Abstract: Overview of 3-D Seismic Activity in Northeast Montana

Allen Modroo

During the last five years Northeast Montana has seen an dramatic increase in 3-D seismic activity. The scope of this talk will be to discuss past 3-D seismic activities, wells that were drilled, and the success rate of these wells.

Most information on this subject is held confidential by oil companies therefore, statistics and displays used are via the Montana Oil and Gas Commission. Working experience that the author has gained during his years of pursuing the oil plays of Northeast Montana will be intermixed with this data.

Of interest to all exploration companies are the costs associated with your typical 3-D seismic survey. One should view Northeast Montana as a place where not only multiple prospects exist on a given track of land but also the fact that this area is rich in multiple stack objectives; thereby, lowering the cost of seismic per drill target.

Three Dimensional Seismic has taken the explorationist to a higher level of subsurface understanding. Examples shown will compare 2-D vs 3-D seismic time mapping and the incorrect assumptions that were made in past. Now the exploration team can define where the bottom hole location of the drill bit should be and perhaps what porosity will lie in its path.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90952©1996 AAPG Rocky Mountain Section Meeting, Billings, Montana