Integrating Geologic and Economic Data Using a Geographic Information System (GIS): Offshore Gulf of Mexico

MEEHAN, KENNETH T., ARCO Oil and Gas Company, Plano, TX

A comprehensive data base consisting of graphical elements with associated attribute values has been compiled for the Gulf of Mexico. These geographically registered data, obtained from federal, state, third party, and company sources, consist of economic, past and present hydrocarbon production, and geologic information. Data representing man-made features such as pipelines, offshore drilling structures, terminals, and ship channels were evaluated with water depth and coastline proximity to estimate cost/risk factors of oil exploration and production.

Hard production data and soft data including estimates of oil maturity, undiscovered hydrocarbons, fault timing, and time of oil generation were likewise geographically registered with federal and state lease blocks. All attribute data were compiled at the well, field, and tract level in a company-standard relational data base for estimation of play boundaries, recoverable reserves, and valuation of bid strategies.

Conventional 2-D GIS technology in a relational environment enhances the evaluation of available data for assessing hydrocarbon potential on a unit by unit basis. These analyses provide the input for true 3-D reservoir evaluation in the geological sense and with registered economic data, provide cost versus return estimates for any 3-D volume, given some known error.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91004 © 1991 AAPG Annual Convention Dallas, Texas, April 7-10, 1991 (2009)