The case for separate sensor processing: Meeting the imaging challenge in a producing carbonate field in the Middle East

Abstract

Carbonate platforms in the Middle East continue to represent an important source of hydrocarbon reserves. For more than 20 years, interpretation and attribute extraction from time-based 3D seismic imaging products have been base geoscience data in this production setting. With the continuing advances in seismic imaging, geophysicists have an obvious interest in applying the most current algorithms to their projects. However, many of these carbonate reservoirs have accompanying imaging challenges that cannot be addressed solely through the application of new imaging technology. Alternative processing strategies must be considered, either to replace more conventional approaches and/or to prepare the data so that they conform to the limitations of the imaging algorithm.