Presidential Column

…Our outreach activities have primarily focussed on encouraging the study of geophysics, and we should also consider promoting demand for geophysicists. The CSEG has a very strong outreach program. The CSEG Foundation, the charitable arm of the society, manages outreach as part of its portfolio of activities. The Foundation has…

Executive Message

…As we head into winter and enjoy the festivities and end of year break, I have one question for you to ponder. Is the CSEG relevant to you? As a society we naturally have traditions and many things are done a certain way but I am asking whether you believe…

CAGC Column

…Another soft year for crew numbers. Perhaps the recent and upcoming mergers (of seismic companies) signal the bottom of the market for our industry - as in the floor. Canada’s oil exports to the USA continue to grow whereas natural gas needs to find a new market given the saturation…

Volunteer Spotlight

…Geophysics Lunchbox and MUG Talks Both the Geophysics Lunchbox and the Microseismic Users Group (MUG) talks are ‘brown bag’ lunchtime talks to which you bring along your own lunch and enjoy the presentation with fellow geophysics enthusiasts – no costs involved. Aside from learning from the experience of your colleagues…

Tracing the Industry

…On the Move... Alan Starkoski would like his friends and colleagues know that he is no longer at Lightstream Resources but can be reached at 403-620-7160 or a_star@shaw.ca for business or coffee. Jessica Baldwin has relocated within Encana to the Denver office. She gives big thanks for all the Calgary…

Grapevine

…Doodlespiel 2015 The 43rd Annual DOODLESPIEL is scheduled for January 23-25, 2015, in Banff, Alberta. The mandate of the Doodlespiel is to bring our industry members together promoting fellowship and competition in a unique, fun and social setting. It’s my belief that the Doodlespiel is one of the best social…

Integrating Production Analysis with Microseismic and Fracture Modeling to Characterize Hydraulic Fractures

Chris R. Clarkson

…There are now multiple geophysics- and engineering-based methods for the evaluation of hydraulic fracture stimulation effectiveness associated with multi-fractured horizontal wells (MFHWs) completed in unconventional gas and light oil reservoirs. These methods, which can be classified according to the timing of data collection relative to the main hydraulic fracture stimulation…

Introduction to November Focus: Induced Seismicity

Mostafa Naghizadeh

…As professional geophysicists and engineers it is mandatory to put public safety above any other aspects of our professional practice. The widespread usage of hydraulic fracturing (HF) of unconventional resources (shale gas) has created multiple questions in the public mind about the short and long term effects on residents near…

Basic Geomechanics for Induced Seismicity: A Tutorial

Douglas R. Schmitt

…We are increasingly accessing the earth’s crust to extract water, minerals, hydrocarbons, and geothermal energy and to dispose of waste CO2 and liquids. All of these activities result in changes to the subsurface pore pressures either stabilizing a geological formation or nudging it closer to failure. Such failure becomes a…

Alberta Telemetered Seismograph Network (ATSN): Real-time Monitoring of Seismicity in Northern Alberta

David W. Eaton

…The term induced seismicity is generally defined as earthquake activity that is brought about by human activities, including fluid injection or withdrawal, reservoir impoundment and mining (Majer et al., 2012). A related concept is triggered seismicity, which represents activation of a pre-existing zone of weakness such as a fault that…

Preparing to Monitor and Distinguish Natural and Induced Seismicity near Norman Wells, Northwest Territories

Scott Cairns, Honn Kao, Amir Mansour Farahbod and David Snyder

…In the winter of 2012, representatives of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada and the National Energy Board visited three Sahtu communities in the Northwest Territories (NWT) of Canada to provide information about hydraulic fracturing. At the time, those communities expressed concerns about the environmental impact this technology would have…

Collaborative Studies of Regional Seismicity in Northeast British Columbia

Amir Mansour Farahbod, John F. Cassidy, Honn Kao and Dan Walker

…This article documents a recently-initiated, collaborative study of seismicity in northeast British Columbia. Induced seismicity is a topic of increasing, and global interest, in particular with respect to shale-gas extraction activities. There are many important questions regarding linkages between induced seismicity and hydraulic fracturing (HF) activities. Addressing these questions requires…

Interpretation of Microseismic Using Geomechanical Modeling of Multiple Hydraulic Fractures Interacting with Natural Fractures – Application to Montney Shale

Ahmed Ouenes, Yamina Aimene and John Nairn

…This paper describes the application of a new geomechanical workflow for modeling the interaction between hydraulic and natural fractures. The geomechanical workflow combines the meshless Material Point Method (MPM) with Continuous Fracture Modeling (CFM). The distribution of the natural fracture density is estimated from a time lapse 3C seismic that…

President’s Message

…From September 22 – 26, 2014, the CSEG and EAGE hosted the First CSEG – EAGE Joint Workshop, with the theme The Conventional Future: Complex Reservoir Challenges in Frontier Land Basins. The idea was to discuss the fundamental issues with land seismic data in conventional exploration. We chose The Banff…

Executive Message

…It is hard to believe that we are this close to another end of year, and as I reflect back on my role as Assistant Director of Finance, I feel it is very important to immediately acknowledge the efforts of all volunteers and staff at the CSEG that have contributed…

CAGC Column

…In light of the recent climate change rallies around the world claiming about 750,000 participants with about half of them in New York prior to the UN Climate meeting it is interesting to wonder if the movement is growing or whether it just ebbs and flows with certain events in…

Volunteer Spotlight

…Past and Present DoodleTrain Committee; Volunteers Recently, I had the pleasure of talking with Bill, Doug, Vicente and Juan and am delighted that the enthusiasm that started the DoodleTrain still exists with Vicente and Juan at the helm today. Doug observes that the “CSEG has a phenomenal volunteer force. Empower…

Science Break: Morality

…A sense of morality is a universal human trait. Every single human who has taken a breath, no matter where on this planet, or when in time, has had a strong understanding of what is right or wrong. People may not be able to articulate those beliefs, and in fact…

Tracing the Industry

…On the Move... Divestco Software and Data is excited to announce that Todd Keedwell has been promoted to our Geophysical Technical Sales Specialist. This means that new and existing clients of Divestco’s Geophysical products will benefit directly from Todd’s expertise to ensure that they have the right products and are…

Grapevine

…Doodlespiel 2015 On behalf of the 2015 Doodlespiel Committee, I would like to invite you to the 43rd annual CSEG Doodlespiel. As Chairman of this year’s Doodlespiel committee I am excited to promote and participate in the 43rd Doodlespiel to be held in Banff from January 23rd – 25th, 2015.…