--> ABSTRACT: 3D Seismic Interpretation of Little Buffalo Basin Field, Wyoming- A Secondary Recovery Case History, by C. A. Hinson; #91021 (2010)
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3D Seismic Previous HitInterpretationNext Hit of Little Buffalo Basin Field, Wyoming- A Secondary Recovery Case History

HINSON, CHARLES A.

In 1993 Apache Corporation initiated a water flood program for secondary oil recovery from the Northwest Dome structural culmination of Little Buffalo Basin Field. Early results of this program were unsuccessful in boosting production, and it was suspected that the structural Previous HitinterpretationNext Hit, based on subsurface control only, was inaccurate.

In an effort to understand the structural complexities and plan a more effective secondary recovery, Apache acquired a 3D seismic survey over the field in 1994. The revised structural Previous HitinterpretationNext Hit revealed a strikingly different structural regime than was originally envisioned. Faults had drastically different orientations and several water injection wells were found to have been drilled on the downthrown side of an unrecognized fault system.

In addition, an analysis of fault geometry and seismic attributes identified probable fracture systems into which several wells were inadvertently drilled. Production data confirmed that channeling of injected water along these fracture systems had a detrimental effect on secondary recovery.

Lastly, the revised structural Previous HitinterpretationTop identified regions of high upside potential which enabled Apache to add an additional 2.1 million barrels of reserves to the field.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91021©1997 AAPG Annual Convention, Dallas, Texas.