Multivariate Modeling of 3D9C Data for Constructing a Static Reservoir Model of Algal Mounds in the Paradox Basin, CO

Authors: Paul La Pointe, FracMan Technology Group, Golder Associates Inc., Redmond, WA; Robert D. Benson, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO; and Claudia Rebne, Legacy Energy, Denver, CO.

Venue: American Association of Petroleum Geologists/Rocky Mountain Section Annual Meeting in Snowbird, UT, October 7-9, 2007.

Abstract: A 3D9C survey was carried out over a 6 square mile portion of the Roadrunner and Towaoc fields on the Ute Mountain Ute reservation in southwestern Colorado. This survey was jointly funded by DOE and the Southern Ute tribe’s Red Willow Corporation to promote development of Ismay algal mound plays in the Paradox Basin within Ute Mountain Tribal lands and elsewhere in the Paradox Basin. Multicomponent data were utilized to better delineate the external mound geometry as well as to estimate internal mound reservoir parameters such as matrix permeability, saturation, and porosity. Simple cross-plotting of various multicomponent attributes against reservoir properties did not provide the desired predictive accuracy, in part due to sub-optimal frequency content in components derived from the shear wave data. However, a multivariate statistical analysis greatly improved the predictive accuracy. These multivariate regressions were then used to prescribe reservoir properties for a static reservoir model, which in turn formed the basis for a dynamic reservoir simulation model of the project area to assess the usefulness of the multivariate relations developed. This poster presentation will illustrate the workflow used to carry out the multivariate modeling, key maps of the reservoir properties that were derived, the static model, and results from the dynamic simulation used to assess the usefulness of the approach. Results from wells drilled based on the seismic data also will be presented.

Related NETL Project: The goals of the related NETL project (DE-FG26-02NT15451, “Multicomponent Seismic Analysis and Calibration to Improve Recovery from Algal Mounds: Application to the Roadrunner/Towaoc Area of the Paradox Basin, Ute Mountain Ute Reservation, Colorado”) are to:

• Promote development of both discovered and undiscovered oil reserves contained within algal mounds on the Ute Mountain Ute, Southern Ute, and Navaho native-controlled lands.
• Promote the use of advanced technology and expand the technical capability of the Native American oil exploration corporations by direct assistance in the current project and dissemination of technology to other tribes.
• Develop the most cost-effective approach to using non-invasive seismic imaging to reduce the risk in exploration and development of algal mound reservoirs on surrounding Native American lands.
• Characterize the internal structure and lithology of both the Towaoc and Roadrunner reservoirs to optimize future development of these reservoirs.
• Quantify the potential benefit of acquiring three-component (3-C) data in the exploration for algal mounds.
• Quantify the potential benefit of applying advanced processing technologies to conventional 3-D seismic data.
• Identify any undiscovered algal mounds (if they exist) within the area of seismic coverage.

NETL Project Contacts
NETL – Virginia Weyland (Virginia.weyland@netl.doe.gov, 918 699-2041)
Golder – Paul La Pointe (plapointe@golder.com, 425-883-0777)