Underground Hydraulic Directional Fracturing Microseismic Monitoring Experiment in Gold Mine.

Underground Hydraulic Directional Fracturing Microseismic Monitoring Experiment in Gold Mine.

Hydraulic fracturing technology was initially applied in petroleum engineering to increase production in low-yield oil wells. With technological advancements, it has also found certain applications in the field of mineral extraction. However, the use of hydraulic fracturing requires injecting high-water pressure, which poses certain risks to underground operations. Therefore, the precise location of fracture propagation through microseismic monitoring has proven effective in mitigating construction risks.

Due to the influence of the stress field surrounding the borehole, the direction of extension of rock fractures induced by hydraulic pressure needs to be controlled in practical engineering. This experimental project utilizes underground microseismic monitoring to monitor and analyze the directional fracturing of hydraulic fractures.

For this project, the client used the SmartSolo IMU-3C three-component seismic data acquisition unit, connected with an external three-component geophone.

The observation system designed for this fracture monitoring project involved deploying geophones along the fracture direction, fixed to the mine wall with a spacing of 3 meters. The fracturing source was a high-pressure pump connected to a water tank, utilizing hydraulic fracturing.

Construction of the project involved drilling holes in the mine wall using an electric drill, installing fixed brackets for geophones, leveling them with leveling devices, and finally mounting the geophones. The geophone orientations were determined using a compass. Once the geophones were installed, the IMU-3C units were connected one by one to begin seismic data acquisition. Subsequently, hydraulic fracturing operations commenced.

The underground hydraulic directional fracturing microseismic monitoring project in the gold mine was successfully completed. The SmartSolo nodal seismic instruments performed exceptionally well in the harsh and complex underground construction environment. The collected microseismic data was handed over to scientists for further analysis and research.