Effect of Frequency on Hydrocarbon (HC) Detection Using 3D Finite Integral Modeling

Abstract

Detection of hydrocarbon in sea bed logging (SBL) is still a very challenging task for deep target reservoirs. The response of electromagnetic (EM) field from marine environment is very low and it is very difficult to predict deep target reservoirs below 2500 m from the sea floor. Straight antennas at 0.125 Hz and 0.0625 Hz are used for the detection of deep target hydrocarbon reservoirs below the seafloor. The finite integration method (FIM) is applied on 3D geological seabed models. The proposed area of the seabed model (16 km ×16 km) was simulated by using CST (computer simulation technology) EM studio. The comparison of different frequencies for different target depths was done in our proposed model. Total electric and magnetic fields were applied instead of scattered electric and magnetic fields, due to its accurate and precise measurements of resistivity contrast at the target depth up to 3000 m. From the results, it was observed that straight antenna at 0.0625 Hz shows 50.11% resistivity contrast at target depth of 1000 m whereas straight antenna at 0.125 Hz showed 42.30% resistivity contrast at the same target depth for the E-field. It was found that the E-field response decreased as the target depth increased gradually by 500 m from 1000 m to 3000 m at different values of frequencies with constant current (1250 A). It was also investigated that at frequency of 0.0625 Hz, straight antenna gave 7.10% better delineation of hydrocarbon at 3000 m target depth. It was speculated that an antenna at 0.0625 Hz may be able to detect hydrocarbon reservoirs at 4000 m target depth below the seafloor. This EM antenna may open a new frontier for oil and gas industry for the detection of deep target hydrocarbon reservoirs below the seafloor.