MicroSeismic FAQ's

Frac’ing, as it's often called, forces water, sand and small amounts of chemicals--including a substance similar to dishwashing liquid--into oil and natural gas wells to create cracks in hard rock formations. The cracks allow the oil and natural gas to escape from the rock and flow up the wellbore.

Without the recent and significant technological advancements made in horizontal drilling and in hydraulic fracturing, the natural gas found in deep shale formations would be uneconomic and unrecoverable. The creation of small cracks, or fractures, in the shale allows the natural gas trapped within the very dense rock formation to flow through the wellbore so that it can be collected at the surface.

Frac’ing has been used in about one million wells during the past six decades and is widely used today in shale formations, such as the Marcellus Shale which is believed to be one of the world's largest natural gas-bearing formations.

MicroSeismic BuriedArray Data Acquisition Schematic

Traditionally, operators have used down hole monitoring which requires a monitoring well to be drilled to record information from the well that’s being stimulated (fractured). The problem with this process is that it only gives a limited view of what’s happening, leaving operators to guess where their fractures are going and how to most effectively complete and produce their well. Monitoring wells are expensive and invasive. With MicroSeismic’s BuriedArray™ process, one installation can monitor multiple wells and simultaneous frac operations over a geographic area of up to 500 miles. That means more data gathered for less cost and a much smaller environmental footprint.

MicroSeismic is a geophysical service company that provides real-time monitoring and mapping of hydraulic fracture operations for the development of unconventional oil and gas plays such as the Marcellus. MicroSeismic is the pioneer in monitoring microseismic activity near the ground’s surface instead of traditional down-hole monitoring which requires a monitoring well to be drilled. MicroSeismic’s BuriedArray acquisition process places a series of geophones near the ground’s surface to listen to the rock breaking during hydraulic fracturing. Data gathered by these geophones is sent wirelessly to a processing center where geophysicists can analyze the information and show oil and gas operators exactly where their fractures are going. This information is used by operators to increase production and recovery without drilling unnecessary wells and most importantly, prevent them from frac’ing into environmentally sensitive areas.

Real-Time Data Recorder

• By monitoring from the surface and in real-time, our clients can adjust their pumping rates and the type of proppant and fluids they are using to get the most out of the reservoir.
• The ability to tell operators exactly where their fractures are going so they can better plan their field development, i.e. determine where to drill future wells and optimize their completions or how they produce their wells. Most importantly, map their fracture networks in real-time so they avoid frac'ing into environmentally sensitive areas.
• Elimination of costly and invasive monitoring wells.

Approximately 99.5% of the volume of materials used during the frac’ing of deep shale gas wells consists of water and sand. Other typical ingredients include a friction reducer, gelling agent and antibacterial agents.

As many studies have shown--and as Rex Tillerson, CEO of ExxonMobil, has testified--frac’ing has not been linked to any documented cases of groundwater contamination. Yet, concerns over this long-standing, time-tested practice persist.

Frac'ing happens deep below fresh water aquifers

Frac’ing chemicals are no more dangerous than any industrial or household chemicals when used properly. However, they do require safe work practices, proper site preparation and attentive handling to ensure the safe management of chemicals, as well as the protection of the public, wellsite employees, contractors and the environment. Each chemical used during the frac’ing process has a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), which is readily available at a central location for all personnel on the job site. The MSDS outlines the hazards associated with wellsite chemicals and the appropriate steps to protect the user and the environment. It is important to note that in deep natural gas shale drilling operations the targeted frac’ing zones are, on average, located an estimated 6,000 to 12,000 feet below the freshwater zones, and are separated by millions of tons of impermeable and nonporous rock formations thus making the potential for migration into freshwater zones a near scientific impossibility.

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