Comparison of Microseismic Results From the Bakken Formation Processed By Three Different Companies: Integration With Surface Seismic And Pumping Data

In May, 2010 Hess acquired its first microseismic survey in the Beaver Lodge area, North Dakota, over a 2-day time period. In conjunction with this project Hess also acquired a walk-around, offset, and zero-offset VSP to enable estimation of azimuthal anisotropy and generation of a 3D velocity model for proper microseismic event placement. Three different companies were contracted to process the data resulting in widely varying microseismic locations. Rather than accepting externally processed microseismic events that show completely different fracture geometries, Hess is developing an internal methodology to review event picking, 3D velocities, and survey geometries that will lead to dependable results. This presentation will discuss general processing methodology differences and acquisition problems that may have contributed to the inconsistencies. Integrating surface and pumping data with the microseismic reveals that incorporating a 3D anisotropic velocity model produces more reliable results.