Schlumberger Technology Corporation

Westerngeco L.l.p.

Geophysical Company of Norway A.s.

Geco Technology B.v.

Lars Sonneland

Hallgrim Ludvigsen

Michael Hermann Nickel

Hilde Grude Borgos

Erik Monsen

Thomas Gehrmann

Berengere Savary-Sismondini

Knut Steen Boge

Roberto Suarez-Rivera

Stein Inge Pedersen

Trond Benum

David Handwerger

Pierre Le Guern

Oddgeir Gramstad

Gunnar Berge

Bjorn Harald Fotland

Per Salomonsen

Jan Oystein Haavig Bakke

Torbjorn Eikli Smorgrav

Robert Godfrey

Geir Vaaland Dahl

Jean-Michel Gehenn

Thibaut Cheret

Richard Dolman

Mahmood Akbar

Marcelo Belentani De Bianchi

Oki Musakti

Oyvind Yrke

Paul Kvia

Samuel Fluckiger

Thorleif Skov

Mary Milner

Trygve Randen

Douglas Ekart

Per-Ola Tennebo

Stein Inge Pederson

A method of processing geological data comprising a plurality of geological surfaces within a geological volume is provided. The method includes the steps of: (i) specifying a well trajectory which extends through the geological volume; (ii) identifying the geological surfaces within the volume which are intersected by the trajectory; (iii) determining, for each intersected surface, the depth, the dip angle and the dip direction of the surface at the point of intersection with the trajectory; and (iv) predicting a well log for the trajectory, the log specifying the depths, dip angles and dip directions of the intersected geological surfaces.

Processing of geological data

A method of processing data points distributed throughout a geological volume is described. In the method, each data point is associated with respective geological attributes. The method provides for: coding the geological attributes of each data point as a respective character string; compiling a query character string defining sought geological attributes of an arrangement of one or more data points; searching the coded geological attributes for arrangements of data points having geological attributes matching the query character string; and identifying matched data points.

A methodology improves sampling and characterization of heterogeneous, unconventional hydrocarbon-bearing regions. The methodology is designed to integrate consistently across measurements and scales. Additionally, the methodology involves characterizing various scales, such as regional-scale heterogeneity, wellbore-scale heterogeneity, core-scale heterogeneity, sample-scale, and pore-scale heterogeneity. The results are integrated across the multiple scales based on results obtained from the characterization of the scales. The methodology further comprises determining data propagation across the multiple scales in a hydrocarbon-bearing region.

Method for cost effective sampling and characterization of heterogeneous unconventional hydrocarbon regions

A method of analysing the dynamic behavior of fracture networks in a seismic volume is provided. The method includes providing a plurality of seismic time lapse vintages of the same geological volume; identifying and parameterising fractures within fracture networks of each vintage; determining one or more distributions of fracture parameters for the fracture networks of each vintage; and identifying changes to the fracture networks by comparing corresponding distributions across the vintages.

Analysis of fracture networks

A paleogeographic search system is provided for locating geoscience data relevant to a geographic search aperture. The paleogeographic search system comprises a geodatabase, an interface, a paleogeographic reconstruction engine, and a host processor. The paleogeographic engine is configured to transform the geographic search aperture according to tectonic plate movements to a transformed search aperture that the geographic search aperture occupied in a geological age of interest. The host processor is configured to apply a paleoaugmented geographic search aperture to a geodatabase for additional oil exploration data relevant to the geographic search aperture today. The paleoaugmented geographic search aperture is defined by augmenting the transformed search aperture to include relevant proximal locations for the selected geological age of interest to create an augmented transformed search area; and transforming the augmented transformed search aperture, according to tectonic plate movements, to the paleoaugmented geographic search aperture in present day world geography.

Paleoneighborhood hydrocarbon spatial system

A method of processing stratigraphic data comprising a plurality of stratigraphic features, such as horizon surfaces, within a geological volume is provided. The method includes the steps of: extending a plurality of spaced sampling traces through the volume to traverse the stratigraphic features; and assigning the stratigraphic features respective relative geological ages. On each sampling trace, the relative geological age of each stratigraphic feature traversed by the sampling trace in the direction from geologically younger to geologically older stratigraphic features is increased in relation to the relative geological age of its preceding stratigraphic feature, under the condition that each stratigraphic feature takes the same relative geological age across all the sampling traces by which it is traversed.

Processing of stratigraphic data

To determine fault transmissivity in a subterranean reservoir, fault structures in the subterranean reservoir are identified, and elastic impedance data is computed from well log data and seismic data. Normalization parameters that have a predetermined orientation with respect to the identified fault structures are computed, and elastic impedance flux values are normalized with respect to the normalization parameters, where the normalized elastic impedance flux values are indicative of transmissivities of fault structures in the subterranean structure.

Determining fault transmissivity in a subterranean reservoir

Method for identifying one or more fracture clusters in an area of interest. In one implementation, the method may include determining a first inclination of each fracture cluster using borehole data. The first inclination refers to a first average angle with respect to horizontal. The method may further include extracting a first set of fracture clusters from seismic data using a filter based on the first inclination and a strike azimuth of each fracture cluster.

Fracture cluster mapping

A method for automated extraction of surface primitives from seismic data is presented. A preferred embodiment of the method includes defining, typically with sub-sample precision, positions of seismic horizons through an extrema representation of a 3D seismic input volume; deriving coefficients that represent the shape of the seismic waveform in the vicinity of the extrema positions; sorting the extrema positions into groups that have similar waveform shapes by applying classification techniques with the coefficients as input attributes using unsupervised or supervised classification based on an underlying statistical class model; and extracting surface primitives as surface segments that are both spatially continuous along the extrema of the seismic volume and continuous in class index in the classification volume. Three primary applications of the surface primitives are described: combining surface primitives into complete horizon interpretations; defining closed volumes within the seismic volume as the closure of vertically arranged surface primitives; or estimating fault displacement based on the surface primitives. A related computer system and computer program product for implementing the method are also described.

Extrema classification

A workstation stores a novel seismic classification software package (known as the 'Seisclass software'). During execution of the Seisclass software by a processor of the workstation, the workstation processor will present a plurality of attribute data, describing the characteristics of a geological feature, simultaneously as 'attribute data sets' and as &#x201c;points in attribute space&#x201d;. Characteristic groupings and attribute dependencies can be detected, either automatically or with manual support using a-priori knowledge. Clusters, groups of data sharing particular characteristics, are classified, either automatically or with manual support. The classification result is presented as a &#x201c;class data set&#x201d; allowing the association of the attribute characteristics with data set positions. The type of attributes and their dependencies may allow a classification of a geological feature, such as a sub-surface, with respect to its reservoir properties, such reservoir properties including, for example, the possible existence of underground hydrocarbon deposits in an earth formation.

Method and apparatus for generating a cross plot in attribute space from a plurality of attribute data sets and generating a class data set from the cross plot

A method is disclosed for characterizing the subsurface levels of the Earth with a greater degree of accuracy than hitherto. Seismic data samples are migrated and stacked, for example according to known techniques and then spectrum analyzed. The spectrum analysis is applied to a feature of the subsurface and, for example, a particular layer bounded by a pair of horizons would be subject to volume reflection spectral analysis. The analysis is carried out using an orthogonal base by defining the reflection signals in terms of coefficients to a set of orthogonal polynomials. Additional seismic characteristics or attributes may be directly calculated from the polynomial coefficients. These coefficients represent the characteristics of the layer to a high degree of accuracy and may be compared with spectra derived a priori (for example, synthetic spectra or previously characterized spectra) to further assist in analysis of measured seismic data.

Method of processing seismic data signals

A method for interactive contouring of seismic data for procuring seismic maps (60a, 60b, 60c) which provide a three-dimensional picture of the various structural layers (5a-5n, 12a-12n, respectively) within an area (11) which is circumscribed by intersecting shooting lines (6a-6d). In order to achieve a shorter processing time for procuring such maps, the data representing the individual structural layers (5a-5n) referred to a fixed reference line (2a) are procured as a color coded echo line (12h) on a graphic data screen (22), the indication of depth being given as a color value in relation to a preselected color scale (40). The interpreter can insert between the various points having the same color value on the echo line (12h) fresh interpreted values in the same grid according to the same color code, so that for each structural layer (5a-5n, 12a-12n, respectively) there can be provided a mapping (60a-60n) having surface adaptations given in various color values directly on the screen (22). The graphic display of the structural layer maps can be reproduced three-dimensionally on a color value printer (31) directly from the screen (22).

Interactive contouring of seismic data

Growing community of inventors

Tananger, Norway

Lars Sonneland