Overburden complexity at Atlantis includes complex salt fingers, allochthonous salt canopy, shallow gas pockets, and complex faults around the crestal area of the reservoir. To better characterize these features, BP developed a strategy for Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS). To support that effort, we built realistic geological models and conducted a seismic modeling simulation of the planned acquisition and processing campaign. We first built a structural framework model keeping the complex faults and interpretation horizons using a combination of gridding, upscaling, and interpolation. Stochastically generated stratigraphy was inserted to mimic the depositional system understood for this area of the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). We then inserted realistic rock properties of shallow sediments, shallow gas pockets and the deeper reservoir layers into the seismic velocity and density models. This next-generation model preserves the overburden and reservoir details for our full-field seismic imaging and interpretation experiments. After building these realistic large-scale fine-grid models, we ran finite-difference modeling for eight DAS wells planned to be instrumented with fiber optics cables for Atlantis Phase 3 field development. The seismic modeling results show high-resolution DAS images around the eight wells compared to conventional 3D VSP images. The study also enables us to select locations for engineered fiber instrumentation to achieve the best illumination near and above the reservoir. Seismic modeling results have been used for DAS fiber optics instrumentation and survey design for the Atlantis Field.
Presentation Date: Monday, October 12, 2020
Session Start Time: 1:50 PM
Presentation Time: 4:20 PM
Location: 362A
Presentation Type: Oral
