Coupled Approach Using Stratigraphic Modeling and Seismic Inversion to Enhance Carbonate Reservoir Characterization

Abstract

A successful exploration well leading to an economically valuable discovery, kick off new challenges for the Appraisal phase and future development of the field, especially in carbonate environment where spatial continuity of facies can be limited. A phase of detailed reservoir characterization is starting, where bringing tools and concepts from exploration at lower scale and higher resolution can add value to classical methods. In this framework, results of 4D Forward Stratigraphic Modeling combined with Seismic Inversion can be a useful tool to assess spatial boundaries of facies, and thus optimize well number and location on a reliable basis. The high resolution reached by stratigraphic modeling in low transport carbonate environment is bringing added value to the coarser resolution of seismic interpretation, and Acoustic Inversion. It is also integrating the very high resolution but spatially irrelevant well information. Thus, a high level of detail regarding the reservoir composition is reached, taking into account sequence stratigraphy principles. Furthermore the common and coherent features observed by two radically different approaches (Inversion form seismic data, and forward stratigraphic modeling) are strengthening the reliability of both techniques.