Use of Electromagnetic and Direct Current Geophysical Techniques at Upstream Produced Water Impacted Sites

A guidance document was developed as a general overview on the use of several geophysical technologies used at upstream sites, specifically those impacted with produced water. The document provides an introduction to electromagnetic (EM) and direct-current (DC) investigations for engineering, geological and environmental investigations. Descriptions, guidance and potential pitfalls are provided for geophysical methods typically used in these investigations. This project is a broad overview of geophysical applications to common brine-specific problems. It serves as a reference document that may be used by the layperson or an experienced geophysicist. The contents of the project are not proposed to explicitly develop field procedures and data evaluation techniques for geophysical surveys.

Produced water can be effectively mapped using both EM and DC geophysical means. The main advantages of using geophysical investigation methods is the capacity to cover a large investigative area and image the impacted area in real-time, allowing for flexibility in modifying and fine-tuning the investigative approach. This project developed a guidance document as overview for use of some geophysical technologies used at upstream oil and gas sites specifically impacted with produced water. This document presents a broad overview of geophysical applications to common produced water potential impacts.