Quantitative 4D Seismic Assisted History Matching Using Ensemble-Based Methods on the Vilje Field

Abstract

Abstract The aim of the study was to create an ensemble of equiprobable models that could be used for improving the reservoir management of the Vilje field. Qualitative and quantitative workflows were developed to systematically and efficiently screen, analyze and history match an ensemble of reservoir simulation models to production and 4D seismic data. The goal of developing the workflows is to increase the utilization of data from 4D seismic surveys for reservoir characterization. The qualitative and quantitative workflows are presented, describing their benefits and challenges. The data conditioning produced a set of history matched reservoir models which could be used in the field development decision making process. The proposed workflows allowed for identification of outlying prior and posterior models based on key features where observed data was not covered by the synthetic 4D seismic realizations. As a result, suggestions for a more robust parameterization of the ensemble were made to improve data coverage. The existing history matching workflow efficiently integrated with the quantitative 4D seismic history matching workflow allowing for the conditioning of the reservoir models to production and 4D data. Thus, the predictability of the models was improved. This paper proposes a systematic and efficient workflow using ensemble-based methods to simultaneously screen, analyze and history match production and 4D seismic data. The proposed workflow improves the usability of 4D seismic data for reservoir characterization, and in turn, for the reservoir management and the decision-making processes.