Time will tell: New insights from time-lapse seismic data

Oilfield Review

Volumn 16, Issue 2, 2004, Pages 6-15

  Aronsen, Hans Andreas ^a   Osdal, Bård ^a   Dahl, Terje ^a   Eiken, Ola ^a   Goto, Richard ^b   Khazanehdari, Jalal ^b   Pickering, Stephen ^b   Smith, Patrick ^b  

^a STATOIL   (Norway)

^b NONE

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

FLUID SATURATIONS; RESERVOIR MANAGEMENT; SEISMIC ACQUISITION; SEISMIC SURVEYS;

COSTS; DATA ACQUISITION; FLOW OF FLUIDS; IMAGE ANALYSIS; OIL WELL DRILLING; OIL WELL LOGGING; PRODUCTION; SEISMIC PROSPECTING; SURVEYS;

PETROLEUM RESERVOIRS;

EID: 4444356705     PISSN: 09231730     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: None     Document Type: Review

References (34)

1. For more on the basics of time-lapse seismic data and their use in reservoir monitoring: Pedersen L, Ryan S, Sayers C, Sonneland L and Veire HH: "Seismic Snapshots for Reservoir Monitoring," Oilfield Revíews, no. 4 (Winter 1996): 32-43.
2. For more on the use of time-lapse seismic data to evaluate reservoir compaction: Nickel M, Schlaf J and Senneland L: "New Tools for 40 Seismic Analysis in Compacting Reservoirs," Petroleum Geoscience 9, no. 1 (February 2003): 53-59.
3. Alsos T, Eide A, Astratti D, Pickering S, Benabentos M, Dutta N, Mallick S, Schulte G, den Boer L, Livingstone M, Nickel M, Sønneland L, Schlaf J, Schoepfer P, Sigismondi M, Soldo JC and Strønen LK: "Seismic Applications Throughout the Life of the Reservoir," Oilfield Review 14, no. 2 (Summer 2002): 48-65.
4. Walker R: "A New Level of Confidence for the Asset Manager," Proceedings of the 17th World Petroleum Congress, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, September 1-5, 2002.
5. Shirley K: "Seismic Targets: Sweep the Pools," MPG Explorer 25, no. 3 (March 2004): 14.
6. Differences revealed by time-lapse surveys are often assumed to denote changes in reservoir fluids. However, this assumption is not always correct There are cases in which time-lapse surveys record changes in rock properties, such as in reservoirs that undergo compaction during production.
7. E&P companies have used legacy surveys acquired for different purposes to evaluate time-lapse effects. The purpose of a seismic survey may affect how it is acquired, so the legacy surveys might have significantly different acquisition parameters. For an example of time-lapse monitoring using legacy surveys: Kovacic L and Poggiagliomi E: "Integrated Time-Lapse Reservoir Monitoring and Characterization of the Cervia Field: A Case Study," Petroleum Geoscience 9, no. 1 (February 2003): 43-52.
8. Noise refers to disturbances in seismic data caused by any unwanted seismic energy, such as shot-generated ground roll, surface waves, multiples, effects of weather and human activity, or random occurrences in the Earth. Noise can be minimized in conventional seismic surveys by using source and receiver arrays, generating minimal noise during acquisition and by filtering and stacking data during processing.
9. Kristiansen P, Christie P, Bouska J, O'Donovan A, Westwater P and Thorogood E: "Foinaven 4D: Processing and Analysis of Two Designer 4Ds," presented at the 70th Annual Meeting of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, August 6-11, 2000.
10. Durham LS: "Repeatability Is Key for 4-D Data," AAPG Explorer 25, no. 3 (March 2004): 12-13.
11. Strudley A and Smith P: "Offshore 4-D Acquisition Improves," Hart's E&P 75, no. 3 (March 2002): 49-50. For more on the Q system and comparisons of conventional and Q-Marine data: Christie P, Nichols D, Özbek A, Curtis T, Larsen L, Strudley A, Davis R and Svendsen M: "Raising the Standards of Seismic Data Quality," Oilfield Rewiew 13, no. 2 (Summer 2001): 16-31.
12. Strudley A and Smith P: "Offshore 4-D Acquisition Improves," Hart's E&P 75, no. 3 (March 2002): 49-50. For more on the Q system and comparisons of conventional and Q-Marine data: Christie P, Nichols D, Özbek A, Curtis T, Larsen L, Strudley A, Davis R and Svendsen M: "Raising the Standards of Seismic Data Quality," Oilfield Rewiew 13, no. 2 (Summer 2001): 16-31.
13. For more on seismic repeatability and NRMS: Kragh E and Christie P: "Seismic Repeatability, Normalized RMS, and Predictability," The Leading Edge 21, no. 7 (July 2002): 640, 642-647.
14. For more on Gullfaks time-lapse seismic applications: Najjar NF, Strønen LK and Alsos T: "Time-Lapse Seismic Programme at Gullfaks: Value and the Road Ahead," Petroleum Geoscience 9, no. 1 (February 2003): 35-41. Alsos et al, reference 2. Pedersen et al, reference 1.
15. Pickering S and Waggoner J: "Time-Lapse Has Multiple Impacts," Hart's E&P 76, no. 3 (March 2003):54-56.
16. Other companies have had similar experiences. Shell Expro saved approximately US$ 27 million by not drilling an injection well after investing approximately US$ 3 million in time-lapse seismic studies of its Gannet fields: Kloosterman HJ, Kelly RS, Stammeijer J, Hartung M, van Waarde J and Chajecki C: "Successful Application of Time-Lapse Seismic Data in Shell Expro's Gannet Fields, Central North Sea, UKCS," Petroleum Geoscience 3, no. 1 (February 2003): 25-34.
17. For more on Nome field: http://www.statoil.com/STATOILCOM/SVG00990.nsf/0/ 3008D0315EC731C741256657004F6CEB?OpenDocument (viewed June 15, 2004).
18. A vertical seismic profile, or VSP, is a class of borehole seismic measurements used for correlation with surface seismic data, for obtaining images of higher resolution than surface seismic images and for looking ahead of the drill bit Purely defined, VSP refers to measurements made in a vertical wellbore using geophones inside the wellbore and a source at the surface near the well. In the more general context, VSPs vary in terms of well configuration, number and location of sources and geophones, and how they are deployed. For more on VSPs: Arroyo JL, Breton P, Dijkerman H, Dingwall S, Guerra R, Hope R, Hornby B, Williams M, Jimenez RR, Lastennet T, Tulett J, Leaney S, Um T, Menkiti H, Puech J-C, Tcherkashnev S, Burg TT and Verliac M: "Superior Seismic Data from the Borehole," Oilfield Review 15, no. 1 (Spring 2003): 2-23. Hope R, Ireson D, Leaney S, Meyer J, Tittle W and Willis M: "Seismic Integration to Reduce Risk," Oilfield Review 10, no. 3 (Autumn 1998): 2-15. Christie P, Dodds K, Ireson D, Johnston L, Rutherford J, Schaffner J and Smith N: "Borehole Seismic Data Sharpen the Reservoir image," Oilfield Review 7, no. 4 (Winter 1995): 18-31.
19. A vertical seismic profile, or VSP, is a class of borehole seismic measurements used for correlation with surface seismic data, for obtaining images of higher resolution than surface seismic images and for looking ahead of the drill bit Purely defined, VSP refers to measurements made in a vertical wellbore using geophones inside the wellbore and a source at the surface near the well. In the more general context, VSPs vary in terms of well configuration, number and location of sources and geophones, and how they are deployed. For more on VSPs: Arroyo JL, Breton P, Dijkerman H, Dingwall S, Guerra R, Hope R, Hornby B, Williams M, Jimenez RR, Lastennet T, Tulett J, Leaney S, Um T, Menkiti H, Puech J-C, Tcherkashnev S, Burg TT and Verliac M: "Superior Seismic Data from the Borehole," Oilfield Review 15, no. 1 (Spring 2003): 2-23. Hope R, Ireson D, Leaney S, Meyer J, Tittle W and Willis M: "Seismic Integration to Reduce Risk," Oilfield Review 10, no. 3 (Autumn 1998): 2-15. Christie P, Dodds K, Ireson D, Johnston L, Rutherford J, Schaffner J and Smith N: "Borehole Seismic Data Sharpen the Reservoir image," Oilfield Review 7, no. 4 (Winter 1995): 18-31.
20. A vertical seismic profile, or VSP, is a class of borehole seismic measurements used for correlation with surface seismic data, for obtaining images of higher resolution than surface seismic images and for looking ahead of the drill bit Purely defined, VSP refers to measurements made in a vertical wellbore using geophones inside the wellbore and a source at the surface near the well. In the more general context, VSPs vary in terms of well configuration, number and location of sources and geophones, and how they are deployed. For more on VSPs: Arroyo JL, Breton P, Dijkerman H, Dingwall S, Guerra R, Hope R, Hornby B, Williams M, Jimenez RR, Lastennet T, Tulett J, Leaney S, Um T, Menkiti H, Puech J-C, Tcherkashnev S, Burg TT and Verliac M: "Superior Seismic Data from the Borehole," Oilfield Review 15, no. 1 (Spring 2003): 2-23. Hope R, Ireson D, Leaney S, Meyer J, Tittle W and Willis M: "Seismic Integration to Reduce Risk," Oilfield Review 10, no. 3 (Autumn 1998): 2-15. Christie P, Dodds K, Ireson D, Johnston L, Rutherford J, Schaffner J and Smith N: "Borehole Seismic Data Sharpen the Reservoir image," Oilfield Review 7, no. 4 (Winter 1995): 18-31.
21. Acoustic impedance is the product of density and seismic velocity, which varies among different rack layers. The difference in acoustic impedance between rock layers affects the reflection coefficient, or how much seismic energy is reflected rather than transmitted.
22. Surface related multiple elimination (SRME) is currently the best demultiple method for removing the multiple - the seismic energy reflected more than once - generated by the sea surface. Kirchhoff prestack migration is a method of seismic migration that uses the integral form of the wave equation. Amplitude variation with offset (AVO) analysis examines variation in seismic reflection amplitude with change in distance between shotpoint and receiver. AVO responses may indicate differences in lithology and fluid content in rocks above and below the reflector.
23. Eiken O: "Improvements in 4D Seismic Acquisition," World Oil 224, no. 9 (September 2003): 23-27.
24. For more on history-matching using time-lapse seismic date: Gosselin O, Aanonsen SI, Aavatsmark I, Cominelli A, Gonard R, Kolasinski M, Ferdinandi F, Kovacic L and Neylon K: "History Matching Using Time-Lapse Seismic (HUTS)," paper SPE 84464, presented at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Denver, Colorado, USA, October 5-8, 2003.
25. Inversion is a mathematical process by which data are used to generate a model consistent with the data. Surface seismic data, vertical seismic profiles and well log data can be used to perform inversion, the result of which is a model of Earth layers and their thickness, density, and congressional- (P-) and shear- (S-) wave velocities.
26. Waggoner JR, Cominelli A, Seymour RH and Stradiotti A: "Improved Reservoir Modelling with Time-Lapse Seismic Data in a Gulf of Mexico Gas-Candensate Reservoir," Petroleum Geoscience 9, no. 1 (February 2003): 61-72. Waggoner JR, Cominelli A and Seymour RH: "Improved Reservoir Modeling with Time-Lapse Seismic in a Gulf of Mexico Gas-Condensate Reservoir," paper SPE 77514, presented at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, San Antonio, Texas, USA, September 29-October 2, 2002.
27. Waggoner JR, Cominelli A, Seymour RH and Stradiotti A: "Improved Reservoir Modelling with Time-Lapse Seismic Data in a Gulf of Mexico Gas-Candensate Reservoir," Petroleum Geoscience 9, no. 1 (February 2003): 61-72. Waggoner JR, Cominelli A and Seymour RH: "Improved Reservoir Modeling with Time-Lapse Seismic in a Gulf of Mexico Gas-Condensate Reservoir," paper SPE 77514, presented at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, San Antonio, Texas, USA, September 29-October 2, 2002.
28. Lygren M, Fagervik K, Valen TS, Hetlelid A, Berge G, Dahl GV, Sønneland L, Lie HE and Magnus I: "A Method for Performing History Matching of Reservoir Flow Models Using 4D Seismic Data," Petroleum Geoscience 9, no. 1 (February 2003): 85-90.
29. Pickering and Waggoner, reference 13.
30. For an example from the Gulf of Mexico: Kratchovil T, Bikun J, Tixier C, Zirczy H, Beattie T, Bilinski P, Tchouparova E, van Luik K and Weaver S: "The Auger 4-D Case Study: Exploiting a Gulf of Mexico Turbidite Field by the Use of Time-Lapsed Seismic Surveys," presented at the 2004 AAPG Annual Convention, Dallas, Texas, USA, April 18-21, 2004.
31. Shirley K: "4-D Augurs Well for Auger Field," AAPG Explorer 25, no. 5 (May 2004): 14, 16.
32. For an example from the North Sea: McInally AT, Redondo López T, Garnham J, Kunka J, Brooks AD, Stenstrup Hansen L, Barclay F and Davies D: "Optimizing 4D Fluid Imaging," Petroleum Geoscience 9, no. 1 (February 2003): 91-101.
33. Eiken, reference 19.
34. Other experts estimate the value of time-lapse seismic data in individual fields at tens to hundreds of millions of dollars: de Waal H and Calvert R: "Overview of Global 40 Seismic Implementation Strategy," Petroleum Geoscience 9, no. 1 (February 2003): 1-6. Shell Expro anticipates a 5% increase in ultimate oil recovery from its Gannet fields as a result of time-lapse seismic investments: Kloosterman et al, reference 14.