--> Abstract: The Impact of ?Traditional Geoscience Technologies? on Reservoir Optimization and the Challenges Ahead, by J. R. Ortiz; #90933 (1998).

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Abstract: The Impact of ?Traditional Geoscience Technologies? on Reservoir Optimization and the Challenges Ahead

Ortiz, J. Raul - Texaco Exploration and Production

The rapidly growing utilization of geoscience technologies traditionally considered for exploration applications is having a significant impact on the optimization of field development and reservoir recovery. Technologies associated with such disciplines as geochemistry, sequence stratigraphy, geostatistics, wellbore seismology, and seismic data visualization, to name a few, are helping engineers and asset teams to identify by-passed oil, delineate reservoir compartments, better assess reservoir extent and connectivity and ultimately extract more oil and gas from reservoirs in a more profitable fashion.

This paper reviews various examples of how Texaco has successfully applied these different technologies. Specifically, this paper will examine how these technologies have resulted in substantial improvements in reservoir productivity, recovery, and cycle time reduction. These improvements have been possible largely due to a much closer alignment and multi-disciplinary integration between Texaco?s Research Center and the operating units.

Notwithstanding the above, the author underscores the need for an even stronger integration of explorationists, engineers, and other disciplines in order to tackle the mounting technical and business challenges that the industry is facing as it enters the 21st Century which are currently exacerbated by depressed oil price scenarios. This challenge will require the acceleration in the development and application of several key reservoir related technologies such as: time lapse seismic (4D) reservoir monitoring, improved management of multilateral wells, prediction of reservoir properties, fully integrated geological and reservoir modeling, and innovative approaches in the way data is integrated and managed. The ultimate goal of these new technologies is the more timely and profitable recovery of a much higher percentage of the hydrocarbons in place.

The author finally concludes that a more focused and open industry-wide collaboration will be needed to more effectively and rapidly meet the above mentioned ?Grand Challenges? and review a new collaboration process model.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90933©1998 ABGP/AAPG International Conference and Exhibition, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil