Print this page3-D Seismic Redevelopment of Louisiana's Tuscaloosa Trend Port Hudson Field Case History
STORY, CHIP
The Port Hudson field is a salt-cored anticline which produces from the Cretaceous Tuscaloosa Formation 15 miles north of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Approximately 500 BCF and 50 MMBO have been produced in the last 19 years from depths between 15,400 and 17,400 feet. An extensive grid of 2-D seismic was acquired over the field during the 1970s and early 1980s. In October of 1994 interpretation of a new 60 sq. mile 3-D dataset was completed.
The tremendous improvement in 3-D imaging over 2-D imaging is generally expected in the case of structural deformation. This case history demonstrates, however, that in some cases poor 2-D imaging in low dip areas is non-intuitive and unexpected, further emphasizing the need for 3-D. Additionally, and probably the most important result of this project, is the improvement in spatial resolution which has proven to be particularly important in leading to a new depositional model in a heavily-drilled area.
The business bottom line has benefited directly from the ability to target these new wells with precision. No new wells would have been drilled without the new dataset. With an initial investment of about $5 million for the 3-D survey, Amoco has spent an additional $50 million to drill 9 additional wells with a 100% success rate compared to a pre-3-D rate of 66%. These nine new wells have added new proven gross reserves of 250-300 BCFE and have doubled the daily field production. This success has acted as a trigger project for the acquisition of additional 3-D datasets and redevelopment of the entire Tuscaloosa Trend.