1. Secure Energy for America
DW-2001: Geophysical Modeling for Studying Acquisition and Processing Methods in the Deepwater Gulf of Mexico
UDW Forum
June 22 & 23, 2010
Secure Energy for America

2. Goals Reduce GOM exploration and development risk
Relevant and challenging simulated datasets
improve survey acquisition design
imaging and processing research
joint inversion studies
Advance state-of-the art in numerical simulation
Industry forum for subsalt geophysical issues

3. Scope of Work Build on success of SEAM Phase I “Subsalt”
Extend earth model for Vs and resistivity
Acoustic Absorbing Upper Surface (AUS) simulation
Non-seismic simulations:
Gravity
Electromagnetic and Magnetotelluric
Elastic simulation
Anisotropic TTI simulation

4. Salt Model
60 GOM Blocks
15 km deep

5. Model Overview Structural Features Stratigraphic Features
complex salt body with rugose top, root, overhangs
9 horizons that extend across the entire model
12 radial faults arrayed under salt near to salt root
1 overturned sediment raft proximate to salt root
2 internal sutures in salt and a heterogeneous salt cap
Stratigraphic Features
13 turbidite fan and braided channel reservoirs
fine layering - 10m x 10m x 10m grid cells
geophysical parameters derived from rock properties

6. Simulation rooted in Rock Properties
Vshale, Porosity, Fluids,
Sat, Pressure, …
Geophysical Parameters
Vp, Vs, Dn, Cij, Q, Resistivity
Seismic Waves
P, S, qP,S, atten/disp; EM response, Gravity
AVO reflectivity inversion
for elastic parameters
Elasticity inversion
for rock/reservoir properties
Elastic parameter modeling
from Rock properties
Geophysical modeling
from parameters
Interest groups on this end:
Imagers, Tomographers, Processors
Interest group on this end:
Reservoir characterization and Monitoring
Modified from Joe Stefani; Chevron

7. Vp Model Profile

8. Turbidite Reservoirs
Example of turbidite fans in Pleistocene, Middle Miocene and Lower Miocene. Color indicates sand to shale ratio.

9. Braided Channel Reservoirs
~ 11 km long by ~3 km wide
Example of braided channels in Pliocene and Upper Miocene. Statistical features of the channels (length, width, thickness, sinuosity, Vshale) from real world measurements
From Joe Stefani; Chevron
~ 11 km long by ~3 km wide

10. Absorbing Upper Surface Simulation
No free-surface multiples
9,000 acoustic shots: grid and 4km wide swath
Up to 450,000 traces per shot
Simulation complete – awaiting QC
Applications:
Direct evaluation of imaging algorithms
Evaluation of de-multiple algorithms*
* when combined with Phase I acoustic free surface dataset

11. AUS Acquisition Plan 600 m grid – 2793 shots 4 km swath – 6209 shots
~ 11 km long by ~3 km wide
White = reservoir thickness
~ 11 km long by ~3 km wide

12. Free Surface and AUS Comparison
~ 11 km long by ~3 km wide
~ 11 km long by ~3 km wide

13. Quality Assurance with Benchmark Code
~ 11 km long by ~3 km wide
~ 11 km long by ~3 km wide

14. Non-Seismic Simulations
Gravity (full tensor) complete
Earth model extended for resistivity parameters
Rv and Rh relative to bedding
CSEM 3D simulation
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab for benchmark
acquisition parameters established
vendor bid request in preparation
Magnetotelluric simulation

15. Gravity Simulation Free-air anomalies at 150 m level
Txx
Txy
Txz
Tyy
Tyz Gz
Free-air anomalies at 150 m level
background density 2.2 g/cm3
From Neda Bundalo; Marathon
Tzz

16. EM Parameters Rh and Rv ~ 11 km long by ~3 km wide

17. CSEM Acquisition Plan 5 azimuth source lines on each receiver side
3D acquisition
5 azimuth source lines on each receiver side
10 km line offset
~ 11 km long by ~3 km wide
From Michael Frenkel; EMGS
~ 11 km long by ~3 km wide

18. Elastic Simulation Vs parameterization near complete Compute intensive
Acquisition trade-offs under evaluation
Sandia National Lab contracted for benchmarks
Vendor capability under development
SEAM project providing incentive

19. Vs derived from Log and Petrophysical Data

20. Vs Model
~ 11 km long by ~3 km wide
~ 11 km long by ~3 km wide

21. Vs to Vp Comparison ~ 11 km long by ~3 km wide

22. TTI Anisotropic Simulation
NEW!
TTI – Tilted Transverse Isotropy
Immediate industry need
Contract extension nearly finalized
TTI parameterization of SEAM earth model
Up to 10,000 TTI acoustic shots
Delivery, August 2011

23. 23 Industry Participants
~ 11 km long by ~3 km wide
~ 11 km long by ~3 km wide

24. DW-2001 Update ~ 11 km long by ~3 km wide RPSEA UDW Forum
June 22, 2010
Peter Pangman
Office:
~ 11 km long by ~3 km wide