Seismic Estimation of Porosity in the Permian San Andres Carbonate Reservoir, Welch Field, Dawson, County, Texas: ABSTRACT

Abstract

OXY and the DOE Are partners in a advanced technology demonstration project at OXY`s West Welch Unit. Production is from a low permeability San Andres reservoir of Permian age similar to many shallow shelf carbonate reservoirs in the Permian Basin. The project involves the construction of a detailed geological model for numerical simulation to design and then conduct a CO{sub 2} flood of the reservoir. Depositional textures of the reservoir rock are highly variable from diagenesis, mostly anhydritic cementing, creating a highly complex pore system. Identification of the interwell reservoir continuity and flow units present the greatest challenge to the reservoir description. A 1993 vintage 3-D seismic survey with a bin spacing of 110{prime} by 165{prime} has been used to assist with the interwell reservoir description. The structure definition at the top and base of the reservoir have been accurately mapped with respect to the well data. Core and well log measurements of porosity, permeability and water saturation were computed and summed across the seismic reservoir interval. Measurements of amplitude, frequency and phase within the 3-D volume were summed across the reservoir interval. All seismic attributes were sampled to the wells and compared through scatterplots to the well log andmore » core measurements. Excellent correlation between three seismic attributes and porosity has been documented. A deterministic method has been used to estimate porosity values at each seismic bin location. The method uses the seismic measurements to shape the geology between the wells while maintaining agreement with the well data at the well locations.« less