Workshop of Applied Seismic Imaging of Subsurface Geology

A 4D seismic feasibility study is a critical step in the process of implementing enhanced oil recovery in a mature field. It helps to ensure that the chosen EOR methods are technically viable and economically sound, ultimately maximizing oil recovery from the reservoir. A 4D seismic feasibility study for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in a mature field involves the use of 4D (time-lapse) seismic data to assess the potential for and feasibility of implementing EOR techniques in an existing oil reservoir. Enhanced oil recovery techniques are employed to extract more oil from mature fields where primary and secondary recovery methods have been exhausted.

With the ever-developing data acquisition techniques, seismic processing and interpretation deals with massive amount of data to form two, three and four-dimensional images of geologic formations. Seismic images are the basis of crucial petroleum exploration, development and production decisions. Optimal use of these images requires a full understanding of the seismic imaging processes that create them, from data acquisition to the final migration. However, the modern requirements for acquiring, analyzing and interpreting ever-larger volumes of seismic data to identify hydrocarbon prospects within stringent time deadlines and costs represents an ongoing challenge in petroleum exploration, development and production workflows. To meet these challenges, a systematic seismic-imaging technology solution is needed.

The primary objective of this workshop is to provide a broad and intuitive understanding of seismic imaging concepts and methods. The workshop will also demonstrate how seismic-imaging technology tools through select fields (real world examples) can enhance cross-functional collaboration and address critical challenges in multi-disciplinary petroleum exploration, development and production workflows. The workshop will outline the importance of strategic investment in seismic-imaging technologies for improving long-tern returns, advancing subsurface characterization, quantifying hydrocarbon potential and/or untapped reserves (by-passed oil, trapped oil, non-tapped oil), identifying infill drilling candidates, optimizing well placement, enhancing hydrocarbon production management (mature field management), fostering collaboration, tackling challenges, and paving the way for sustainable progress in a rapidly changing world.

Time-lapse seismic survey, also known as 4D seismic has great potential in monitoring and interpreting time-varying variations in reservoir fluid properties during hydrocarbon production. Production process can change reservoir parameters (such as fluid saturation, temperature and pressure), leading to changes in elastic properties (bulk modulus and density) corresponding changes in P- and S-wave velocities. The time-lapse surveys interpret dynamic changes in reservoir parameters by detecting differences in seismic responses from different vintages, which are obtained by repeated seismic surveys over the same area.

Extracting the full value from time-lapse seismic surveys (4D seismic) requires high levels of competence in advanced 3D imaging, time-lapse seismic processing (data conditioning to enhance repeatability of time-lapse datasets and reduce artificial differences that come from unavoidable differences in repeated-seismic survey environments), velocity modeling, and pre- SDM along with the application of methods unique to the 4D seismic processing and interpretation workflow. This course provides 4D seismic studies of reservoirs that can be used to monitor reservoir fluid substitution and maximize production of reservoirs. Participants will gain in-depth understanding of how the seismic properties relate to reservoir properties as production takes place in the reservoir. The course is designed to put the participants into a position where the seismic response can be related to important reservoir properties.