Using multicomponent seismic data to better characterize and manage reservoirs

Abstract

Multicomponent seismic data (3C on land/4C on seabed) have unique information content that has proven to be useful in structural interpretation. As such, development of 3C/4C seismic acquisition, processing, and interpretation systems has increased over the past few years within the geophysical community. These improvements have shown that 3C/4C seismic information has application beyond structural interpretation, and can reveal internal reservoir characteristics that are directly useful in understanding and managing the reservoir. After reviewing the principles, applications, benefits and recent advances in 3C/4C seismic technology, all from an engineering perspective, this paper concludes that 3C/4C seismic has utility beyond the known niche applications such as imaging beneath gas clouds, to applications with broader benefit, such as fracture characterization and drilling hazard identification, as well as better reservoir property prediction and the ability to discriminate lithology (sand/shale) and fluid (water, gas, fizzy water). These conclusions are illustrated with recent case studies.