IP Library Granted Patent US 12693445
Granted Patent B2
US 12693445 · App. 19/016,717 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

De-risking subsurface fluid prospects

Inventor: Andreas W. Laake (Hannover, DE)
Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
G01V1/301E21B21/08E21B44/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12693445
App. No.
19/016,717
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method includes receiving seismic data of a subsurface. The method also includes color processing the seismic data to produce color-processed seismic data. The method also includes performing a seismic interpretation on the color-processed seismic data to identify regional geologic features. The method also includes performing first mapping along the regional geologic features to identify local geologic features. The method also includes extracting reservoir bodies from the local geologic features based upon the first mapping. The method also includes performing second mapping along the local geologic features to embed the local geological features into the regional geologic features. The method also includes delineating boundaries of reservoirs or seals in the subsurface based upon the local geologic features that are embedded into the regional geologic features. The method also includes de-risking a fluid prospect in a fluid reservoir based upon the boundaries of the reservoirs or the seals.

Claims (66)

1 . A method for de-risking fluid prospects in a subsurface, the method comprising:

receiving input seismic data of the subsurface, wherein the input seismic data comprises 3D seismic data;

processing the input seismic data to produce processed seismic data, wherein processing the input seismic data comprises modifying the input seismic data to correct for seismic near-surface velocity fluctuations in the input seismic data, wherein processing the input seismic data retains a frequency bandwidth of the input seismic data, and wherein the processed seismic data has a cleaner and more balanced seismic amplitude response in a lateral direction than the input seismic data;

flattening the processed seismic data to produce flattened seismic data, wherein the processed seismic data is flattened in response to the processed seismic data comprising a steeply dipping horizon;

color processing the flattened seismic data to produce color-processed seismic data, wherein color processing the processed seismic data comprises red-green-blue (RGB) color processing, which creates color volumes for geologic interpretation of the subsurface, wherein the color volumes have a higher resolution than the input seismic data and the processed seismic data, and wherein flattening the processed seismic data avoids interference of the steeply dipping horizon with the color processing;

unflattening the color-processed seismic data to produce unflattened seismic data;

scanning the unflattened seismic data to produce scanned data, wherein scanning the unflattened seismic data comprises performing a geologic inventory scan that uses a flat time horizon or a flat depth horizon to extract color values from the color volumes, and wherein scanning the unflattened seismic data identifies classes of geologic features;

performing a seismic interpretation on the color processed seismic scanned data or on the color values to identify regional geologic features in the subsurface, wherein the regional geologic features comprise channels, slope features, horizons, or faults;

performing first mapping along the regional geologic features, wherein performing the first mapping comprises performing depositional environment and structural mapping along the steeply dipping horizon using the color values to identify local geologic features within the regional geologic features;

extracting reservoir bodies based upon the first mapping, wherein the reservoir bodies are extracted from the local geologic features, and wherein the reservoir bodies comprise sand bodies having a higher porosity than shale bodies;

performing second mapping along the local geologic features to embed the local geological features into the regional geologic features, wherein performing the second mapping comprises embedding the reservoir bodies into the regional geologic features;

correlating the local geologic features and/or the regional geologic features with well data captured in a well for calibration of the seismic interpretation with rock and fluid properties, wherein the well data comprises well logs, drilling logs, and core data;

extrapolating the rock and fluid properties based upon the well data away from the well into a seismic data volume using seismic horizons and starting at an intersection of the seismic horizons with the well;

delineating boundaries of reservoirs and seals in the subsurface based upon the local geologic features that are embedded into the regional geologic features;

determining a volume and a porosity of a fluid reservoir in the subsurface based upon the boundaries of the reservoirs and the seals;

de-risking a fluid prospect in the fluid reservoir based upon the volume and the porosity, wherein the fluid prospect comprises a carbon capture and storage (CCS) prospect, a hydrogen storage prospect, or a lithium brine extraction prospect, and wherein the fluid prospect is de-risked by assessing the rock and fluid properties of the reservoir bodies to determine whether the channels or cavities are present therein, assessing the seals for potential breaches by the faults or fractures, and assessing an overburden for sufficient thickness to support the seals; and

displaying the regional geologic features, the local geologic features, the reservoir bodies, the boundaries and seals, the volume and porosity, and the fluid prospect.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing a physical wellsite action in response to the local geological features embedded into the regional geologic features.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising delineating first drilling hazards in an upper level of the subsurface based upon the first mapping along the regional geologic features.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising delineating second drilling hazards in a lower level of the subsurface based upon the reservoirs and the seals.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising performing a wellsite action based upon the boundaries of the reservoirs and the seals, the first drilling hazards, and the second drilling hazards.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the wellsite action comprises selecting where to drill a wellbore, drilling the wellbore, varying a weight and/or torque on a drill bit that is drilling the wellbore, varying a drilling trajectory of the wellbore, varying a concentration and/or flow rate of a fluid pumped into the wellbore, storing carbon or hydrogen fluid in the fluid prospect, or extracting lithium brine fluid from the fluid prospect.

7 . A computing system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory system comprising one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause the computing system to perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving input seismic data of a subsurface, wherein the input seismic data comprises 3D seismic data;

processing the input seismic data to produce processed seismic data, wherein processing the input seismic data comprises modifying the input seismic data to correct for seismic near-surface velocity fluctuations in the input seismic data, wherein processing the input seismic data retains a frequency bandwidth of the input seismic data, and wherein the processed seismic data has a cleaner and more balanced seismic amplitude response in a lateral direction than the input seismic data;

flattening the processed seismic data to produce flattened seismic data, wherein the processed seismic data is flattened in response to the processed seismic data comprising steeply dipping horizons;

color processing the flattened seismic data to produce color-processed seismic data, wherein color processing the processed seismic data comprises red-green-blue (RGB) color processing, which creates color volumes for geologic interpretation of the subsurface, wherein the color volumes have a higher resolution than the input seismic data and the processed seismic data, and wherein flattening the processed seismic data avoids interference of the steeply dipping horizons with the color processing;

unflattening the color-processed seismic data to produce unflattened seismic data;

scanning the unflattened seismic data to produce scanned data, wherein scanning the unflattened seismic data comprises performing a geologic inventory scan that uses a flat time horizon or a flat depth horizon to extract color values from the color volumes, and wherein scanning the unflattened seismic data identifies classes of geologic features;

performing a seismic interpretation on the scanned data or on the color values to identify regional geologic features in the subsurface, wherein the regional geologic features comprise channels, slope features, horizons, or faults;

performing first mapping along the regional geologic features, wherein performing the first mapping comprises performing depositional environment and structural mapping along the steeply dipping horizons using the color values to identify local geologic features within the regional geologic features;

extracting reservoir bodies based upon the first mapping, wherein the reservoir bodies are extracted from the local geologic features, and wherein the reservoir bodies comprise sand bodies having a higher porosity than shale bodies;

performing second mapping along the local geologic features to embed the local geological features into the regional geologic features, wherein performing the second mapping comprises embedding the reservoir bodies into the regional geologic features;

correlating the local geologic features and/or the regional geologic features with well data captured in a well for calibration of the seismic interpretation with rock and fluid properties, wherein the well data comprises well logs, drilling logs, and core data;

extrapolating the rock and fluid properties based upon the well data away from the well into a seismic data volume using seismic horizons and starting at an intersection of the seismic horizons with the well;

delineating boundaries of reservoirs and seals in the subsurface based upon the local geologic features that are embedded into the regional geologic features;

determining a volume and a porosity of a fluid reservoir in the subsurface based upon the boundaries of the reservoirs and the seals;

de-risking a fluid prospect in the fluid reservoir based upon the volume and the porosity, wherein the fluid prospect comprises a carbon capture and storage (CCS) prospect, a hydrogen storage prospect, or a lithium brine extraction prospect, and wherein the fluid prospect is de-risked by assessing the rock and fluid properties of the reservoir bodies to determine whether the channels or cavities are present therein, assessing the seals for potential breaches by the faults or fractures, and assessing an overburden for sufficient thickness to support the seals; and

displaying the regional geologic features, the local geologic features, the reservoir bodies, the boundaries and seals, the volume and porosity, and the fluid prospect.

8 . The computing system of claim 7 , wherein the operations further comprise delineating first drilling hazards in an upper level of the subsurface based upon the first mapping along the regional geologic features.

9 . The computing system of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise delineating second drilling hazards in a lower level of the subsurface based upon the reservoirs and the seals.

10 . The computing system of claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise performing a wellsite action based upon the boundaries of the reservoirs and the seals, the first drilling hazards, and the second drilling hazards.

11 . The computing system of claim 10 , wherein the wellsite action comprises selecting where to drill a wellbore, drilling the wellbore, varying a weight and/or torque on a drill bit that is drilling the wellbore, varying a drilling trajectory of the wellbore, varying a concentration and/or flow rate of a fluid pumped into the wellbore, storing carbon or hydrogen fluid in the fluid prospect, or extracting lithium brine fluid from the fluid prospect.

12 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing system, cause the computing system to perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving input seismic data of a subsurface, wherein the input seismic data comprises 3D seismic data;

processing the input seismic data to produce processed seismic data, wherein processing the input seismic data comprises modifying the input seismic data to correct for seismic near-surface velocity fluctuations in the input seismic data, wherein processing the input seismic data retains a frequency bandwidth of the input seismic data, and wherein the processed seismic data has a cleaner and more balanced seismic amplitude response in a lateral direction than the input seismic data;

flattening the processed seismic data to produce flattened seismic data, wherein the processed seismic data is flattened in response to the processed seismic data comprising steeply dipping horizons;

color processing the flattened seismic data to produce color-processed seismic data, wherein color processing the processed seismic data comprises red-green-blue (RGB) color processing, which creates color volumes for geologic interpretation of the subsurface, wherein the color volumes have a higher resolution than the input seismic data and the processed seismic data, and wherein flattening the processed seismic data avoids interference of the steeply dipping horizons with the color processing;

unflattening the color-processed seismic data to produce unflattened seismic data;

scanning the unflattened seismic data to produce scanned data, wherein scanning the unflattened seismic data comprises performing a geologic inventory scan that uses a flat time horizon or a flat depth horizon to extract color values from the color volumes, and wherein scanning the unflattened seismic data identifies classes of geologic features;

performing a seismic interpretation on the scanned data or on the color values to identify regional geologic features in the subsurface, wherein the regional geologic features comprise channels, slope features, horizons, or faults;

performing first mapping along the regional geologic features, wherein performing the first mapping comprises performing depositional environment and structural mapping along the steeply dipping horizons using the color values to identify local geologic features within the regional geologic features;

extracting reservoir bodies based upon the first mapping, wherein the reservoir bodies are extracted from the local geologic features, and wherein the reservoir bodies comprise sand bodies having a higher porosity than shale bodies;

performing second mapping along the local geologic features to embed the local geological features into the regional geologic features, wherein performing the second mapping comprises embedding the reservoir bodies into the regional geologic features;

correlating the local geologic features and/or the regional geologic features with well data captured in a well for calibration of the seismic interpretation with rock and fluid properties, wherein the well data comprises well logs, drilling logs, and core data;

extrapolating the rock and fluid properties based upon the well data away from the well into a seismic data volume using seismic horizons and starting at an intersection of the seismic horizons with the well;

delineating boundaries of reservoirs and seals in the subsurface based upon the local geologic features that are embedded into the regional geologic features;

determining a volume and a porosity of a fluid reservoir in the subsurface based upon the boundaries of the reservoirs and the seals;

de-risking a fluid prospect in the fluid reservoir based upon the volume and the porosity, wherein the fluid prospect comprises a carbon capture and storage (CCS) prospect, a hydrogen storage prospect, or a lithium brine extraction prospect, and wherein the fluid prospect is de-risked by assessing the rock and fluid properties of the reservoir bodies to determine whether the channels or cavities are present therein, assessing the seals for potential breaches by the faults or fractures, and assessing an overburden for sufficient thickness to support the seals; and

displaying the regional geologic features, the local geologic features, the reservoir bodies, the boundaries and seals, the volume and porosity, and the fluid prospect.

13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise delineating first drilling hazards in an upper level of the subsurface based upon the first mapping along the regional geologic features.

14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise delineating second drilling hazards in a lower level of the subsurface based upon the reservoirs and the seals.

15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise performing a wellsite action based upon the boundaries of the reservoirs and the seals, the first drilling hazards, and the second drilling hazards.

16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the wellsite action comprises selecting where to drill a wellbore, drilling the wellbore, varying a weight and/or torque on a drill bit that is drilling the wellbore, varying a drilling trajectory of the wellbore, varying a concentration and/or flow rate of a fluid pumped into the wellbore, storing carbon or hydrogen fluid in the fluid prospect, or extracting lithium brine fluid from the fluid prospect.