Title: Method for identifying subsurface fluid migration and drainage pathways in and among oil and gas reservoirs using 3-D and 4-D seismic imaging

Abstract

The invention utilizes 3-D and 4-D seismic surveys as a means of deriving information useful in petroleum exploration and reservoir management. The methods use both single seismic surveys (3-D) and multiple seismic surveys separated in time (4-D) of a region of interest to determine large scale migration pathways within sedimentary basins, and fine scale drainage structure and oil-water-gas regions within individual petroleum producing reservoirs. Such structure is identified using pattern recognition tools which define the regions of interest. The 4-D seismic data sets may be used for data completion for large scale structure where time intervals between surveys do not allow for dynamic evolution. The 4-D seismic data sets also may be used to find variations over time of small scale structure within individual reservoirs which may be used to identify petroleum drainage pathways, oil-water-gas regions and, hence, attractive drilling targets. After spatial orientation, and amplitude and frequency matching of the multiple seismic data sets, High Amplitude Event (HAE) regions consistent with the presence of petroleum are identified using seismic attribute analysis. High Amplitude Regions are grown and interconnected to establish plumbing networks on the large scale and reservoir structure on the small scale. Small scale variations over time betweenmore » seismic surveys within individual reservoirs are identified and used to identify drainage patterns and bypassed petroleum to be recovered. The location of such drainage patterns and bypassed petroleum may be used to site wells. « less

Inventors:

Anderson, Roger N ^[1]; Boulanger, Albert ^[1]; Bagdonas, Edward P ^[2]; Xu, Liqing ^[3]; He, Wei ^[3]

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1. New York, NY
2. Brookline, MA
3. New Milford, NJ

Issue Date:

1996-01-01

Research Org.:

Columbia Univ., New York, NY (United States)

OSTI Identifier:

870745

Patent Number(s):

5586082

Assignee:

Trustees of Columbia University in City of New York (New York, NY)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01V - GEOPHYSICS

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G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01V - GEOPHYSICS

G01V1/30 - Analysis

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DOE Contract Number:  

FC22-93BC14961

Resource Type:

Patent

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

method; identifying; subsurface; fluid; migration; drainage; pathways; oil; gas; reservoirs; 3-d; 4-d; seismic; imaging; utilizes; surveys; means; deriving; information; useful; petroleum; exploration; reservoir; management; methods; single; multiple; separated; time; region; determine; scale; sedimentary; basins; fine; structure; oil-water-gas; regions; individual; producing; identified; pattern; recognition; tools; define; data; sets; completion; intervals; allow; dynamic; evolution; variations; identify; hence; attractive; drilling; targets; spatial; orientation; amplitude; frequency; matching; event; hae; consistent; presence; attribute; analysis; grown; interconnected; establish; plumbing; networks; patterns; bypassed; recovered; location; site; seismic data; gas region; pattern recognition; data set; time interval; data sets; time intervals; seismic surveys; information useful; seismic imaging; gas reservoirs; gas reservoir; deriving information; subsurface fluid; identifying subsurface; fluid migration; /367/702/