Multitransient electromagnetic surveys in heavy oil

Hart's E&P article highlights the use of MTEM to survey heavy oil sands.

In a recent Hart's E&P article New EM Method Aids in Appraisal, Monitoring ,  the application of a new electromagnetic (EM) survey methodology known as multitransient EM (MTEM) is highlighted as a candidate to survey heavy oil and bitumen reservoirs. The technique, developed at the University of Edinburgh, works by sending a series of electrical transient signals from the surface directly into the earth and measuring the voltage response between pairs of receivers at different offsets from the source. MTEM was tested in the shallow, massively thick oil sands of Alberta as an alternative to seismic with good results. The article points out that MTEM also shows promise for the deeper heavy oil areas that are beyond the range of traditional electrical methods such as Electrical Resistive Tomography.

While the research and application of MTEM technology is still limited, it is another example where new ideas are being applied to the challenges of heavy oil reservoir characterization where more conventional methods have had limited success.

Kambiz.