SBIR Phase II: Enhanced 3-D Seismic Imaging of Subsalt Gas and Oil Reservoirs Using Primary and Converted Waves

3DGeo Development Incorporated的这个小型企业创新研究第二阶段项目将开发一个软件包，该软件包利用原始和转换波能量准确有效地成像天然气和石油储层，并确定储层评估和管理的岩石特性。 在最近完成的第一阶段项目中，3DGeo通过分析合成地震数据中转换波的性质和出现情况，证明了转换波成像的可行性。 采用全波场建模和真实模型中的射线追踪技术，对拖缆和海底电缆的海洋数据进行了模拟。 两种采集几何结构都显示了重要的转换波事件，这些事件将用于第二阶段，以准确地对储层进行成像并估计岩石性质。 除了模式转换能量之外，该项目还将包括在地质环境中通常发生的引起转换波的其他两种重要传播现象，即：（1）多次反射事件[多次波]，以及（2）沿地下沿着多条路径传播的透射和反射能量[多值走时]。 这两种现象，加上模式转换，这是本研究工作的主要重点，构成了石油和天然气地震勘探的最大挑战。该二期项目开发了一种全面的、协同的盐下成像解决方案，充分利用地震波场在复杂地区储层成像和岩石性质估计方面的潜力，所提出技术的商业潜力可直接应用于墨西哥湾等复杂地区的盐下油气勘探。 美国公司将在未来5年内花费500亿美元钻探深层盐下勘探区，该项目可能会通过开发准确且经济的储层监测和成像技术产生直接而重大的影响。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project from 3DGeo Development Incorporated will develop a software package which utilizes primary and converted-wave energy to accurately and efficiently image gas and oil reservoirs, and to determine rock properties for reservoir evaluation and management. In the recently completed Phase I project, 3DGeo demonstrated the feasibility of imaging with converted waves by analyzing the nature and occurrence of converted waves in synthetic seismic data. Full wavefield modeling and ray tracing in realistic models was used to simulate both towed-cable and ocean-bottom-cable marine data. Both acquisition geometries show important converted-wave events that will be used in Phase II to accurately image reservoirs and estimate rock properties. In addition to the mode converted energy, this project will incorporate two other significant propagation phenomena that commonly occur in geological settings which give rise to converted waves, namely: (1) multiply reflected events [multiples], and (2) transmitted and reflected energy propagating along multiple paths in the subsurface [multi-valued traveltimes]. These two phenomena, coupled with the mode conversions, which are the main focus of this research effort, comprise the greatest challenge to seismic prospecting for oil and gas. This Phase II project develops a comprehensive and synergistic subsalt imaging solution that exploits the full potential of the seismic wavefield for reservoir imaging and rock property estimation in complex areas.Commercial potential of the proposed technology is directly applicable to subsalt oil and gas exploration in complex areas such as the Gulf of Mexico. US companies will spend $50 billion drilling deep subsalt prospects over the next 5 years, and this project could have a direct and significant impact by developing an accurate and economical reservoir monitoring and imaging technology.