Integrated imaging of fracture systems from surface outcrop and geophysical data

A thorough understanding of the fracture systems associated with reservoir structures is crucial to the effective hydrocarbon field production. Extensive surface mapping by geologists affords detailed and reliable understanding of the near-surface structures, however the depth to which this understanding can typically be applied is very shallow. Seismic and other geophysical techniques provide considerable, yet lower resolution, structural information about the subsurface. However, understanding the observed structural variations requires associated geological understanding to which the structural information can be tied. In this study we show how inference may be made as to fracture characteristics from seismic data and how the use of geophysical data can extend a detailed understanding of surface fracture data to the sub-surface