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

Patent · Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:870745

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

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 between 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.

• Research Organization: Columbia Univ., New York, NY (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FC22-93BC14961
• Assignee: Trustees of Columbia University in City of New York (New York, NY)
• Patent Number(s): US 5586082
• OSTI ID: 870745
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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
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