ABSTRACT: 3-D Seismic Data for Field Development: Landslide Field Case Study

Sandra K. Raeuchle, Timothy R. Carr, Roger D. Tucker

The Landslide field is located on the extreme southern flank of the San Joaquin basin, approximately 25 mi south of Bakersfield, California. The field, discovered in 1985, has produced in excess 9 million bbl of oil with an estimated ultimate recovery of more than 13 MMBO. The Miocene Stevens sands, which form the reservoir units at Landslide field, are interpreted as a series of constructional submarine fan deposits. Deposition of the fans was controlled by paleotopography with an abrupt updip pinch-out of the sands to the southwest. The three-dimensional seismic data over the field was used to locate the bottom hole of the Landslide 22X-30 development well as close to this abrupt updip pinch-out as possible in order to maximize oil recovery. A location was selected two races (330 ft) from the updip pinch-out as mapped on the seismic data. The well was successfully drilled during 1989, encountering 150 ft of net sand with initial production in excess of 1500 bbl of oil/day. A pressure buildup test indicates the presence of a boundary approximately 200 ft from the well bore. This boundary is interpreted as the updip pinch-out of the Stevens sands against the paleohigh. Based on examination of changes in amplitude, the absence or presence of reservoir-quality sand can be mapped across the paleohighs. Application of three-dimensional seismic data, integration with well data, and in particular reconstruction cuts tied closely to existing wells can be used to map the ultimate extent of the field and contribute to efficient development.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91003©1990 AAPG Annual Convention, San Francisco, California, June 3-6, 1990