Probabilistic 3-D time-lapse inversion of magnetotelluric data: application to an enhanced geothermal system

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_092C971C8ADD
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Probabilistic 3-D time-lapse inversion of magnetotelluric data: application to an enhanced geothermal system
Journal
Geophysical Journal International
Author(s)
Rosas-Carbajal M., Linde N., Peacock J., Zyserman F.I., Kalscheuer T., Thiel S.
ISSN
0956-540X (Print)
1365-246X (Electronic)
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2015
Volume
203
Pages
1946-1960
Language
english
Abstract
Surface-based monitoring of mass transfer caused by injections and extractions in deep boreholes is crucial to maximize oil, gas and geothermal production. Inductive electromagnetic methods, such as magnetotellurics, are appealing for these applications due to their large penetration depths and sensitivity to changes in fluid conductivity and fracture connectivity. In this work, we propose a 3-D Markov chain Monte Carlo inversion of time-lapse magnetotelluric data to image mass transfer following a saline fluid injection. The inversion estimates the posterior probability density function of the resulting plume, and thereby quantifies model uncertainty. To decrease computation times, we base the parametrization on a reduced Legendre moment decomposition of the plume. A synthetic test shows that our methodology is effective when the electrical resistivity structure prior to the injection is well known. The centre of mass and spread of the plume are well retrieved. We then apply our inversion strategy to an injection experiment in an enhanced geothermal system at Paralana, South Australia, and compare it to a 3-D deterministic time-lapse inversion. The latter retrieves resistivity changes that are more shallow than the actual injection interval, whereas the probabilistic inversion retrieves plumes that are located at the correct depths and oriented in a preferential north-south direction. To explain the time-lapse data, the inversion requires unrealistically large resistivity changes with respect to the base model. We suggest that this is partly explained by unaccounted subsurface heterogeneities in the base model from which time-lapse changes are inferred.
Create date
27/06/2016 10:01
Last modification date
20/08/2019 12:31
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