System and method for assigning exploration risk to seismic attributes
AssigneePioneer Natural Resources USA, Inc.
InventorsMark A. Dablain, Mark E. Bengtson, David L. Strickler, David E. Sanders, Brett Edwards
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved method for assessing the geologic risk for hydrocarbon presence and hydrocarbon accumulation size is disclosed. In one configuration, seismic attributes are assigned to a horizontal axis and data quality to a vertical axis to form a matrix crossplot. Direct Hydrocarbon Indicators (DHI) derived from seismic data are used to qualify the presence and accumulation size. A quantitative method for scaling and calibrating the DHI matrix is illustrated that can be applied to existing petroleum basins and by analog to frontier areas.
Claims20
A method for estimating the likelihood of the presence of natural resources within a predetermined search region, comprising the steps of:
- generating a plurality of seismic attributes pertaining to the likelihood of finding the desired natural resources within the predetermined search region;
- assigning a value to each of the plurality of seismic attributes;
- generating a plurality of data confidence indicators;
- assigning a value to each of the plurality of data confidence indicators;
- deriving a final seismic attribute value associated with the plurality of seismic attributes;
- deriving a final data confidence indicator value associated with the plurality of data confidence indicators;
- correlating said final seismic attribute value with said final data confidence indicator value to derive the geologic confidence in finding the desired natural resources within the predetermined search region;
- and
- graphically representing said geologic confidence.
A system for representing the geologic confidence in a search for desired natural resources within a predetermined search region, the system comprising:
- a processor;
- a graphical display communicatively coupled to the processor;
- a storage, communicatively coupled to the processor, for data that the processor may operate, the data comprising:
- instructions for generating a plurality of seismic attributes pertaining to the likelihood of finding the desired natural resources within the predetermined search region;
- instructions for assigning a value to each of the plurality of seismic attributes;
- instructions for generating a plurality of data confidence indicators;
- instructions for assigning a value to each of the plurality of data confidence indicators;
- instructions for deriving a final seismic attribute value associated with the plurality of seismic attributes;
- instructions for deriving a final data confidence indicator value associated with the plurality of data confidence indicators;
- instructions for correlating said final seismic attribute value with said final data confidence indicator value to derive the geologic confidence in finding the desired natural resources within the predetermined search region;
- and
- instructions for graphically representing said geologic confidence.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.