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Fractured reservoir characterization using P-wave AVOA analysis of 3D OBC data

Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, U.K.

J-Michael Kendall

University of Leeds, Leeds, U.K.

Olav I. Barkved

BP Amoco Norge, Stavanger, Norway

Corresponding author: steve.hall@pet.hw.ac.uk

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

Fracture systems can provide significant hydrocarbon storage and directional permeability so in many reservoirs their identification and characterization can be exploited to improve production and increase economic potential. For example, such information can be used to optimize production from horizontal wells by guiding their drilling perpendicular to aligned fracturing, which will generally provide higher yields than wells drilled parallel to fractures. Additionally fracture characterization could help guide waterflood-assisted production and identify compartments with good flow properties. Identification of such fracture systems is possible in 1D using core samples and well logs but, to fully optimize production of fractured reservoirs, it is desirable to understand the 3D distribution of fractures including the mapping of "swarms." These fractures are generally too small to be imaged using standard 3D seismic imaging techniques. However, they often occur in aligned sets and create anisotropy in seismic velocities (and permeabilities). Thus with true 3D seismic data such anisotropy and its spatial variability can be assessed, thereby providing insights into subseismic-scale fracturing.

The concept of fracture-induced anisotropy has been recognized for a long time although the potential for using the phenomenon to characterize fracturing in hydrocarbon reservoirs has only recently begun to be realized. This is largely through the development of new data acquisition techniques and production technologies (e.g., multicomponent true 3D seismic recording and horizontal drilling). On land, multicomponent and 3D acquisition have long been available but often limited by data quality and cost issues. Only a few examples of azimuthal anisotropy characterization using 3D surface seismic data exist. In the past decade such technologies have become commercially available for the marine environment through the development of ocean-bottom seismic (OBS) technology. True 3D marine seismic data acquisition has also become possible as a result of these OBS technologies and the first 3D OBS surveys were acquired . . . [Full Text of this Article]

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. A. Hall, H. Lewis, and X. Macle Improved seismic identification of inter-fault damage via a linked geomechanics-seismic approach Geological Society, London, Special Publications, January 1, 2007; 289(1): 187 - 207. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]