Objective
The detection and prediction of abnormal formation pressure while drilling is critical for the prevention of dangerous blowouts. Moreover, formation pressure data can be used to predict whether accumulations are commercial or non-commercial and also the type of hydrocarbon present.
Experience has shown that with good seismic data, a rough estimation of formation pressure can be obtained. This project proposes an integrated approach that combines the standard prediction technique from velocity analysis with a priori geological information, basin modelling and inversion while drilling, waveform (seismic) analysis relating amplitude information to fluid pressure, and well log calibration.
The area under investigation is located in the northern Viking Graben on the Norwegian continental shelf where overpressure is encountered, and where a comprehensive database of quality data will be made available for the project. In order to properly synthesise the data geological cellular models will be created, on a sub-basin scale, incorporating a variety of attributes including lithologies, porosity-permeability and seismic velocities. Models will include sedimentological and fault data, derived from well log and seismic interpretation.
The solution of the problem requires a fundamental understanding of the basic rock physics of overpressured sediments. For instance, shale and sand show a completely different behaviour under pressure. Significant improvements in seismic acquisition and processing enable energy loss to be measured, leading to the correlation of low velocity and high loss zones with over-pressuring. This phase of the project will define the precise relationships between seismic velocity, anisotropy, attenuation and effective pressure for a wide range of lithologies from laboratory measurements. Then, an appropriate model relating anelastic properties and formation pressure allows, in principle, the monitoring of overpressure from seismic data. The sensitivity of seismic data to formation pressure will be investigated through the generation of full waveform seismograms and amplitude versus offset (AVO) analysis.
The geological and rock physics a priori information is integrated in a novel method for the estimation of pore pressure, in which a procedure for basin modelling and inversion permits the determination of locally valid compaction relations for the sediment column and the inclusion of measurements while drilling data (MWD) including drill-bit VSP data for updating the ahead-of-the-bit prediction
It is expected that after completion of the this 3 year project, two years will be required to test the technique and make it user-friendly on a PC or UNIX workstation environment. However, an earliest possible exploitation of the result will be assured by the active participation of an operating oil company and by project coordination from a well service contractor.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences geology lithology
- natural sciences computer and information sciences databases
- natural sciences chemical sciences organic chemistry hydrocarbons
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Coordinator
5061 Kokstad
Norway
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