Applied Forward Modeling in the Seismic Interpretation of Non-marker Beds in Delta Front

Abstract

AbstractIn the late stage of oilfield development, it turns to be a new focus to search for residual oil in small or even micro structures. It is necessary to recognize and re-interpret the structure of developing areas with well logging and seismic data. In detailed seismic interpretation, horizon tracking is the most fundamental work. However, because of the inconsistency of energy field and multiple characteristics of non-marker beds, it is very difficult to track the cross-well part of horizons, which leads to great difference between the structural interpretation results and posterior well data. This paper proposes a method to minimize the error between the seismic interpretation result and the well data by forward modeling. Based on the conventional structural interpretation method, several main subfacies sand body models with known sedimentary background are established, which can summarize the principle of the seismic reflection variation caused by different lithology, litho-combination and thickness. Besides, cross-well sand body models are built to simulate seismic profiles in the study area. With the forward modeling as reference, detailed horizon tracking is accomplished. Thus, the error between the tracking result and well data is reduced, and it lays a good foundation for reservoir modeling, prediction and facies mapping in the next step.KeywordsSeismic interpretationHorizon trackingForward modelingReflection characteristics