Reservoir monitoring by a 4-D electrical technique

A multichannel geoelectrical system and software for data acquisition, processing and interpretation was developed. The method, called fluid-flow tomography (FFT), was used for direct imaging of fractures and an extension of geothermal reservoirs, and to monitor an oil reservoir during thermally enhanced oil recovery. The fluid-flow behavior in the subsurface can be monitored and visualized by the technique, providing time-series data of charged potentials and self-potentials, fluid-flow fronts visualizations and quantifications, symmetric anomaly due to anisotropic permeability of the formation, and 3D fractures distribution.