. Much of his research focuses on characterizing unconventional reservoirs and developing
fracture models with application to enhanced oil recovery, storing carbon
dioxide, and shale gas. Wilson holds a
B.A. and an M.S. in physics, and a
Ph.D. in geology from West Virginia
University.

served several hundred feet above the point
of treatment in the reservoir, with a large
fraction of the total energy released out-ofzone occurring in the form of proximal
cross-well events. This suggests a strong
tendency for rupture to occur repeatedly in
similar locations and, in this case, the significant distances of out-of-zone seismicity
from treatment location suggests that ruptured
strata were stressed critically and brought
to failure through small pressure changes
transmitted through the intervening strata
without direct treatment fluid contact.
The spatial distribution of in-zone
proximal events revealed areas of additional stimulation or rerupture. Their distribution suggests that repeated rupture
may occur along linear fracture zones in
some areas, while their distribution in
other areas may be more amorphous.

Since these areas preferentially undergo
additional stimulation or restimulation,
they may reveal the distribution of brittle
and more easily fractured zones within
the reservoir; zones that delineate enhanced
fracture porosity and permeability. r
Editor's Note: The six-well Marcellus
study was conducted in the same area of
Southwest Pennsylvania that was the
focus of previous AOGR articles (see
"Seismic Key in Marcellus Development,"
August 2013, pg. 215; and "Fractures
Create Out-Of-Zone Rupture," August
2014, pg. 149). The preceding article
was adapted from an expanded abstract
presented at the 2014 Society of Exploration Geophysicists' 2014 International
Exposition & Annual Meeting, held Oct.
26-31 in Denver.

Impulsora Pipeline Gets Authorization From FERC
WASHINGTON-The Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission has granted conditional authorization for Impulsora
Pipeline LLC to build and operate a
natural gas pipeline that will cross the
U.S.-Mexico international boundary in
Webb County, Tx.
The Defense Department approved the
export project in October and the State

ARIEL K.
HART

Ariel K. Hart is a geophysicist at
EOG Resources, responsible for hybrid
play evaluation and development in
East Texas. Before joining the company
earlier this year, she was a graduate
research assistant in the department of
geology and geography at West Virginia
University, where her academic focus
included seismic attribute-assisted analysis of production-related microseismic
activity. She holds a B.S. in geophysics
from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and
State University, and an M.S. in geophysics from WVU.

Department gave its approval in January.
According to the company, the project
consists of a 36-inch diameter 4,000-foot
pipeline and a parallel 12-inch diameter
pipeline that will be installed under the
Rio Grande River. Impulsora says the
export facilities will have a design capacity
of 1.12 billion cubic feet a day.
r

PETER A.
SULLIVAN

Peter A. Sullivan is vice president of
exploration at Energy Corporation of
America, located at the company's eastern division office in Charleston, W.V.
His previous experience includes working
for the Atlantic Richfield Company,
Bargo Energy Company, and as an independent geologist. Sullivan has worked
in every major producing basin or area
within the continental United States and
in select projects internationally. A certified petroleum geologist, he serves as
president of the Appalachian Geological
Society. Sullivan holds a B.S. and an
M.S. in geology from West Virginia
University.
JULY 2015 85

American Oil and Gas Reporter - July 2015

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