Abstract: Well Planning within 3D Seismic Volumes

W. SCOT EVANS, Landmark Graphics, Austin, TX 78745

Two of the more rapidly changing technology domains over the last decade have been in drilling and 3D seismic. While changes in these areas have altered the fundamental economics of E&P, they were developed independently of each other. This has limited the degree to which the individual technology advances have been able to improve the overall process of getting a well from the geologist or reservoir engineer's mind to the drilling engineer and TD. It is now technically quite possible to integrate these two components to maximize their benefit, potentially increasing the recoverable reserves per well, and saving rig and office dollars in the process.

This paper will discuss a series of new techniques available to enable the picking of drilling targets in a seismic volume while simultaneously screening them for drillability. The software used to interpret a 3D seismic volume now supports the choosing of potential reservoir targets in either a time or depth domain. The targets, surface location and key drilling constraints are used to calculate an optimized well path using established algorithms. The new well path is displayed back in the original application, and immediate feedback is provided regarding the wells build, hold, drop and DLS. Examples of successful workflows from Western Canada and the San Joaquin Valley will be used to illustrate the planning of infill wells, horizontal wells, and pad developments.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90935©1998 AAPG Pacific Section Meeting, Ventura, California