From Seismic Reservoir Characterization to Reservoir Simulation Models: Bridging the Project Workflow Gaps
Shanor, Gordy G.,
Jonathan Bown, Ødegaard A/S,
Exploration and development geoscientists continue to work within
their respective disciplines to provide management with reservoir studies
which must be sewn together into integrated reservoir models at a later stage.
Seismic scale reservoir characterization provides a variety of
results which integrate 2D, 3D and 4D data and interpretations with well log
analysis and rock physics to provide tremendous insight into the spatial
distributions of reservoir properties in two-way traveltime.
Higher resolution
, geological modelling of depositional facies
and petrophysics is often performed in great detail based largely on mapping
and well log interpretations without direct integration with seismic reservoir
characterization results, leading to discipline independent 3D models
generated through interpolation or geostatistical modelling.
Ultimately, reservoir engineering groups require either
high-resolution
petrophysical models or appropriately upscaled models for
history matching and reservoir performance prediction. These predictive flow
simulation models in turn provide the basis for management to evaluate field
development plans and economic scenarios including uncertainty analysis.
The objective then, is to build representative, fully integrated
flow simulation models derived from the ‘best of both worlds’, i.e. models
which capture the spatial coverage of 3D seismic reservoir characterization as
well as the high vertical
resolution
of geological modelling through
applications of conditional geostatistical modelling techniques.
This paper
presents examples which integrate seismic reservoir characterization such as
simultaneous AVO inversions to acoustic impedance, Poisson’s ratio and density,
from which probability of lithology-fluid classes can be derived, with depth
conversion, high resolution grid building, geostatistical analysis and
conditional simulation of facies and petrophysical data.