Method of hydraulic fracture identification using temperature

Abstract

A method for identifying fractures in a formation.

1 . A method for identifying fractures in a formation having a wellbore comprising:
 a. positioning a sensor within the wellbore, wherein the sensor generates a feedback signal representing at least one of a temperature and pressure measured by the sensor;   b. injecting a fluid into the wellbore and into at least a portion of the formation adjacent the sensor;   c. waiting a predetermined period of time;   d. generating a standstill simulated model representing at least one simulated temperature characteristic and at least one pressure characteristic of the formation during and after fluid injection;   e. shutting-in the wellbore for a pre-determined shut-in period;   f. generating a shut-in simulated model representing at least one simulated temperature characteristic and at least one pressure characteristic of the formation during the shut-in period;   g. generating a data model representing the standstill simulated model and the shut-in simulated model, wherein the data model is derived from the feedback signal; and   h. observing the data model for presence of fractures within the wellbore, wherein fractures are present when the temperature characteristics are lower than the temperature characteristics of other sections of the wellbore.