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Abstract
This paper presents a specific workflow developed to build a detailed
geological model constrained by high-resolution 3D seismic data. The objective
of the proposed approach was 1/ to integrate both geological and seismic
information in a coherent fine-grid model at early stage of field production,
2/ to account for uncertainties in heterogeneity distribution, and 3/ to
prepare the integration of 4D seismic data.
The first and critical step of this approach was the definition of a 3D grid
of facies proportions from 3D HR seismic data to constrain the geological
modeling process. A novel approach has been developed to account for scale
differences between seismic and well data to obtain a detailed geological
facies description.
In the second step, geological facies proportions derived from the seismic
facies characterization have been optimized to minimize the differences between
the seismic impedances of the average stochastic model and the real impedances.
In the last step, the truncated Gaussian algorithm has been
used to generate stochastic realizations constrained by well data and
geological facies distribution. Multiple realizations have been used to
quantify uncertainty on facies spatial distribution.
This approach was applied successfully to the Girassol field, a complex and
faulted turbidite field located offshore Angola. The objective was to build an
initial geological model for an innovative history matching workflow
integrating 4D seismic data (Roggero et al., [1]).
Thanks to the exceptionally high resolution of the seismic data, a 3D matrix
of lithofacies proportions has been constructed with a resolution close to that
of standard well logs (metric). Together with variograms, these geostatistical
parameters have been used to generate equiprobable images of the geological
model. Both well data and the seismic constraint are honored. Average sand
proportions and volumes computed from ten realizations are in good agreement
with the average values computed using the seismic constraint. Variability in
the distribution of geological facies has been quantified and can be related to
the uncertainty of the seismic constraint. This uncertainty has been reduced in
the history matching process by introducing more deterministic
geological information.
Introduction
The petroleum industry has been focusing on giant deep offshore turbidite
reservoirs over the past decade (Pettingill and Weimer, [2]). Because of the
high costs of field development and production, it has become necessary to
monitor the dynamic evolution of the field accurately even at early production
stages. Developments in 4D acquisition and processing were the first
prerequisites to achieve this challenge (Lefeuvre et al., [3]). The next
challenge was to correctly integrate 4D seismic data in history matching, which
first requires an accurate characterization of these highly heterogeneous
reservoirs before the start of production (Mezghani et al., [4]).
The understanding of deep offshore reservoir architecture relies to a large
extent on seismic interpretation combined with knowledge from outcrop analogs
(Beydoun et al., [5]; Sikkema and Wojcik, [6]; Eschard et al.,
[7]; Joseph et al., [8]). Seismic information can be used to constrain
initial facies models in various ways (Dubrule, [9]). The integration of
seismic data in geostatistical facies models can be direct. In this case, the
seismic information is integrated during the estimation/simulation phase, using
external drift, coestimation, cokriging, and their variations. Another approach
consists of an indirect integration starting with a preliminary estimation of
seismic and geological attributes, which is followed by the simulation phase.
In this case, 2D maps of seismic facies or quantitative attributes are often
used (Doligez et al., [10, 11]; Fournier et al., [12]).
A specific workflow has been developed for the geological modeling of the
Girassol field, to integrate quantitatively a 3D constraint of facies
proportions based on the interpretation of the high-resolution 3D seismic data.
The objective is to prepare the integration of 4D seismic data to update the
geological model. This final phase is based on an innovative history matching
methodology, as presented by Roggero et al. [1].
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