Alder Flats 2D and 3D seismic programs

Michael Jason McCrank, Donald C. Lawton

A pilot project that aims to enhance coalbed methane production is being undertaken in west-central Alberta. The project involves injecting carbon dioxide into a reservoir in an attempt to accelerate methane desorption from the coals. Time-lapse seismic monitoring is planned for the project during the injection and production cycle. A trial 3C-2D survey was acquired by the University of Calgary at the project site in March of 2007. The pre-stack and post-stack PP response compares favorably with the modeling results. Prior to commencement of CO₂ injection, a 3D baseline survey with 8 vertical component receiver lines and one 3C receiver line was acquired in June, 2007, by the University of Calgary. An amplitude extraction of the target coal event in the stacked PP data shows interesting variability that may be an imprint of production and injectivity tests conducted on the reservoir before the baseline survey was acquired.