Estimation of fracture properties based on borehole fluid data, acoustic shear wave imaging and well bore imaging

1. A method of well logging using a logging tool in a borehole in an earth formation, the method comprising:

conveying a logging tool in the borehole on a carrier;

obtaining a borehole image over at least one interval of borehole depth from well logging measurements with a downhole imaging instrument;

obtaining acoustic information representative of acoustic reflections from a far-field region of the formation;

obtaining quantitative borehole fluid information indicative of properties of a formation fluid in a near-field region of the borehole, the quantitative borehole fluid information including a fluid content estimated from one or more measurements of the formation fluid;

generating a borehole connectivity fracture model of the formation in dependence upon the borehole image, the quantitative borehole fluid information, and the acoustic information.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying far-field fractures from the acoustic information;

analyzing the fluid content in combination with the acoustic information, and determining a connectivity between a near-field fracture system and a far-field fracture system and one or more fractures in the far-field region based on the analyzing; and

generating the borehole connectivity fracture model of the formation in dependence upon the identified far-field fractures and the determined connectivity.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying near-field fractures from the borehole image; and

generating the borehole connectivity fracture model of the formation in dependence upon the near-field fractures.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

identifying far-field fractures from the acoustic information;

generating a fracture interpretation correlating the near-field fractures with the far-field fractures; and

generating the borehole connectivity fracture model of the formation in dependence upon the fracture interpretation.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein generating the borehole connectivity fracture model of the formation in dependence upon the fracture interpretation comprises:

generating a plurality of fracture interpretations;

determining a connectivity consistency of each fracture interpretation of at least a portion of the plurality of fracture interpretations using the quantitative borehole fluid information; and

selecting the fracture interpretation in dependence upon the connectivity consistency.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein generating the borehole connectivity fracture model of the formation in dependence upon the fracture interpretation comprises:

generating a plurality of fracture interpretations;

determining a petrophysical consistency of each fracture interpretation of at least a portion of the plurality of fracture interpretations using the quantitative borehole fluid information; and

selecting the fracture interpretation in dependence upon the petrophysical consistency.

7. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

identifying near-field fractures at least partially open to the wellbore from the quantitative borehole fluid information, wherein the near-field fractures comprise at least some of the near-field fractures from the borehole image;

identifying far-field fractures from the acoustic information;

generating a fracture interpretation correlating the near-field fractures at least partially open to the wellbore with the far-field fractures; and

generating the borehole connectivity fracture model of the formation in dependence upon the fracture interpretation.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the near-field fractures at least partially open to the wellbore further comprises at least one of: i) identifying near-field fractures at least partially open to the wellbore from the quantitative borehole fluid information; and ii) identifying near-field fractures at least partially open to the wellbore using near-field acoustic data.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising identifying a fracture with critical stress connectivity in dependence upon fluid content.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying a completion treatment in dependence upon the borehole connectivity fracture model.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying position information comprising at least one of:

i) borehole depth, ii) azimuth, and iii) strike of at least one of the near-field fractures from the borehole image; and

generating the borehole connectivity fracture model of the formation in dependence upon the position information.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising conducting further operations in dependence upon the borehole connectivity fracture model.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the further operations comprise at least one of: i) geosteering; ii) drilling additional boreholes in the formation; iii) performing additional measurements on the formation; iv) estimating additional parameters of the formation; v) installing equipment in the borehole; vi) evaluating the formation; vii) optimizing present or future development in the formation or in a similar formation; viii) optimizing present or future exploration in the formation or in a similar formation; ix) drilling the borehole; and x) producing one or more hydrocarbons from the formation.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the borehole connectivity fracture model indicates a fracture connectivity between the far-field region and the near-field region, the fracture connectivity estimated based on at least the quantitative borehole fluid information.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the quantitative borehole fluid information includes a quantitative measurement of an amount of one or more hydrocarbon gases in the borehole fluid.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the borehole connectivity fracture model includes a density of critically stressed fractures in the far-field region and a degree of connectivity between a near-field fracture system and a far-field fracture system, the density estimated based on the acoustic information, and the degree of connectivity based on the quantitative measurement of the amount of the first hydrocarbon gas to the amount of the second hydrocarbon gas.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the quantitative borehole fluid information includes a ratio of an amount of a first hydrocarbon gas to an amount of a second hydrocarbon gas.