METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR REAL-TIME MONITORING OF EARTH FORMATION FRACTURE MOVEMENT

摘要

A method of monitoring formation fractures in real-time is performed in which a fluid containing a radio-active tracer element is pumped at a high pressure down a wellbore into a formation. As the fluid creates fractures and moves through the formation gamma-rays are emitted from the radio-active tracer element in thefluid. Detector means placed at predetermined locations in the wellbore continuously detect these gamma-rays. Gamma-rays emitted from wellbore fracture fluids are distinguished from formation gamma-rays and the detected formation gamma-rays are counted. As the fracture fluid approaches the height or vertical depth of these detector means, the gamma-ray count increases. Once the gammaray count reaches a predetermined level, the fracture will have reached a desired location in the formation and pumping of the fracture fluid will stop.