Access and Integration of Emerging Technologies: Keys to Successful Imaging of Reservoir Fluids in Depth and Time
Authors: Stoessel Edward T. 
Published: October 2008

Low cost access to bypassed hydrocarbon pay can prolong field life and increase ultimate recovery. Avoiding or delaying breakthrough of flood fluids avoids or delays expensive workovers. An appropriately accurate description of the fluid type, position and flow vector of all fluids in the extended vicinity of the wells in a reservoir is critical information forreservoir management decisions. Obtaining such an appropriately accurate description is what we call "fluid imaging." "Appropriate accuracy" of a fluid image means, for example, that variations in fluids over a spatial extent smaller than the distance between wells can be detected or predicted with high confidence. The lower limit of the required resolution is dictated by the commercial impact. Resolving a volume of fluid 10 meters thick and 200 meters in lateral extent at a distance of 200 meters from a well has been chosen as the goal. Achieving the goal will require breakthrough technologies as well as breakthrough systems integration spanning a wide range of petroleum technologies. A collaboration called "DeepLook" focused on achieving that goal was established in 1997. DeepLook is comprised of a group of oil companies (8) and oil industry service companies (5). It defines and funds projects in collaboration with technology organizations outside the oil industry. Selected projects address DeepLook goals and offer the possibility of breakthrough capability. In the fourth quarter of 1997, the initial projects began. The projects focus on long-range indirect detection of hydrocarbons; sensor technology for continuous downhole and in-reservoir monitoring; technologies for physical deployment of sensors, data mining, integration, fusion, modeling and interpretation. The presentation will discuss the projects in more detail and summarize early results.

Introduction

DeepLook is the response of our oil company members (BP, Chevron, Conoco, Mobil, Saudi Aramco, Shell, Texaco and Unocal) to our commonly held problem of un-swept oil. We believe we represent a new direction in the geneses of oil industry technology: Our eye is on the prize (doubling the recovery factor) not on our favorite technology. Our horizon for new technology extends beyond our own industry to other industries and especially the vast military-industrial complex. We are not looking for government funding (it's too expensive). We are looking for skill, expertise, and special capabilities in government labs, nonoil industry technology companies, etc.. We are collaborating on innovating the sources of new technology, but we expect delivery to operations to come through traditional service companies. CGG, CiDRA, Halliburton (Landmark), Schlumberger, Smedvig and Western Atlas are members of DeepLook at the time of this writing. The call to prospective collaborators on Fluid Imaging Technology was issued by Ed Stoessel at the SEG Development and Production Forum in 1995, with a follow-up at the 65th Annual Meeting in Houston. We inaugurated our contact with "far market" technology resources with an "Oil Industry Outreach" in early 1996. The response of government labs and contractors seeking new markets for their skills and expertise was daunting. Our multi-company technical teams spent the summer of 1996 in brainstorming tours of eighteen "far market" facilities; leading to the currently funded "start-up phase" program (below). During our formation we received information and encouragement from Curtis Burton of DeepStar, the collaboration on deep water engineering.