Detection of overpressure zones
from seismic and well data
Duration - 01/12/97 - 30/11/2000
Funding - Funded by the European Union Fourth FrameworkHydrocarbon Reservoir Programme.
Co-ordinator - Well Service Technology, Bergen, Norway)
Research partners
Summary - The purpose of the ODS project is to apply and develop techniques for the detection and prediction of abnormal formation pressure from seismic and well data. The project combines a variety of methods for overpressure prediction, including velocity analysis, basin modelling and inversion techniques through to seismic waveform analysis. The projects efforts are concentrated on a study area within the north Viking Graben which is characterised by elevated pore fluid pressure compartments which are both stratigraphically and structurally controlled.
The project incorporates several complementary lines of research:
- Analysis of the structural and stratigraphic controls on pore-fluid pressuredistributions
- Laboratory and theoretical rock physics for overpressured sediments
- Full waveform porous modelling and AVO analysis
- Porosity estimation from velocity and attenuation analysis
- Pore fluid pressure estimation from basin modelling and inversion
- Development of ahead-of-bit pore fluid pressure prediction method incorporating while-drilling information
The main technical deliverables are;
- 3-D geological and fluid flow analysis and modelling of the study area
- Systematic characterisation of seismic wave velocity and attenuation/porepressure response for sandstone/shale lithologies
- Modelling package for wave simulation in both anisotropic porous media and in partially saturated porous media
- Implementation of package for extraction of lithological information from surface seismic data using AVO techniques and the CSD method
- Pore pressure prediction method and software prototype
The FAG role in this project is to provide geological and, in particular, structural geological expertise. Our main activities are;
- analysis of the distribution of both stratigraphically and structurally controlled overpressured zones
- fault seal analysis of hydrocarbon reservoirs in the study area
- examination and modelling of the effects of faults, and fault zone properties,on the generation of overpressure zones
- construction and maintenance of a cellular model for the study area andthe provision of seismic attributes to partners
Contact: Conrad Childs
Tel: 353 1 706 2606
Email