Print this pageBURK, MITCHELL K., GREGORY L. BROWN and DAVID R. PETRO, Marathon Oil Company, Lafayette, LA
Abstract: Evolution of the geological model, Lobster Field (Ewing Bank 873)
Throughout the life of a field an accurate
and evolving geological model is needed to make certain critical decisions.
These include the decision to drill the prospect, determining commerciality
if successful, facility type and size, the number and placement of development
wells and identifying bypassed reserves for infill drilling. The geological
model of Lobster field has evolved from a simplistic pre-drill model to
a complex reservoir management tool that is being used to guide further
field development. The predrill geological model correctly predicted the
presence of hydrocarbon filled, reservoir quality basin floor fans based
on regional well data and 
3-D
seismic amplitude response. Data from the
discovery well and three delineation wells, including two whole cores and
complete log suites on each well, along with a new 3-D seismic survey added
substantial detail to the geological model. East side and west side reservoir
compartments have been identified based on reservoir pressure data, pvt
data, geochemical analysis of the oil and different oil/water contacts.
A 3-D geological model was built using Statamodel software prior to development
and a conceptual full field reservoir model (Eclipse) was initiated. We
are now in another stage of model updating. New information includes constraint
geometry from an inverted, prestack time-migrated 3-D
seismic data set.
Further understanding of sand body and salt geometries based on a reconstruction
of the basin formation from extensive regional mapping of salt and sequence
boundaries has been added. This information is being integrated to guide
an infill drilling program and has pointed the way to new deeper discoveries.
AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90924©1999 GCAGS Annual Meeting Lafayette, Louisiana