Toward a Better Understanding of the Seismolectric Logging Wavefields and the Earthquake Coseismic Electrokinetic Signals

Abstract:

Borehole electrokinetic wavefields have been theoretically simulated and experimentally recorded. However, it is still challenging to explain some of the signals in the full seismoeletric waveform. Similarly, while earthquake coseismic electric and magnetic signals were recorded and theoretically modeled, there are some basic questions to be answered regarding the formulation of the earthquake electrokinetic field.

First, an electromagnetic signal appears at the same time in all recorded full waveforms when an acoustic wave is incident on the borehole wall or an interface between two porous media. Is it a traveling electromagnetic wave or a field? This is explained by a comparison between the waveforms obtained by solving the full Pride equations and those by a quasi-static approximation to the seismic-to-electric conversion.

Second, a magnetic signal accompanies the borehole P-wave. Does that contradicts to Pride’s prediction that no magnetic signal travels with a P-wave? We will show that the borehole P-wave consists of plane fast-P, slow-P and shear waves. It is the plane S-wave that brings about the magnetic field.

Thirdly, it was proposed that there were no seismoelectric signal accompanying the collar wave during seismoelectric logging while drilling, because the electrokinetic conversion occurs only in the porous formation. Why there is an electric signal accompanies the acoustic collar wave? A detailed study of the acoustic field in the formation reveals that there is a wave propagates with the collar wave speed in the formation. This wave is present in the calculated full waveforms, either by the discrete wavenumber method or by the finite-difference-time-domain algorithm. That explains the existence of a noise signal with collar-wave speed in the full waveform of the electric field recorded during seismoelectric logging while drilling.

Finally, an earthquake is usually modeled by a double couple in an elastic medium, and the displacement field is described by a convolution of the derivative of the Geen function with the moment tensor. Is there an equivalent moment tensor for a dislocation in a porous medium? Is the convolution expression valid for the seismoelectric field in a porous medium? We present some of our results.