Well-to-Ground Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) for Fracture Monitoring in Shale Gas Reservoirs: Application to the Wulalike Formation

Cixun Wang; Hui Zhao; Fei Xie

doi:10.54097/25v2ka76

Authors

Cixun Wang
Hui Zhao
Fei Xie

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54097/25v2ka76

Keywords:

Well-to-ground ERT exploration; Control volume method; Gas reservoir; Hydraulic fracturing; Fracture monitoring.

Abstract

Advancing deep-seated geological exploration represents a strategic scientific and technological imperative. Reservoir modification through hydraulic fracturing constitutes an indispensable component of deep oil and gas development, where precise fracture monitoring and evaluation in deep gas reservoirs serve as critical technical safeguards for technological innovation. To address the need for real-time monitoring of fracture length and width in the horizontal well Z2 of Wulalike Formation in Yanchuan Basin, this study employs Well-to-Ground Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) technology. By leveraging the electrochemical property contrasts between pre- and post-fracturing fluids in target zones, we integrate control volume method-based resistivity forward modeling with nonlinear least squares inversion algorithms to analyze subsurface electrical field variations within a 1000-meter radius around the 4000-meter depth level in the horizontal section of Z2 well. Field implementation demonstrates that Well-to-Ground ERT provides an effective methodology for real-time fracture monitoring in deep horizontal shale gas wells with centimeter-scale resolution.

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