Value of a second seismic monitor in late stages of field development at Holstein

Abstract

A second seismic monitor survey acquired after nine years of production at Holstein Field was used successfully to define new wellbore sidetracks to target unswept areas in two of the main producing reservoirs (J2 and K1). The asset team and the technology group worked together to investigate the quality and interpretability of the 4D signal between the first and second monitor surveys. The method consisted of conducting a quality check of the acquisition and processing steps, modeling the amplitude variation with offset responses using existing wells to determine the response to fluid effects, and finally extracting and creating amplitude difference maps between monitor surveys for each reservoir. The interpretation of the 4D amplitude differences, combined with the analysis of production and pressure data from historical injector and producer wells, resulted in the decision to target what was interpreted to be a partially swept J2/K1 reservoir compartment by the aquifer in the southern part of the field. Well #12 was drilled in that target and encountered oil pay in both reservoirs, with low levels of water saturation. Another J2 area in the northern part of the field was interpreted to have remained partially unswept by water injectors, although seismic acoustic softening over that portion of the field suggested that it was still benefiting from injection pressure support. Well #11 was drilled in that northern portion of the field and encountered an oil-bearing reservoir with water saturation near preproduction levels and a reservoir pressure approaching original reservoir pressure, hence confirming repressurization.