Improving Exploration in the Gulf of Suez Using 3D Pre-Stack Depth Imaging
By
Jim Mika1, Frédéric J. Billette1, Dennis Yanchak1, John Garing2
(1) BP Upstream Technology, Houston, TX (2) BP Exploration Alaska Inc, Anchorage, AK
Amoco, and now BP, has been very active in the Gulf of Suez since the mid
1960’s. Time or post-stack processing has been extensively used in the past, but
did not provide sufficiently accurate images sub-salt, where the hydrocarbon
prospectivity is known to exist. In the last few years, we applied in-house
modern imaging techniques to improve the understanding of sub-salt targets. The
approach includes multiple attenuation
using the SRME method, velocity model
building using 3D tomography with residuals analysis on a fine grid, and
Kirchhoff 3D pre-stack depth migration with massive usage of computers. In
addition, we phase-matched and merged several surveys shot in various directions
(also including OBC data) prior to imaging to ensure coverage continuity. We
will develop the technical aspects of some our 3D imaging tools and use as
illustrations imaging improvements obtained from the North central part of the
Gulf of Suez down to the extreme southern portion of the Gulf, including the
October, July, Ramadan, and Morgan oil fields, and the B-Trend.