Full waveform model validation of microseismic shear-wave splitting fracture parameter inversion

Although the relationship between reservoir formation permeability and fractures is complex, it is recognized that fractures play an important role in reservoir fluid flow. Recent research has been using the integrated geomechanics and seismic modelling to characterize tight-gas reservoirs, which requires knowledge of the joint or fracture compliances both on the geo-mechanic and seismic scale. However, populating the geomechanical and/or seismic model with joint and fracture properties is based primarily on laboratory core data, which are on many times smaller length scales than observed in fractured reservoirs. As such, it would be ideal to measure and calibrate fracture compliance from field-scale measurements. The aim of this project is to explore whether observations of seismic anisotropy from P- and S-waves can constrain fracture compliance (normal and shear). In this study, we investigate the feasibility of using microseismic data to invert for fracture density, fracture strike and fracture compliance ratio from shear splitting results.