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The Leading Edge; November 2000; v. 19; no. 11; p. 1174-1183; DOI: 10.1190/1.1438498
© 2000 Society of Exploration Geophysicists
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Developing an exploration tool in a mature trend

A 3-D AVO case study in south Texas

Mark E. Gregg and Charles T. Bukowski, Jr.

Edge Petroleum Corporation, Houston, Texas, U.S.

Corresponding author: M. Gregg, greggme@yahoo.com, C. Bukowski, cbukowskijr@yahoo.com

The first 20% of the full text of this article appears below.

If at first you don't succeed, try something unconventional. Successful exploration for new reservoirs in mature trends often requires trying techniques unproved in the area. In a mature play onshore Gulf of Mexico, our initial exploration campaign with conventional 3-D seismic was disappointing. However, attention to rock properties coupled with application of a novel processing technique, allowed us to develop a solution to our dilemma.

The densely drilled, clastic Oligocene Vicksburg Formation in south Texas has produced more than 3 trillion ft3 of gas and 100 million bo since production began in the 1920s (Figures 1 and 2). As product prices have increased (especially for gas) and exploration technology has evolved, exploration targets have changed from shallow, normally pressured oil accumulations to deeper, overpressured gas reservoirs. Exploration efforts have typically been based on subsurface geology along with structural and stratigraphic interpretation of seismic data. To our knowledge, there is no published work on the use of AVO in the area, probably because the Vicksburg trend is not a typical amplitude-supported play. There are very few examples of bright or flat spots on stacked data.


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  		Figure 1. Map of the study area showing oil and gas fields and the Vicksburg Flexure.

 

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  		Figure 2. A 100-mile2 portion of the Vicksburg Trend, drilled with a density of up to 20 wells per square mile.

 
Beginning in 1994, a large nonexclusive 3-D seismic survey was acquired in the area and has led to increased exploration activity. The prime motive for the 3-D was to image the complex faulting and resulting compartmentalization of the Vicksburg. Given the mature nature of the area, typical exploration targets are moderate-potential fault blocks in productive intervals and higher-potential targets in deeper, untested sections.

In 1995, Edge Petroleum and Carrizo Oil and Gas licensed a 450-mile2 portion of the 3-D survey. Early . . . [Full Text of this Article]






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