Fracture Prediction, Actual 2010 Drilling Results, and Full Wave Forward Modeling: An Integrated Technologies Approach

Abstract

Over the last few years Lukoil has published the results of two exhaustive studies into the problem of fracture detection. Fracture prediction methods based on reflection amplitude, reflection curvature and its derivatives, coherency cube, spectral decomposition, ant-tracking technology, azimuthal anisotropy of P-wave velocity, and DWM amplitude cube analysis. We concluded that the DWM technique was the most reliable method for fracture permeability detection (Khromova et al., 2011). Lukoil planned a 2010 drilling program for horizontal wells based on DWM technology and this paper will report on the results of that 2010 drilling program. Two horizontal wells were drilled into a limestone interval and extensive well log measurements were taken. The well results illustrate that the location of the fracture systems as predicted by DWM were accurate to within 25 metres. The DWM amplitude maps and well log results will be shown to illustrate the success of this fracture prediction technique. Also, the ability to use these actual well results, along with full wave forward modelling, and DWM technology to push the boundaries of reservoir characterization prediction using an integrated seismic-based methodology is investigated.