Microseismic Monitoring FAQs

Currently, operators use surface, near-surface, and downhole microseismic monitoring for their completions needs. Each method has unique advantages that can be applied on a per-project basis to provide operators with the best solution possible.

Microseismic Monitoring is like putting a stethoscope to the surface of the earth and listening to the sounds the rocks make as they are being fractured. Those sounds are then further used to create an actual image of how and where the rocks are fracturing.

During hydraulic fracturing, subsurface energy is released during mechanical failure of rocks. The energy releases are acquired by geophones spread out in patterns, either on the surface or near the surface, and analyzed using earthquake seismology and seismic migration techniques. The use of Microseismic Monitoring allows operators to better understand the reservoir’s response to stimulation.

MicroSeismic helps oil & gas operators maximize asset value. Monitoring of hydraulic fracturing enables operators to perform real-time completions optimization that improves production. We map where the fractures are going and analyze the effectiveness of the treatment so operators can understand how well they are fracturing and how to increase overall production.

By monitoring from the surface or borehole in real time, we can tell operators exactly where their fractures are going. This enables better field development (i.e., operators can understand where to drill future wells) and real-time treatment improvements. Mapping fracture networks in real time lets operators adjust treatment parameters, such as pump rate, on the spot to effectively frac the well and optimize completions.

As the pioneer in microseismic monitoring, MicroSeismic has been helping clients make informed decisions about optimizing completions using surface, near-surface, and downhole arrays since 2003. Each year MicroSeismic, Inc. monitors hundreds of wells and thousands of stages during fracturing.

Using real-time processing, MicroSeismic has the ability to notify the operator to stop pumping if the fractures are approaching environmentally sensitive areas. Also, monitoring provides operators with a preventative measure to confirm groundwater aquifers are not penetrated. MicroSeismic is able to detect larger-magnitude events and prove that large-magnitude events did not occur during treatment.