Petroleum Exploration and Development (Jun 2018)

A fault identification based on the parameter variation of apparent current

  • Junguang LI,
  • Diquan LI,
  • Yang YANG

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 45, no. 3
pp. 553 – 562

Abstract

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Abstract: A new fault identification method, which is called the apparent current method, based on the parameter variation of apparent current is proposed after the analysis of the limitations of the fault interpretation method for the wide field electromagnetic data in the non-seismic exploration for oil and gas exploration. This method takes the study of the wide field electromagnetic theory and the mechanism of the fault generation, this method takes the wide field electromagnetic data as the research object, and establishes the connection between the geoelectric section and the virtual equivalent circuit, and then uses the virtual equivalent circuit as the carrier, and applies the theoretical equation of the apparent current, and combines the geological background of the study area to achieve scientific inference for location of fault in wide field electromagnetic exploration data. Theoretical model tests and the application of practical data proved that the location of underground fault can be accurately deduced by the trend of apparent current in underground space, reducing the multiple interpretations of electromagnetic data interpretation. At the same time, it also verified the correctness of the theory of apparent current and the feasibility of the method of apparent current. Key words: wide field electromagnetic data, apparent current, fault identification, virtual equivalent circuit, oil and gas exploration