Probabilistic Attribute Derived from Pre-stack Seismic Inversion and Characterization for Prospect Identification into the Boomerang Area

Abstract

In the prospect evaluation work performed in the Boomerang area, the uncertainty on the estimation of the hydrocarbon occurrence derived from seismic data has been of major importance in the exploration of this area. For this purpose, a dedicated workflow using Interwell™ and Easytrace™ integrating geological, petrophysical and seismic data has been applied to constrain petrophysical property distribution using elastic inversion. Initially, a detailed petro-elastic analysis was performed on the well near the prospect in order to define the relationships between petrophysical properties and elastic parameters (P and S velocity). Then, the available pre-stack seismic data were inverted using a stratigraphic inversion methodology prior to be used in a discriminant analysis to predict the presence of hydrocarbon and the probability associated. Therefore, both software provided a solution combining seismic inversion and seismic characterization to predict specific seismic facies distribution (including HC bearing facies) and associated probabilities for the entire seismic grid. The probabilistic attribute was helpful to evaluate the geological chances of success for finding hydrocarbons in the prospect.

AAPG Datapages/Search and Discovery Article #90326 © 2018 AAPG Latin America & Caribbean Region, Optimizing Exploration and Development in Thrust Belts and Foreland Basins. Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, June 6-8, 2018