Seismic-Q imaging for petroleum reservoir characterization

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The Canadian production of heavy oil involves the competing considerations of huge economic impact, world energy demands, and minimization of environmental impact. Enhanced petroleum reservoir characterization should benefit all of these objectives by utilizing geological, geophysical and reservoir production data. Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) involves a unique set of challenges that include the descriptions of the reservoir lithology and the heavy oil viscosity. In this research program, the applicant will use seismic data to characterize the geology and the fluid viscosity between boreholes. The 3-D reverse-time depth migration (RTM) of seismic data obtained prior to EOR will provide a high-resolution image of the reservoir geology. The seismic delineation of sand versus shale will greatly improve the placement of wells and the scheduling of EOR processes such as steam injection. The dynamic estimation of reservoir fluid viscosity between boreholes will optimize the EOR processes themselves. One of the project's main goals is to estimate interwell viscosity by the analysis of seismic-Q (inverse attenuation). This can be achieved by computing Q tomograms from transmitted seismic arrivals. Rock physics models and lab measurements can then convert Q tomograms to viscosity tomograms. While determining seismic-Q is challenging, it is believed that its estimation in a time-lapse sense should provide valuable information about changing oil viscosity in the reservoir in both time and space. Good estimates of Q can also improve the seismic images through use of RTM with Q included in the wave equation. Both the resolution of geological features with conventional seismic analysis and the seismic estimation of reservoir fluid viscosity should greatly aid in improving the reservoir characterization of heavy oil fields. To the best of our knowledge, there has never previously been such a complete and innovative use of geophysical data to enhance the dynamic modeling of oil reservoirs. Given the scientific expertise, availability of state-of-the-art software and access to industry data, there are few university programs anywhere that can offer the HQP training in geophysical reservoir characterization as outlined in this proposal.