SBIR Phase I: High-Resolution Imaging and Petrophysical Characterization of Oil Reservoirs

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This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop a key technology designed to enhance the definition and characterization of oil reservoirs, by using state-of-the-art 3-D prestack depth imaging technology coupled with advanced rock physics principles to produce high-resolution petrophysical and structural information. Briefly stated, this technology will allow oil and gas companies to extract rock information from seismic data. Extensions to this technology are not limited to only 3-D or 4-D (time lapse) imaging, but can also be applied to medical imaging, EPA projects of identifying buried hazardous substances, remote imaging using ground penetrating radar, etc. The complete software package will be a state-of-the-art program offering features and utilities that are presently unavailable in the exploration industry. The commercial potential of the technology proposed is considerable because it allows 3-D and 4-D seismic data to be much more effectively used to characterize and delineate oil reservoirs and to monitor enhanced oil recovery processes. This area of seismic imaging and reservoir characterization is greatly influenced by technology developments and represents a fast commercial growth sector. This advanced technology directly impacts the discovery and recovery of hydrocarbons and could decrease dependence on imported oil. In existing oil fields, better seismic images of complicated subsurface geology directly coupled with petrophysical information, can reduce development costs and increase the amount of hydrocarbons recovered.