N080 Geophysics for Subsurface Professionals
Course Facts
- Course Code:
- N080
- Duration:
- 4 days
- Type:
- Classroom
- CEU:
- 3.2 Continuing Education Units
- PDH:
- 32 Professional Development Hours
- Certificate:
- Certificate Issued Upon Completion
Summary
This multidiscipline course will provide geoscientists and engineers with a practical understanding of what the seismic method can provide to impact business decisions. Specifically, we present how the seismic method is used to evaluate geologic risk, characterize reservoirs properties, estimate resource potential, optimize drilling locations and avoid drilling hazards. The course also provides an appreciation of the strengths and weaknesses of key seismic methods such as migration and inversion. Additionally, you will know what questions to ask about structural imaging and depth maps, seismic prediction of reservoir properties such as lithology, porosity, fluid type, thickness and fractures as well as pressure prediction. You will also learn a practical workflow for interpreting 3D seismic.
Duration and Training Method
The course will run for 4 days and include classroom instruction, worked examples, exercises and discussion.
Participants will learn to:
- Describe the fundamentals of seismic propagation using wavefronts or raypaths, as appropriate.
- Identify the various types of seismic waves and their relevance to different scenarios.
- Appreciate the importance of rock parameters, especially velocity and density, in understanding the results of the seismic method.
- Describe the fundamentals of surface and borehole seismic acquisition and processing, sonic logs and microseismic.
- Appreciate the difference between the time and depth domains and how to convert between them.
- Recognise the importance of resolution and how to maximise it.
- Appreciate how seismic data is affected by rock properties such as porosity, lithology, fluid content, fractures and pressure and how seismic can be used to predict these parameters.
- Recognise how it is possible to estimate reservoir properties from seismic data using AVO and inversion techniques integrated with petrophysical data.
- Review how seismic anisotropy is used to predict fracture density and orientation, anticipate drilling hazards and optimize well locations.
- Learn how to calculate various types of subsurface pressure and use pressure prediction to design wells, avoid drilling hazards and optimize reservoir production.
- Recognize the power of multi-component seismic to distinguish reservoir lithology changes from fluid changes.
- Apply a 3D seismic interpretation workflow to a large survey over the Gippsland Basin, offshore Australia. Hands-on interpretation of a regional seismic grid serves to reaffirm key interpretation concepts.
Preface: comparison of seismic workflows for conventional and unconventional plays
Introduction
- Basic concepts – types of sources, types of waves – surface, body, P, S
- Wavefronts vs. raypaths
- Velocity and density, acoustic impedance
- Reflections, reflection coefficient, depth to time conversion
- Shot gathers, single fold, multiple fold
- Stacking and zero-offset concept
- 2D geometry and coverage
Structural imaging
- Modelling – normal incidence, vertical incidence
- Principles of 2D marine and land acquisition
- 2D processing – statics, velocity analysis, NMO, stack
- Time migration, migration velocity, diffractions
- Simple depth conversion, average and interval velocity
Borehole geophysics
- Sonic logging - conventional and dipole
- Check Shots
- VSPs - Vertical, Walkabove, Offset, Walkaway
- Cross-well seismic
Calibrated reservoir mapping
- Wavelets, frequency domain, phase
- Calibration to wells
- Vertical resolution, wedge model, tuning
- Horizontal resolution, diffractions, aperture
- Synthetic seismograms
- Amplitude mapping for sand thickness
- Porosity prediction and mapping
3D seismic imaging
- 3D land and marine acquisition
- 3D binning, processing and time migration
- Image ray tracing, depth migration
- Complex depth conversion and map migration
Lithology, porosity and fluid prediction
- P and S waves, earth parameters, moduli, Poisson’s ratio
- Fluid substitution
- AVO modelling and analysis – reconnaissance and detailed
- Inversion for acoustic and elastic impedance and Poisson’s ratio
Fracture detection and anisotropy
- Anisotropy – azimuthal, VTI
- Fracture detection and mapping
- Effect on velocities and AVO
Pressure prediction
- Causes of overpressure, shale porosity, equivalent depth, Eaton method
- Prediction from sonic log
- Prediction from seismic velocities
Time lapse (4D) seismic
- Basic concepts
- Data acquisition and processing
- Case studies
Multicomponent seismic
- Data acquisition and processing
- Case studies
3D Seismic interpretation workflow
- Gippsland basin 3D, offshore Australia
Who should attend
This course is designed for geoscientists, petrophysicists and engineers involved in multidiscipline teams using geophysical techniques as well as individuals responsible for managing or supervising exploration or asset teams.
Prerequisites and linking courses
There are no prerequisite courses but participants should have a general understanding of the exploration process and be prepared for some technical discussion.
Recommended geophysical courses that build on N080 include N004 (Essentials of Rock Physics and Seismic Amplitude Interpretation) and N049 (Seismic Attributes for Exploration and Reservoir Characterisation). Participants interested in seismic interpretation should consider courses N085 (Introduction to Seismic Interpretation) and N040 (Interpretation of Three-Dimensional Seismic Data).
Click on a name to learn more about the instructor
John Chamberlain
John Chamberlain
Background
John Chamberlain has worked as a geophysicist in the oil and gas industry for 38 years; at Gulf Oil between 1980 and 1984, at Phillips Petroleum from 1984 to 2002 and latterly as a consultant, specialising in technical geophysics including AVO and inversion, and as an instructor with Nautilus.
Affiliations and Accreditation
PhD University of Cambridge - Geophysics
BA University of Cambridge - Physics
Member of SEG, EAGE, RAS and the PESGB
Courses Taught
N004: The Essentials of Rock Physics for Seismic Amplitude Interpretation
N080: Geophysics for Subsurface Professionals
N258: Synthetic Seismic Modelling and its Application
John Randolph
John Randolph
Background
John has over 40 years experience in the Oil and Gas Industry and is currently Technical Manager for Nautilus geophysical programs in North America. During his career, John worked as a seismic interpreter for Texaco, a geophysical project manager for The Louisiana Land and Exploration Company, and he served in the role of Chief Geophysicist for Burlington Resources. John retired from Burlington Resources in 2005 as General Manager of Exploration responsible for the company’s exploration activities in the US, Latin America, the UK, Algeria, and China. While working as Chief Geophysicist, John was also responsible for training and career development for Burlington’s geoscience professionals. Since 2005, John has also worked as a consultant to independent oil and gas companies and also national oil companies assisting them with various project management issues.
In addition to his passion for teaching seismic interpretation, John enjoys travel, biking, and hiking. John also taught scuba diving classes for many years.
John and his wife Cheri live in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Affiliations and Accreditation
MS Business Administration
BS Physics and Mathematics
SEG -Member
AAPG - Member
Courses Taught
N080: Geophysics for Subsurface Professionals
N085: Introduction to Seismic Interpretation
N165: Fundamental Concepts of Seismic Techniques
N250: Evaluation Methods for Shale Reservoirs
N281: Introduction to Seismic Interpretation for Exploration and Production
N394: 3D Seismic Interpretation Workflow
N408: Seismic Imaging for Coal
N420: Introduction to Seismic Interpretation for Coal Mining
N443: Essentials of Geophysics
John is a contributer to the following courses:
N092: Reservoir Geophysics
N286: Seismic Acquisition Principles and Practice
Steve Western
Steve Western
Background
Steve is an exploration geophysicist having over 35 years of experience evaluating oil and gas opportunities spanning domestic and international, onshore and offshore areas. Leadership positions include Manager of Technical Excellence (EP Energy), U.S. Exploration Manager (Burlington), Chief Geophysicist / Manager Geophysical Technology (Burlington), Deepwater Gulf of Mexico Exploration Manager (Occidental) and Deepwater Gulf of Mexico Subsalt and Geophysical Technology Manager (BP).
Steve enjoys working on complex problems requiring the integration of geoscience and engineering technologies. His main areas of technical interest are reservoir characterization techniques for conventional and unconventional plays, seismic imaging and formulation of technical and business strategies.
Steve attended numerous industry-sponsored classes in geology and geophysics, focusing the last 5 years on the geologic and geophysical evaluation of unconventional plays. Steve is a member of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists, the Houston Geological Society and the Geophysical Society of Houston.
Affiliations and Accreditation
M.B.A. Houston Baptist University.
MSc Texas Christian University - Geology
BSc University of Texas at Arlington - Physics
Courses Taught
N080: Geophysics for Subsurface Professionals
Dates for this Course
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