Reservoir structure at Yufutsu gas field, JAPAN determined by analysis of induced microseismic

multiplets
Yusuke Kumano*, Hiroshi Asanuma, Hiroaki Niitsuma, Tohoku University,
Kazuhiko Tezuka and Ryohei Kamitsuji, JAPEX
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Summary
We examine induced microseismicity from a hydraulic
stimulation at the Yufutsu gas field on Hokkaido Island,
Japan, managed by Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd.
(JAPEX), to delineate the fracture system in the reservoir.
Over 3,700 seismic events were detected by a network of 4
deep downhole and 3 shallower seismic sensors. 701 of these
events showed clear onsets of P and S waves and were
located. The source distribution determined using
conventional location methods was too diffuse to reveal
SEG Technical Program Expanded Abstracts 2006
these differential times are used as input into the relative
location technique. Because raypaths are nearly identical
among multiplet members, the relative location technique
eliminates location errors introduced by velocity model
inaccuracies over most of the path, providing improved
accuracy for relative locations within the source region
(Waldhauser et al., 2000).
The goal of this work is to determine the structure of the
fracture system, and to examine the feasibility of hydraulic
stimulation and passive seismic monitoring for EOR.

detailed reservoir structure. We therefore re-examined the

dataset by clustering the events using waveform similarity, Outline of the hydraulic stimulation and microseismic
and subsequently relocated using relative arrival times. 576 monitoring
events (82% of located events) were identified as multiplet
events based on waveform coherence. We relocated the
multiplets using a double differential (DD) technique, and
obtained a source distribution that delineates tens of
sub-parallel streaks composed of multiplets. A synthetic test
of the DD location technique with our station distribution
suggests that the streaks are artifacts arising from the
co-planar network arrangement.

Introduction

Passive seismic monitoring a standard method employed

during hydraulic stimulation at hot dry rock (HDR) or hot
fractured rock (HFR) geothermal projects (Moriya et al.,
2000; Asanuma et al., 2004; Evans et al., 2004) or oil/gas
fields for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) (Rutledge et al.,
2003) because it is one of few methods available to monitor
the extension of a reservoir in three dimensional space with
practical resolution. It is particularly useful for monitoring
reservoir stimulation within crystalline basement, where
active reflection surveys cannot delineate a fracture system.

The primary goal of microseismic monitoring is determining

location of seismic events directly related to the reservoir
structure. Precise locations may illuminate the behavior of
individual fractures. Microseismic multiplet analysis, in
which a group of seismic events having similar traces is
analyzed, allows us to improve relative source location
accuracy. A multiplet is assumed to arise from repeated shear
slip on one fracture, because highly similar waveforms can
only be produced through a combination of similar source
mechanism and nearly identical source-to-receiver raypaths.
We capitalize on waveform similarity for precise estimation
of differential travel times among events at each receiver;
Fig.1 Microseismic monitoring network
At Yufutsu gas field, Hokkaido, Japan, natural gas lies
within a reservoir composed of naturally pre-existing
fractures distributed in granitic basement and the upper
conglomerate formations. 14 boreholes have been drilled
into the reservoir, and FMI logging has been conducted at
ten of them. The FMI images suggest that the boreholes with
large gas production penetrate fractures with large apertures
and that smaller fractures are not contributing significantly
to gas production. JAPEX is building a fracture network

SEG/New Orleans 2006 Annual Meeting 600

 Delineation of seismic structure by multiplets

model for optimal development of the field. Information

on the precise distribution of the fracture system and its Microseismic multiplet analysis
response to hydraulic stimulation is requited for reliable and
accurate modeling.
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A hydraulic stimulation was conducted at one of the

boreholes, in May, 2005. 5,628 m3 of sea water was injected
during 3 stages (1st step injection, the main injection, and 2nd
step injection) for a week. The injection interval was from
4078mMD (Measured Depth) to 4220mMD in a
conglomerate formation.
SEG Technical Program Expanded Abstracts 2006

Fig.3 Waveforms of microseismic multiplet events

To better estimate the precise relative source distribution, we

have applied multiplet analysis, a technique that capitalizes
on waveform similarity to derive relationships among
seismic events. A high degree of waveform similarity, which
can be characterized using the signal coherence between
Fig.2 AE activity associated with Pump log pairs of waveforms, implies nearly identical source
mechanisms in combination with nearly identical raypaths
traversed by the seismic waves. Highly coherent events may
We monitored seismicity during the stimulation using 7
be assumed to arise from nearly the same source region, and
multi-component stations (Fig.1). “PS3-Shallow” and
the arrival time differentials for their P-waves can be used to
“PS3-Deep” were clamped to the injection well casing at
determine with high precision the small relative differences
depths of 3,188 m and 3,655 m. “Createch-Near” and
between their source locations. Fig.3 shows example
“Createch-Far” were deployed in boreholes at depths of
waveforms for multiplet events recorded at Createch_Far
~3200m. The remaining stations were deployed in a shallow
station. These waveforms exhibit similarity well into their
borehole at depths between ~80 and ~450m. These were
codas, implying a common travel path (close proximity of
located more than 1 km from the injection well. We recorded
sources) and focal mechanism.
3,708 seismic events during the monitoring period at
Cleartech-Near station. Shallow stations detected only 50
events, or 1.3%. The velocity model for the shallower layer
is less well-known than that for the deeper section. For both Multiplet Event : 576
these reasons, we therefore use only signals from the deep Located Event : 701
downhole stations in this analysis. Fig.2 shows the activity
of microseismic events with the hydraulic record. The
seismicity rate corresponds directly to the fluid pressure and
pumping rate, Events began after wellhead pressure
exceeded 42MPa (bottom hole pressure exceeded 69MPa).
Some events also occurred after shut-in. 701 events
exhibited sufficiently clear onsets for P and S waves to
calculate source locations. We determined locations using a
conventional, single event method (Fig.5(a)). The resulting
source distribution suggests that the stimulated area Fig.4 Result of multiplet cluster
expanded from the feed point dominantly to the North-East;
however, the distribution of source locations is so scattered We clustered the multiplet events using a coherence criterion
that we cannot determine any detailed structure. of 0.68. Fig.4 shows the clustering results. 576 events (82%

SEG/New Orleans 2006 Annual Meeting 601

 Delineation of seismic structure by multiplets
of the located events) were identified as belonging to tens of
multiplet clusters, suggesting that there are tens of distinct,
active structures in the stimulated volume.
The double differential (DD) technique is a method to
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estimate relative source locations using relative phase arrival
times at each station. Delays are estimated using
cross-correlation. Fig.5 (b) shows the source distribution for
events re-located using DD. In this figure, events are
reclassified into multiplet clusters using a coherence
criterion of 0.8, and each cluster is represented by a different
color. Sub-parallel streaks represent each multiplet; these
appear to be dipping to the SW with inclinations between 40
to 60 degrees.
Uncertainty of DD location structures
To examine the reliability of the source distribution
SEG Technical Program Expanded Abstracts 2006
determined by DD we numerically calculated travel times
using virtual source locations distributed on a sphere of
radius 10 m around the feed point (Fig.6(a)). We then used
isotropically dispersed initial source locations (Fig.6(b))
distributed on a sphere having radius 100 m. The result
indicates that DD technique cannot improve the source
location in the direction that is consistent with direction of
the streaks (Fig.6(c)).
The geometry of the network is nearly planar; its normal is
consistent with the direction of our multiplet streaks. Thus,
we conclude that the source ‘streaks’ produced in this study
using the DD method are artifacts arising from the planar
geometry of the sensor network.
Conclusions
We have applied multiplet analysis to microseismic data
obtained during hydraulic stimulation at the Yufutsu gas
field, Japan during May 2005. The seismic cloud extends
approximately 600m from the feed point. The located events
were classified into tens of multiplet clusters, whose
locations, determined using the DD technique, indicate
streak structures. A synthetic test of the DD method applied
to our network geometry and velocity model indicates that
these streaks are artifacts arising from the co-planar sensor
arrangement. We conclude that in cases of sub-optimal
network geometry, use of the DD technique may produce
compelling source geometries that are likely to be artifacts,
and must be viewed with caution.
Acknowledgements
SEG/New Orleans 2006 Annual Meeting
The hydraulic stimulation and passive seismic monitoring
were only possible with much help from JAPEX. We
appreciate all contributors to the project seismic monitoring
and analysis. Part of this study has been supported by Japan
Society for the Promotion of Science. We would like to
express our thanks to Dr. Charlotte A. Rowe, LANL, for her
discussion with some comments and recommendations.
References
Aki K. and P. G. Richard, 1980. “Quantitative seismology,
Theory and methods” W. H. Freeman, New York.
Asanuma H., Y. Kumano, T. Izumi, N. Soma, H. Kaieda, Y.
Aoyagi, K. Tezuka, D. Wyborn and H. Niitsuma, 2004.
“Microseismic monitoring of a stimulation of HDR
reservoir at Cooper Basin, Australia”, GRC Transactions,
28, 191-195.
Evans K. F., H. Moriya, H. Niitsuma, R. H. Jones, W. S.
Phillips, A. Genter, J. Sausse, R. Baria, 2004.
“Microseismisity and permeability enhancement of
hydro-geologic structures during massive fluid injections
into granite at 3km depth at the Soultz HDR site.”
Geophys. J. Int.
Kumano Y., H. Moriya, H. Asanuma, N. Soma, H. Kaieda, K.
Tazuka, D. Wyborn and H. Niitsuma, 2004,
“Interpretation of reservoir creation process at Cooper
Basin, Australia by acoustic emission”, Progress in
Acoustic Emission, 263-270.
Moriya H., K. Nakazato and H. Niitsuma, 2000, “Study of
microseismic doublet/multiplet for evaluation of fracture
system in Soultz HDR field,” Proc. WGC2000.
Menke, William, and David Schaff , 2004. “Absolute
Earthquake Locations with Differential Data” Bulletin of
the Siesmological Society of America, 94, 2254-2264.
Nadeau, R. M., W. Foxall, and T. V. McEvilly, 1995,
Clustering and periodic recurrence of microseismicities on
the San Andreas fault at Parkfield, California. Science,
267, 503–507.
Rutledge J. T. and W. S. Philips, 2003, “Hydraulic
stimulation of natural fractures as revealed by induced
mycroearthquakes, Carthage Cooton Valley gas field, east
Texas. Geophysics, 68 (2) 441-451.
Waldhauser F. and W. L. Ellsworth, 2000. “A
Double-Diffrence Earthquake Location Algorithm:
Method and Application to the Northan Hayward Fault,
California.” Bulletin of the Siesmological Society of
America, 90, 1353-1368
602
 Delineation of seismic structure by multiplets
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SEG Technical Program Expanded Abstracts 2006

(a) conventional method (b) DD method

Fig.5 Comparison of source location

(a) Truth (b) Initial for DD (c) Result of DD Fig.7 Direction of streaks
Fig.6 Simulation of DD source location

SEG/New Orleans 2006 Annual Meeting 603

 EDITED REFERENCES
Note: This reference list is a copy-edited version of the reference list submitted by the
author. Reference lists for the 2006 SEG Technical Program Expanded Abstracts have
been copy edited so that references provided with the online metadata for each paper will
achieve a high degree of linking to cited sources that appear on the Web.

REFERENCES
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Aki K., and P. G. Richard, 1980, Quantitative seismology, Theory and methods: W. H.
Freeman.
Asanuma H., Y. Kumano, T. Izumi, N. Soma, H. Kaieda, Y. Aoyagi, K. Tezuka, D.
Wyborn, and H. Niitsuma, 2004, Microseismic monitoring of a stimulation of HDR
reservoir at Cooper Basin, Australia: GRC Transactions, 28, 191–195.
Evans K. F., H. Moriya, H. Niitsuma, R. H. Jones, W. S. Phillips, A. Genter, J. Sausse,
and R. Baria, 2004, Microseismisity and permeability enhancement of hydro-geologic
structures during massive fluid injections into granite at 3km depth at the Soultz HDR
site: Geophysical Journal International.
Kumano Y., H. Moriya, H. Asanuma, N. Soma, H. Kaieda, K. Tazuka, D. Wyborn and H.
SEG Technical Program Expanded Abstracts 2006

Niitsuma, 2004, Interpretation of reservoir creation process at Cooper Basin, Australia

by acoustic emission, Progress in Acoustic Emission, 263–270.
Menke, W., and D. Schaff, 2004, Absolute Earthquake Locations with Differential Data:
Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 94, 2254–2264.
Moriya H., K. Nakazato, and H. Niitsuma, 2000, Study of microseismic doublet/multiplet
for evaluation of fracture system in Soultz HDR field: Proc. WGC2000.
Nadeau, R. M., W. Foxall, and T. V. McEvilly, 1995, Clustering and periodic recurrence
of microseismicities on the San Andreas fault at Parkfield, California: Science, 267,
503–507.
Rutledge J. T., and W. S. Philips, 2003, Hydraulic stimulation of natural fractures as
revealed by induced mycroearthquakes, Carthage Cooton Valley gas field, east Texas:
Geophysics, 68, 441–451.
Waldhauser F., and W. L. Ellsworth, 2000, A Double-Diffrence Earthquake Location
Algorithm: Method and Application to the Northan Hayward Fault, California: Bulletin
of the Seismological Society of America, 90, 1353–1368

SEG/New Orleans 2006 Annual Meeting 604