2014 SEG Annual Meeting - EMGS -

By Rhonda Duey, Executive Editor, E&P

There are bad problems, and there are goodproblems.

Bad problems include societies that are losingmembers, attracting fewer people to their confer-ences, losing the confidence of their exhibitors andgenerally dying on the vine.SEG has none of those problems.In fact, incoming President Christopher Liner,

who holds the Maurice F. Storm chair of petroleumgeology at the University of Arkansas, said the soci-ety has the kinds of “problems” that result frombeing robust, well run and growing.Membership numbers are strong, and the num-ber of student members is growing, with morethan 300 student chapters. The SEG staff num-bers 100 people, who help manage a $25 mil-lion budget. A new SEG building is underconstruction at the Tulsa, Okla., headquarterscampus and is scheduled for completion inmid-2015 to house growing SEG staff and pro-vide lease income. The SEG Foundation, whichfunds society programs such as GeoscientistsWithout Borders, has an active board andexcellent membership support. And the twointernational offices, in China and the Middle

East, are meeting the needs ofmembers in regions far awayfrom Tulsa.If there’s a problem at all, it

could be said that the societyis almost too popular for itsown good. Liner said that atypical annual meeting getsmore than 1,000 abstracts andhas to reject about 50% ofthem, even with a four-dayconference. And many mem-

bers find traveling to the U.S. for the annual meet-ing to be a challenge.To that end, SEG and the American Association

of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) are drafting anagreement to jointly offer two international con-ferences per year, one operated by each organiza-tion. SEG will participate in next year’s AAPGInternational Conference and Exhibition as wellas evolve a new franchise in the other half of the year.

2014 SEG Annual Meeting

DENVER PREVIEW

OFFICIAL SHOW DAILY PUBLISHER OF THE SEG INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION AND 84TH ANNUAL MEETING

Taking the Helm of a Strong SocietyChris Liner will become the latest to take on SEG’s ‘good problems.’

See SOCIETY continued on page 31 >>

By Mary Hogan, Associate Managing Editor, Special Projects

Known for its warmhospitality and with

more than 300 days ofsunshine a year, Denverwill play host to the bestand the br ightest in the geophysics worldduring SEG’s InternationalExposit ion and 84thAnnual Meeting, takingplace at the ColoradoConvention Center. Theshow is already on trackto surpass SEG’s previous shows held inDenver, both in attendance and the number oftechnical program sessions. Between 8,000and 9,000 attendees are expected as well asclose to 400 exhibitors. “We hope everyone will be pleasantly sur-

prised with the many new features we haveadded this year,” said Melanie McGuire, SEG’ssenior manager of conventions and meetingsoperations. “There’s a new look and feel to theentire annual meeting—from printed materials

2014 MeetingBoasts NewFeaturesSEG welcomes delegates with a new lookand feel to the event, registration kiosks,and a focus on technology advances.

See FEATURES continued on page 31 >>

Christopher Liner is SEG’sincoming president.

Bradley Birkelo is SEG’stechnical program chair.

Contributed by WesternGeco, a Schlumberger company

WesternGeco is showcasing several new appli-cations for IsoMetrix marine isometric seis-

mic technology at the SEG Annual Meeting. Thesedemonstrate step changes in both imaging qualityand acquisition efficiency using towed streamers.Since its launch, a continuous program of commer-cial projects has been successfully performed off-shore four continents and in six petroleum basins,demonstrating suitability in a range of operatingconditions and a variety of geological settings.Survey objectives have spanned the full range ofapplications, including reservoir characterizationand E&P.A typical IsoMetrix survey configuration means

more than 250 million measurements are recordedeach second, from both hydrophones and calibratedaccelerometers. Each datapoint is individuallytransmitted from streamer to vessel for digital pro-cessing. This represents a huge increase in data vol-ume, and consequently all IsoMetrix vessels areequipped with powerful computer systems to man-age the data flow in an offshore environment.In f act, the Western Tr ident , the secondIsoMetr ix vessel, is now the third largestSchlumberger data processing center world-wide. This enables key elements of the process-ing to be performed onboard, along withfast-track products for initial geological inter-pretation. Amazon Conqueror, the second of anew class of vessels designed specifically forseismic operations, will be equipped withIsoMetrix upon launch in early 2015.Subsalt plays, increasingly in deepwater envi-

ronments, continue to attract considerableexploration interest in areas such as the Gulf ofMexico, West Africa and Brazil; however, accu-rate mapping of the hydrocarbon potential inthese complex geological settings presents manytechnical challenges. Successfully navigating thepathway to the subsalt requires paying as muchattention to both the overburden and morphol-ogy of the salt bodies as it does to the targetitself. Subsalt imaging solutions require an inte-grated technology portfolio. WesternGeco hasidentified IsoMetrix as a core element in futuresubsalt workflows due to its capability to addressaspects of wavefield sampling, 3-D deghostingand spatial resolution.The system records separate data from each

sensor in the streamers, providing independentmeasurements of acoustic pressure and both thevertical and crossline pressure gradient. Whilepressure and vertical pressure gradient measure-ments alone might be combined to deliver high-quality broadband data in the time domain, it isthe extra crossline measurements that enable spa-tial wavefield reconstruction and full 3-Ddeghosting. This technology delivers records ofthe separated upgoing and downgoing notchlessseismic wavefields sampled on a 6.25-m by 6.25-m (20.5-ft by 20.5-ft) point-receiver surface gridfor every shot in a seismic survey. Fine-scale isometric sampling of the seismic

wavefield in turn provides fine-scale characteri-zation of the subsurface and means that 3-Dinterpretation attributes can be generated withconfidence, independent of the orientation ofviewing. This translates into more detailed rep-resentations of subsurface structures and strati-graphic variations.Furthermore, IsoMetrix can be used to enable

more efficient acquisition techniques and deepertow depths, both of which enhance explorationefficiency. The combination of 3-D deghostingand fine wavefield sampling in all three dimen-sions represents the first-ever truly 3-D broad-band measurement of the seismic wavefieldusing towed streamers.IsoMetrix technology enables a new level of

insight into subsurface geology from seabed to

reservoir. First, understanding the overburden isimportant as the initial step to the subsalt. High-reso-lution characterization of shallower formations iscritical for defining efficient well trajectories and is

particularly crucialfor helping to avoiddrilling surprises ine n v i r o n m e n t swhere the cost ofsidetracking orabandonment canbe extremely high.Knowledge of shal-low geology also isimportant in devel-oping detailedvelocity models thatbenefit processessuch as full wave-form inversion andaccurate prestackdepth migration. Second, fine-

scale sampling of the reconstructed seismic wavefieldalso benefits definition of the salt body geometry and

3E&P DAI LY NEWS | O C T . 2 7, 2 0 1 4 | P R E V I E W

Isometric Sampling and the Pathway to SubsaltResolving the overburden will prove key to accessing the presalt.

Example of IsoMetrix data aiding overburden resolution: A seismic time slice and equivalent slice from a colored 3-D interpretationvolume extracted along a shallow dipping horizon show fine detail in channel systems. (Image courtesy of WesternGeco, aSchlumberger company)

See PATHWAY continued on page 28 >>

Seismic time slice 3-D interpretation attribute

4 P R E V I E W | O C T . 2 7, 2 0 1 4 | E&P DAI LY NEWS

SEG SCHEDULE OF EVENTSOct. 26 - 31 • Denver

All events will take place at the Colorado Convention Center, unless otherwise noted.

Editor-In-ChiefMARK THOMAS

Executive Editor/Project EditorRHONDA DUEY

Group Managing EditorJO ANN DAVY

Senior Editor SCOTT WEEDEN

Senior Editor JENNIFER PRESLEY

Executive Editor, Special ProjectsELDON BALL

Associate Managing Editor, Special Projects MARY HOGAN

Associate Managing Editor, E&P BETHANY FARNSWORTH

Associate Online Editor VELDA ADDISON

Associate Editor ARIANA BENAVIDEZ

Corporate Art Director ALEXA SANDERS

Senior Graphic Designer JAMES GRANT

Production Director & Reprint Sales JO LYNNE POOL

Director of Business Development

ERIC ROTH

Vice President - PublishingRUSSELL LAAS

1616 S. Voss Road, Ste. 1000Houston, Texas 77057P: +1 713.260.6400 F: +1 713.840.0923

EPmag.com

The E&P Daily News is produced for the 2014 SEG International Exposition and

Annual Meeting. The publication is edited by the staff of Hart Energy. Opinions expressedherein do not necessarily reflect the opinions

of Hart Energy or its affiliates.Copyright © 2014 Hart Energy

DAI LYNEWS

Editorial DirectorPEGGY WILLIAMS

President and CFOKEVIN F. HIGGINS

Chief Executive OfficerRICHARD A. EICHLER

SUNDAY, OCT. 268 a.m. to 5 p.m. Continuing Education Courses

8 a.m. to 5 p.m. AAPG FieldtripDeparting and returning from Denver

8 a.m. to 5 p.m. SEG/Chevron Student Leadership SymposiumHyatt Regency

8 a.m. to 5 p.m. SEG/ExxonMobil Student Education ProgramHyatt Regency

8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Committee MeetingsColorado Convention Center and Hyatt Regency

1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Council Meeting

2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Faculty Adviser WorkshopHyatt Regency Downtown, 3rd Floor, Agate

4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Honors and Awards Ceremony

6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Icebreaker and Exposition PreviewColorado Convention Center, Exhibition Hall

6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Student PavilionColorado Convention Center, Hall E

6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. SEP/SLS Alumni NightStudent Pavilion, Colorado Convention Center, Hall E

MONDAY, OCT. 27

7 a.m. to 8 a.m. Speaker Orientation Breakfast


9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. High Performance Computing TheaterColorado Convention Center, Booth 1582

9 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Guest/Spouse Program: Welcome by Visit DenverGuest/Spouse Hospitality Suite

9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Résumé Writing WorkshopStudent PavilionColorado Convention Center, Hall E

9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Opening Session and SEG Forum

9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Student PavilionColorado Convention Center, Hall E

11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Guest/Spouse Program: Glass FusionGuest/Spouse Hospitality Suite

1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Student Career PanelHyatt Regency, 3rd floor, Centennial Ballroom H

1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Guest/Spouse Program: Rock ‘n’ Brews TourMeet at Hyatt Regency

1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Technical Program e-Poster Sessions

1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Technical Program Poster Sessions

1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Technical Program Oral Sessions

1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Guest/Spouse Program: High Tea TourMeet at Hyatt Regency

2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Guest/Spouse Program: Google Glass PresentationGuest/Spouse Hospitality Suite

3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Challenge Bowl FinalsHyatt Regency

6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Student Networking Event Hyatt Regency

8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Open Mic NightHyatt Regency

TUESDAY, OCT. 287 a.m. to 8 a.m. Speaker Orientation Breakfast


8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Guest/Spouse Program: Yoga SeminarGuest/Spouse Hospitality Suite

8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Technical Program Oral Sessions



9:20 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Technical Program e-Poster Sessions

9:20 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Technical Program Poster Sessions

11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Near-Surface Geophysics Luncheon

11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. GAC Latin America/ULG Luncheon

11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. GAC Europe/FSU Luncheon

11:30 a.m. Guest/Spouse Program LuncheonHyatt Regency

12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Gravity and Magnetics Luncheon

2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Guest/Spouse Program: Behind the Scenes TourMeet at Hyatt Regency

3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Guest/Spouse Program: Social Media SeminarGuest/Spouse Hospitality Suite

4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Near-Surface Business MeetingColorado Convention Center and Hyatt Regency

4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. International ReceptionStudent Pavilion, Colorado Convention Center

7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Near-Surface EveningKatie Mullen’s Irish Restaurant and Pub

8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Presidential JamHyatt Regency

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 297 a.m. to 8 a.m. Speaker Orientation Breakfast

7:45 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Committee MeetingsColorado Convention Center and Hyatt Regency

8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Women’s Networking Breakfast

8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Guest/Spouse Program: Zumba ClassGuest/Spouse Hospitality Suite

8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Technical Program Oral Session

9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Guest/Spouse Program: A Celestial Day in BoulderMeet at Hyatt Regency



9:20 a.m. to 4 p.m. Technical Program Poster Session

9:20 a.m. to 4 p.m. Technical Program e-Poster Sessions

10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Applied Science Education Program

10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Guest/Spouse Program: Crochet SeminarGuest/Spouse Hospitality Suite

11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. GAC Pacific/Asia Luncheon

11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. GAC Middle East/Africa Luncheon

12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Development & Production Luncheon

12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Mining Luncheon

2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Commencement (SLS and SEP)Student Pavilion, Colorado Convention Center

2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Guest/Spouse Program: Crochet SeminarGuest/Spouse Hospitality Suite

6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday Night EventDenver Museum of Nature and Science

THURSDAY, OCT. 307 a.m. to 8 a.m. Speaker Orientation Breakfast

8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Technical Program Oral Sessions

8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Technical Program e-Poster Sessions

9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Committee Meetings Colorado Convention Center and Hyatt Regency

1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Post-Convention Workshops

7:30 p.m. Research Committee DinnerMaggiano’s Little Italy located in the Denver Pavilions

FRIDAY, OCT. 318:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Post-Convention Workshops

Contributed by Schlumberger

From the oil field to the office, the E&P industry isdriven by data. The ability to use the vast quantities

of reservoir data to guide decision-making during allphases of field development—from shooting seismic todrilling and completing a well—has traditionally beenlimited by the computational power that users had attheir fingertips. The majority of petrotechnical computing is still

done on laptops or desktop machines, meaning that anycomputation one runs is constrained by the hardwareand processing power of local machines. To provideinsight while the drillbit is still in the hole, these con-straints meant that users could not wait hours for analgorithm to run. Instead, they had to make approxima-tions and compromise on the quality of the answer pro-vided to the driller, often with less-than-ideal results.

High-powered solutionThe advent of high-performance computing (HPC) inthe petrotechnical arena has now vastly expanded theuser’s processing capabilities and the speed at which algo-rithms can be run. By taking advantage of the paral-lel processing power of HPC, complex algorithmscan be run up to 1,000 times faster than with a localmachine without compromising on data quality. As the industry continues to adopt more com-

plex algorithms to better image complex geologies,relative compute effort has increased logarithmi-cally to keep pace. This trend is expected to con-tinue in the next decade, and HPC will likelyprovide the best computing solution. Schlumberger has developed a strategy of

advancing its petrotechnical software solutions toleverage the processing speeds afforded by HPCand to provide faster and more complete answers toguide better informed decisions. The company’spetrotechnical cloud computing strategy combinesadvanced software application empowered by HPCand delivered in a cloud-computing infrastructureto support real-time workflows and improve theapplication of modeling and inversion as well asearth model building, among other disciplines. This offering allows for real-time deep reservoir

imaging and complex, fine-scale geosteering tokeep pace with drilling. It also is a scalable and flex-ible processing solution, allowing users to easilytransition from individual section to whole-trajec-tory modeling and run multiple scenarios in realtime. The HPC-leveraged cloud computing solu-tion permits prejob and post-job modeling andanalysis and upgrades inversion capabilities fromtraditional 1-D to 2-D. Compared to conventional desktop processing,

HPC-enabled processing offers substantial perfor-mance gains. Depth-point inversion is available in15 seconds vs. 4 minutes to 5 minutes. Peak pro-cessing demand requires only eight to10 nodes vs.the 250 nodes required for noncloud processing.

Proving its worthSchlumberger has added capabilities to itspetrotechnical software platforms Petrel E&P soft-ware platform, Techlog wellbore software platformand Omega geophysics data processing platform totake advantage of the processing speed and accu-racy afforded by HPC in the cloud. The GeoSphere reservoir mapping-while-

drilling service, for example, has used cloud-based HPC to improve geosteering in narrowand complex formations. The deep directionalelectromagnetic measurements from the tool’sarray of multiple subs in the bottomhole assem-bly are used as inputs to refine structural andgeological models for the reservoir. Updates tothe model are available up to 25 times faster byHPC processing in the cloud, a significantreduction in turnaround time that allows thedriller to make decisions on the fly to accuratelyland the well in the target zones and avoidstructural dips and fluid boundaries.

The company’s seismic-guided drilling (SGD) ser-vice also has benefited from HPC in a cloud envi-ronment. The service uses both surface seismic andLWD data to provide a 3-D look-ahead velocitymodel and predict formation pressures hundreds ofmeters ahead of the bit while drilling. By runningthis model via HPC, a clearer description of thegeological and geomechanical properties of thereservoir is afforded in a much shorter turnaroundtime. The driller can then make proactive decisionsthat limit the risks of abnormal formation pressuresand help ensure greater borehole stability.

The HPC-enabled SGD service has been success-fully proven in several blind-test studies. The results ofthese blind tests have led operators to implement thetechnology as a risk-mitigation measure in severaldeepwater HP/HT wells worldwide.This cloud-based HPC offering allows Schlumberger

to provide high-quality, efficient processing power toany oil and gas operation worldwide. And for the firsttime, operators have access to a complete HPC infras-tructure that they can access and use as needed withouthaving to invest in the infrastructure themselves. Formore information, visit Schlumberger at booth 1319. n

HPC Provides Real-Time Access to the Reservoir HPC vastly expands the user’s processing capabilities and the speed with which algorithms can be run.

Figure 1. Enabled by HPC infrastructure, the inversion techniques of the GeoSphere reservoir mapping-while-drilling service provide the depth of investigationrequired for mapping the reservoir. (Image courtesy of Schlumberger)



Contributed by CGG

In 2013, Brazil had a hat trick of licensing roundsafter a five-year hiatus, which sparked a resurgencein marine seismic activity in the country. Theexcitement of this year’s FIFA World Cup mighthave faded, but there is still plenty to get excitedabout in 11th licensing round acreage with extensivetracts of prospective presalt plays to explore.With 50 years’ experience of local operations and

considerable knowledge of the geological and geo-physical challenges in Brazil, CGG was poised totake advantage of this opportunity as operatorscommitted to a significant seismic program. As aresult, CGG was awarded four multiclient surveycontracts in the Equatorial Margin and EspiritoSanto and Campos basins totaling 43,130 sq km(16,653 sq miles).These new surveys have been acquired with

BroadSeis, CGG’s benchmark broadband solution.BroadSeis is well suited for Round 11 license areassince its broad bandwidths can eliminate the needfor compromise in targeting either high frequencies

for shallow imag-ing or low fre-quencies (withgood signal-to-noise down to 2.5Hz) for deep imag-ing. BroadSeis’ghost-free datamake it possible todeliver the bestimages throughoutthe section.So what’s in

store for Round 11 acreage? In the past, the

main explorationtargets in theCampos and Santosbasins were withinthe shallow post-salt successions, butsince the discoveryof the Lula oil field,

interest has turned toward the presalt. Significantfinds have since been made, and the presence ofLower Cretaceous carbonate reservoirs has beenestablished in the upper syn-rift and post-rift.The new BroadSeis surveys have highlighted a

number of megasequences in the presalt, withthe oldest being highly-faulted basement thatinfluenced the deposition of presalt reservoirs.Directly above the lacustrine shale and mud-stone source rocks are thick syn-rift sequencesthat can be easily differentiated on the newimages. The upper syn-rift is important forexploration in the northern Santos and Camposbasins as it provides the main carbonate coquinasreservoirs for the Libra and Franco fields. In thepost-rift sequences, nonmarine microbial car-bonate potential reservoirs were deposited, asobserved in the Lula Field. All presalt reservoirsare sealed by a thick sequence of evaporites.The geology in these basins creates some

interesting imaging challenges that have kept thegeophysicists in CGG’s Rio de Janeiro center ontheir toes. As well as deploying an advanced sub-salt imaging toolbox including full-waveforminversion, they have been busy applying newinternal multiple attenuation technology andusing iterative velocity updates to image belowthe igneous intrusions. In the new acreage of the Equatorial Margin,

the westernmost Foz do Amazonas Basin experi-enced very high sedimentation rates, which led tothe formation of a thick deltaic sequence. Basins inthis region were affected by large gravity slides.Potential reservoirs in the Foz do Amazonasinclude Tertiary deltaic sands, turbidites, fracturedcarbonates and talus deposits, which are structurallyand stratigraphically trapped. Paleo-canyons in thisbasin proved to be another imaging challenge thatwas ably tackled by CGG’s geophysicists. To the east of the delta, the Barreirinhas Basin

is much less affected by the Amazon sedimentload, but a steep margin led to megaslide com-plexes forming. This basin is the conjugate toGhana and Togo, where large fields already areproducing. Large en-echelon folds, rollovers andtilted fault blocks provide structural traps, andmarine shales source Late Cretaceous reservoirs,which are stratigraphically sealed.Visit CGG at booth 1339 to see its “Gateway

to Libra” display and talk to its multiclient andnew ventures team and Robertson geologists.The company’s subsurface imaging group alsowill present some of the new technology appliedin the SEG technical sessions. The company willhost a Brazil happy hour presentation at 4 p.m.on Monday at its booth, discussing the subsurfaceimaging expertise behind these new displays.n

The Gateway to LibraExperience, knowledge and new broadband coverage offshore Brazil bring insight to the potential of presalt acreage.

New BroadSeis coverage in the Campos Basin highlights presalt potential. (Image courtesy of CGG Data Library)


By John Evans, Halliburton

Halliburton’s TDReam tool can significantlyreduce the rathole length drilled in rotary

steerable system (RSS) hole-enlargement operationswhile making it possible to reach section total depth(TD) in a single run.The tool was developed to meet a drilling tender

requirement, which required a reaming-while-drilling tool that could be run on an RSS and thatcould deliver a rathole no longer than 6 m (20 ft).This saved the time and cost of an extra holeenlargement run for these sections. In a traditional reaming-while-drilling bottom-

hole assembly (BHA), the reamer is placed above theRSS system and LWD tools, creating a long ratholeup to 37 m (121 ft) long, which requires an extratrip to enlarge the hole to TD. By contrast, theTDReam tool is an integrated near-bit tool thatimmediately enlarges the rathole left by the RSS andeliminates the need for a dedicated reamer run.In operation, the TDReam tool is placed between

the bit and RSS, where it remains dormant as thesection is drilled. With a length of just 1 m (3.3 ft),the one-piece, solid-body integrated reamer incor-porates hydraulic shear pins that maintain the tool indormant position during the drilling of the section.At depth, the BHA is pulled to position by the toolat the top of the rathole, where a flow increase acti-vates the tool. The pressure drop through the bitmaintains the tool in the open position as it enlargesthe rathole. The shear pin design prevents tool activation

while drilling out the shoe track, and there are nolocking devices that can inadvertently lock the acti-vation pistons in the open position. When flowdecreases, return springs close the reamer arms.In the end, instead of 37 m of rathole that needs

to be enlarged, a single trip results in a rathole lessthan 1 m long.

TDReam tool technology includes an engineereddesign that seeks to optimize tool dimensions tohelp ensure satisfactory steerability and use ofadvanced propr ietary software to model BHAbehavior and steerability during drilling. Extensivecomputational fluid dynamics analysis was per-formed in the design phase to optimize hydraulicsfor improved tool-cleaning efficiency and to helpensure there is no hydraulic compromise from theinternal workings of the tool. Initial application in a hard rock directional well

offshore Norway was a success. The operatorrequired hole enlargement from 12¼ in. to 13½ in.using an RSS. The operator also required a solutionthat would save rig time and reduce the typical 37-m length of the rathole drilled.

Halliburton provided adrilling BHA that com-bined an advanced poly-crystalline diamondcompact bit with theTDReam1200 tool, runwith a Geo-Pilot 7600RSS and Wired XRReamer. This assemblywas run in-hole to drillwhile reaming to sectionTD, where the BHA wasthen pulled and posi-tioned inside the enlargedwellbore. The TDReamtool was then activated toream the last 15 m (49 ft)of hole, enlarging to 13½in. The hole was then cir-culated clean and theBHA pulled to surface,after which the 10¾-in.liner was successfully runto TD and cemented.

The efficiency improvements afforded by the toolyield clear benefits in terms of substantial time andcost savings as well as providing additional welldesign flexibility and greater safety. Time savingsalone in this case resulted in estimated savings to theoperator of $300,000.In addition, by allowing casing and cementing

operations to be performed without the need fora dedicated rathole cleanout beforehand, reamingwhile drilling with the TDReam tool reduced therisks inherent with multiple trips downhole andpipehandling operations at the surface. At a spreadrate of about $900 per minute, eliminating thecost of an extra trip by using the TDReam toolcould save as much as $2 million compared to atraditional reamer. n

Enabling RSS Hole Enlargement to Total Depth in a Single RunAt-bit reamer system leaves reduced-size rathole in hole-opening applications.

Halliburton’s TDReam integrated near-bit reaming-while-drilling tool enables an RSS to reach TD in one run, leavinga rathole length of just 1 m. (Image courtesy of Halliburton)

Contributed by Seabed Geosolutions

Seabed Geosolutions’ Manta seabed seismictechnology can provide a single ocean-bottom

node solution for water depths up to 3,000 m(9,843 ft). The technology can overcome challeng-ing environments with complex geologies anddeliver improved data clarity through versatility insurvey design. The system was designed to deliverimproved geophysical illumination with flexibilityfor dense source grid and full-azimuth and long-offset surveys.Manta nodes are versatile, efficient and designed

with maximum safety in mind. The flexibility ofthe system allows it to go where traditionalstreamer seismic often cannot. With a variety ofdeployment methods, the system can acquire high-resolution subsurface data in challenging,obstructed areas and from both shallow transitionzones and deepwater. The node is made up of a four-component sen-

sor incorporating three geophones mounted in aGalperin orientation and one hydrophone. Theintegral inclinometer continually records the ori-entation of the node once it is positioned on theseafloor. This component configuration, whichincludes omnidirectional geophones, can provide auniform azimuthal response and can capture thefull wavefield. The technology records the com-

pressional and converted waves’ seismic attributes,which can enable better delineation of hydrocar-bon zones and subsurface lithologies.The system has been developed in unison with

designed robotics to create a “no-touch” handlingsystem, thereby seeking to reduce HSE exposurewhile achieving operational efficiency. The entireconcept of the no-touch deployment and recovery

system with automatednode storage, data down-load and battery chargingis founded on a trans-portable modular solutionusing available dynamicpositioning vessels. The company’s R&D

team has combined con-temporary microcompo-nents with recent advancesin rechargeable power-dense battery technologyto create a compact,lightweight node foralmost all survey locationsand designs. The reducednode size and stackableshape help to make themost of deck space, allow-ing for flexibility and opti-

mization of node counts. The no-touch handlingsystem delivers the Manta node in either a tradi-tional dense receiver configuration or by ROV. Thismakes the technology ideal during the productionphase to understand, monitor and manage the reser-voir across the life of the field.Visit Seabed Geosolutions at booth 1124 for

more information. n

The Evolution of Seabed Node TechnologySeismic system can provide improved data clarity and geophysical illumination.

The compact and stackable Manta node goes where traditional streamer seismic often cannot, in depths upto 3,000 m. (Image courtesy of Seabed Geosolutions)


Contributed by dGB Earth Sciences

From denser sampling in space and time to sophis-ticated attributes and visualization technologies,

the last few years have seen significant advances inseismic interpretation and its input to operators’drilling, well and reservoir management strategies.Major developments include the introduction of

geologic age into the interpretation process, the fullyinterpreted seismic volumes that have resulted and theadvanced workflows that have been built around them.Fully interpreted seismic volumes have opened

the way to the application of a number of advancedseismic interpretation workflows, from sequencestratigraphy, attribute generation and model build-ing to geohazard interpretation. These workflowsenable more geologic information to be extractedfrom seismic data and provide unprecedented valueto operators. Among these new developments is dGB Earth

Sciences’ open-source seismic interpretation soft-ware OpendTect—downloaded more than 150,000times since September 2009—and its commercialplug-in, HorizonCube. HorizonCube provides fully interpreted seismic

volumes where horizons are automatically trackedbetween a given set of framework horizons andfaults. The tracking is carried out through use of aseismic dip volume. The plug-in correlates timelines in this precalculated seismic dip field with thetracked surfaces stored as a dense set of mappedhorizons called HorizonCubes.In this way, the plug-in can provide improved

quantitative rock property estimation, enhanced defi-

nitions of stratigraphic traps, more accurate and robustgeological models, and the ability for interpreters toextract more from their high-resolution seismic data.During the 2014 SEG Annual Meeting, dGB

will be introducing the latest version of itsOpendTect 5.0 software, which comes with signifi-cant advances to HorizonCube and stratigraphicinterpretation capabilities, potentially leading to abetter understanding of structural geologies. Many of the new features within the software

have emerged out of the dGB-led SequenceStratigraphic Interpretation System (SSIS) consor-tium that includes sponsors Statoil, OMV, MOLand RocOil.The software includes a new interactive

HorizonCube tracker workflow for 2-D seismic thatcan be used to track single horizons and create 2-DHorizonCubes through a dip-steered tracker wherethe user picks horizons at multiple seed positions inboth the structural and Wheeler domains.

The resulting correlated geologic time lines provideinterpreters with new ways of analyzing seismic data,help interpreters better understand their depositionalhistories and improve the ability to find stratigraphictraps and build accurate geologic models.OpendTect 5.0 includes a graphics library with

multitouch interaction capabilities and closer inte-gration with MATLAB, the high-level languageand interactive environment for numerical compu-tation, visualization and programming. This willopen up a huge potential database of easily accessi-ble research code.The software also includes significant enhance-

ments like the SynthRock plug-in. WithSynthRock, interpreters can combine forwardmodeling, rock physics and inversion to create anduse forward models in qualitative and quantitativeseismic interpretation studies. New SynthRock fea-tures within OpendTect 5.0 will include the abilityto generate synthetic gathers from input volumesof density and P- and S-wave velocities.Meanwhile, post-OpendTect 5.0 develop-

ments already have started. The interactive 2-DHorizonCube workflow developed within theSSIS consor t ium wil l be the bas i s ofOpendTect’s next-generation 3-D HorizonCubealgorithm. The same workflow also will formthe basis of an overhaul of dGB’s conventionalamplitude and similarity-based horizon trackers.This new development is being funded by BGGroup and will be released within the open-source part of OpendTect, enabling all seismicinterpreters to benefit.Visit dGB at booth 1852 for more information. n

Taking Seismic Interpretation to New LevelsSoftware and plug-ins enable more accurate geological models and new ways of analyzing seismic data.

Contributed by Weatherford

In today’s environment of increasing hydrocarbondemand and growing reservoir complexity, opera-tors are challenged more than ever to optimizerecovery and improve economics by understandingthe reservoir. Microseismic borehole or subsurfacedata that provide a detailed picture of the asset—including dynamics for both natural and pretreatedfractures—enable operators to make more informeddecisions regarding wellbore design and completionstrategies for the life of the well.The Weatherford Borehole Seismic Group has

developed a suite of field-proven subsurface micro-seismic services that provide real-time hydraulicfracture monitoring and mapping and completionevaluation capabilities. Mapping services model andenhance stimulation programs with full geomechan-ical analysis along with designed pump pressures,injection rates and injection volumes to stay in thetarget zone in every stage. Operators can use theinformation to avoid unanticipated subsurface com-plications, optimize well and fracture trajectories andbypass nonproductive natural fractures.Microseismic hydraulic fracture stimulation

diagnostic services include microseismic monitor-ing that uses stimulation-induced microseismicityto map fractures. Wireline-deployed geophonearrays downhole record microseismicity, whichprovides data about the length, height, width andazimuth of a fractured zone; event sequence andmagnitude; and the rock failure mechanism.Diagnostic tools can map a multistage treatmentand measure overlapping fracture growth for mul-tiple horizontal wells.

In a unique application in the Barnett Shale, a geo-phone array was placed in the cased horizontal leg ofa wellbore to monitor the stimulation of a parallelcased horizontal well. Each zone of the adjacent wellwas stimulated, with the zones isolated by temporarypackers set above the perforations after each stimula-tion. The operation revealed the preferred azimuth offracturing along with the degree of overlap of thefracturing patterns created by each stage. By mapping the stimulation results of two parallel

horizontal wells, microseismic determined overlap-ping fracture patterns between stimulation stages inone well and between adjacent wells, which provedbeneficial in improving production and recoveryrates. This practice of simultaneously stimulating theperforated zones of two or more adjacent wells withoverlapping fracture zones is now commonly used inmost unconventional plays.

Continuously recording microseismicityFor remote wells less than 610 m (2,000 ft) from atreatment well, the Weatherford self-contained fieldunit facilitates deployment of a three-componentgeophone array on standard wireline to continu-ously record microseismicity before, during and afterhydraulic stimulation. Microseismicity can be pro-cessed and mapped in real time or after stimulation.The seismic mapping data are streamed and dis-played on site in the fracturing unit.Among the new-generation technologies is the

SlimWave with enhanced sensitivity for recordinghigh-frequency signals and providing high-resolu-tion vertical seismic profiles and microseismic moni-toring. For treatment well operations, Weatherford isusing methods based on Microseismic Spear tech-

nology developed by ExxonMobil UpstreamResearch Co. to record microseismicity when theabsence of nearby observation wells prevents moni-toring the stimulation. The spear array records microseismicity during

pretreatment pad and post-treatment shut-in stagesand maps microseismicity in real time or after stimu-lation. In cases where wellhead pressure is too greatto let the tool drop from the lubricator, a new e-coilpushes the tool into the well, increasing the breakingstrain for the head and providing the ability to circu-late fluid around the top of the tool should it becomesanded in. The methodology will eventually make itpossible to push the tool horizontally if necessary.In an area of the Marcellus Shale where saltwater

production has impeded drilling, the three-geo-phone seismic spear monitoring tool was used toverify that the fracture design in a vertical pilot wellremained within the Marcellus prior to drilling hor-izontal wells. The spear was placed in the boreholeduring stimulation and recorded the fracturing emis-sions after the pumps stopped to show the extent offracturing. The stimulation design fractured only theMarcellus, avoiding the underlying saltwater zone.The user was then able to develop a viable horizon-tal drilling and stimulation program.Microseismic mapping is one of the key areas

where the industry is pushing the envelope to maxi-mize recovery and optimize economics in complexconventional and unconventional fields.n

Understanding the Subsurface and Improving RecoveryMicroseismic data provide deeper reservoir understanding to enhance production and maximizefield economics for the life of the well.

Using Weatherford’s subsurface microseismic services, operators can seereal-time hydraulic fracture monitoring and mapping to optimize well andfracture trajectories and avoid unanticipated subsurface complications.(Image courtesy of Weatherford)

OpendTect open-source seismic interpretation software includes improveddisplay capabilities. (Image courtesy of dGB Earth Sciences)


Contributed by SIGMA³

The only thing constant is change. If we’ve learnedanything from that cliché over the past several

years, it’s that unconventional reservoirs seem to delightin challenging us in an equally paradoxical way. FromTexas to China, Argentina to Kuwait, and NorthDakota to Poland, shale reservoirs remind us that vari-ability is the constant we have to deal with— whetherby reservoir properties, completion, stimulation strate-gies, microseismic response, IP or EUR. Some U.S. operators estimate recovery rates of 5%

to 8% due to this challenge, but thanks to stepchanges in reservoir characterization modeling, hori-zontal drilling, new completion techniques and stim-ulation processes, and accurate microseismic data,operators can now do more than just scratch the sur-face of these resource-rich shale reservoirs. Aboveall, it is the integration of these discrete technologiesthat adds the most value.

Manage reservoir variability through integration Successful shale devel-opment requires a levelof subsurface under-standing that can onlybe achieved through anintegrated workflowthat turns key reservoirproperties into a pre-dictive model that pre-cisely targets the areasthat will yield maxi-mum EUR wheneffective completionand stimulation cam-paigns are applied. Thisidentifies where the bit needs to go and is the frame-work from which all key decisions—well placement,

hazard avoidance, wellbore azimuth and inclination,well spacing to completion technique, fracture spac-

ing, and treatment type—are made.Since most of the effective permeability in a

shale well is created during hydraulic frack stim-ulation, which is an engineering activity, inte-grated technology that addresses geology,geophysics and geomechanical rock propertiesand the role of natural fractures is the key to tar-geting sweet spots before the fracture spreadarrives at the wellbore. “Integrated GeoEngineering provides a direct

link between geoscience and engineering needs,including the ability to predict well perfor-mance with a high degree of confidence andpinpoint the r ichest targets before dr illingbegins and then validate the findings in realtime,” said Jorge Machnizh, SIGMA³ CEO.“This helps operators optimize costs andimprove the outcome of each well.”

Identify sweet spots, estimate horizontal well production Using the proprietary CRYSTAL platform,SIGMA³ has delivered integrated 3-D reser-voir models to identify sweet spots and predictproduction of blind wells. By leverag ingreflection seismic with geologic well data, pro-duction data and any available reservoir infor-mation, SIGMA³ delivers Shale Capacitymodels created from key reservoir properties,including natural fractures, brittleness, totalorganic carbon content and porosity, todemonstrate reservoir heterogeneity and vari-able well performance. This workflow allowsGeoEngineers to build models that connectmicroseismically derived stimulated reservoirvolumes to actual produced volumes in thecontext of reflection seismic, geologic and welllog data. This 3-D model helps identify sub-surface properties that predict microseismicity,frack success and ultimately production.Users have validated the results of the Shale

Capacity models against known production inother nearby wells and see consistently 80% to90% confidence factors of the distribution andvariability of the primary geologic drivers con-trolling production. Seismic- and well log-driven fractured reservoir characterization isable to significantly increase the probability ofdrilling the best producing wells while reducingthe risk of drilling poor producers in bothexploration and field development scenarios.

Meaningful interpretation, optimized engineeringThe relevance of microseismic events—how theycan be used as a proxy to qualify the stimulatedrock volume and ultimately production—alongwith optimal well and frack design is what trans-forms average wells into exceptional producers.

5% to 8% Recovery? Understand and Account for Variability and Watch EUR ClimbWorkflows connect reservoir characterization and engineering to production with validation through microseismic mapping.

Integrated reservoir characterization workflows that enable real-time frack data and microseismic events to be processed,interpreted and visualized in tandem with the earth models, well geometries and geomechanical properties help operatorsknow where to drill, where to frack and how to frack. (Image courtesy of SIGMA³)

See EUR continued on page 28 >>


By Francisco Bolívar, Rock Solid Images

Most seismic data are processed to optimize theimage quality for post-stack qualitative struc-

tural interpretation, with little regard to preservingcharacteristics needed for successful quantitativeinterpretation. Frequently, these kinds of seismic datamight be improved through the application of spe-cialized tools in the prestack time-migrated com-mon depth point gather domain. Beyond thein-depth science of the algorithms, the quality-con-trol (QC) processes involved after each step ensurethat the results from the final workflow form arobust and reliable input for analyses such as ampli-tude vs. offset (AVO)/amplitude vs. angle, amplitudevariation with angle and azimuth, and seismic ampli-tude inversion. In the past, seismic processors would have minimal

information about the geology of the survey area.Today, integration of geophysical, geological, petro-physical and rock physics components with signalanalysis plays a fundamental role in successful geo-science studies with E&P goals.

A standard conditioning sequence begins with anoise analysis step to identify random and coherentnoise that should be removed and other defects inthe gathers such as residual moveout or undesirableamplitude or frequency behavior. The multiples aremodeled by a high-resolution, laterally/verticallyvariable parabolic radon transform and are subtractedfrom the input data. AVO extractions, amplitudespectrum comparison and differencing seismic data

before and after this process ensure the preservationof the primaries. A residual normal moveout (RNMO) analysis is

then carried out. The goal is to minimize the AVOgradient assuming that the gradient due to improp-erly aligned events is much greater than the gradi-

ent due to fluid effects. After this correction,RNMO volumes are visualized to examinetrends in the moveout corrections and verifypatterns. It is extremely important to comparesynthetic gathers side by side with actual gath-ers for any residual velocity analysis or flatten-ing algorithm. Rock physics analysis providesthe analyst information about the expectedAVO class(es) in the area so that any specialconsiderations can be taken into account topreserve them. In the example shown in Figure 1a, spectral

balancing followed by random noise removalwas applied at the end of the workflow. Gabor-Morlet joint time-frequency analysis is used toseparate the frequency spectra of each gathertrace into a user-specified number of sub-bands, calculated using a running Gaussian-shaped window that yields a slowly varyingamplitude profile of each sub-band. Then eachsub-band spectrum is balanced against that ofthe pilot trace. Comparison between far angle stacks before

and after the process demonstrates theimprovement and impact of this step, but asimple amplitude spectrum analysis provides aclear metric of the results. The last step con-sists of applying an offset domain signal-to-noise (S/N) enhancement routine thatpreserves any AVO effects in the gathers. Ittakes into account the spatial dip of coherentreflections so that frequency and continuityare preserved. The conditioning sequence is completed

with a final QC analysis at the top of thereservoir. Hor izon amplitude extractionsfrom seismic gathers and stacks and their cor-relation with geological features before andafter the entire workflow, crossplot analysis ofsynthetic and actual par tial angle stacksbefore and after the conditioning, and S/Nratio compar ison will help to gauge theimprovement made to the se i smic data(Figure 1b). This example demonstrates the impact

AVATAR can have on seismic, appliedprestack or post-stack. Figure 1b illustrates theimprovement in AVO gradient after applica-tion of the AVATAR gather conditioningworkflow. Cleaner, clearer data permitimproved and more rapid manual or semiauto-mated interpretation of reservoir architecture,superior well ties, more robust inversion forreservoir properties and improved propertyprediction. AVATAR conditioning also seeksto be a cost-effective alternative to new acqui-sition or full reprocessing.Visit Rock Solid Images at booth 2538 for

more information. n

Improving the Quality of Prestack Seismic DataSequentially assembled algorithms aim to preserve the relative AVO relationship.

FIGURE 1a. Full-stack well tie and comparison data between input, conditionedand synthetic gathers are shown. (Images courtesy of Rock Solid Images)

FIGURE 1b. Before application of the AVATAR workflow, interpretationof AVO gradient would be challenging (left panel). Once the seismicdata have been conditioned, the AVO gradient response at the welllocation is clearer, and interpretation of surrounding AVO gradientanomalies is possible.


By Satinder Chopra, Arcis Seismic Solutions, and Kurt J. Marfurt, University of Oklahoma

The shape and character of the seismic waveformoften is used to characterize reservoir quality.

Such a seismic waveform carries information aboutthe phase, frequency and amplitude; any variation inthese parameters is a function of the lateral variationsin lithology, porosity and fluid content. If the shapeand character of seismic waveforms in a given targetzone can be studied using some type of patternrecognition process and then displayed in a mapview, the display would indicate seismic facies varia-tion at the target level.One approach to pattern recognition is with the use

of neural networks to compare seismic waveformswithin the interval of interest with a series of synthetictraces. These synthetic traces are generated according tothe user-defined number of groups that best representthe different shapes in the interval. They are arranged ina progression (assigning numbers to these traces), whichis examined to get a feel for the shapes of the wave-forms. Next, each trace in the interval is comparedwith the different synthetic traces. Those traces thathave maximum correlation with a given synthetic traceare classified into a group. The resulting map is essen-tially a facies map or a similarity map of the actualtraces to the different synthetic traces. This technique iscommonly referred to as a self-organizing map (SOM)waveform classification, originally introduced byKohonen and subsequently extended into 2-D and 3-D subspace. Using seismic attributes such as amplitudeenvelope, bandwidth, impedance, amplitude vs. offsetslope and intercept, dip magnitude and coherence,attempts have been made to project them into 2-Dlatent space and plot the results with a 2-D color bar.More recently, a 3-D SOM multiattribute applica-

tion has been developed to generate a 3-D seismic

facies volume. The different mathematically indepen-dent input attributes determine the dimensionality ofthe latent space. The input data vectors are first nor-malized and then projected into the 2-D latent spaceusing principal component analysis (PCA) in the formof eigenvalues and eigenvectors. As part of the trainingprocess, each vector is chosen at random and com-pared to all the other vectors on the 2-D latent spacegrid in a neighborhood radius, and the vectors withgood correlation are updated. Next, smaller neighbor-hoods around the correlated vectors are also updated,and gradually the neighborhood radius is shrunk itera-tively. If there are five attributes and a 2-D latent spaceis being used, the initial PCA plane is deformed into a2-D nonplanar manifold (or surface) in 5-D space thatbest fits the data. Colors are assigned to the vectorsaccording to their distance from the center of a givencluster of points. In this way a 3-D volume of facies isgenerated. The generative topographic mapping(GTM) algorithm is a nonlinear dimension-reductiontechnique that provides a probabilistic representationof the data vectors in latent space.

A team from Arcis Seismc Solutionsand the University of Oklahomaapplied GTM to a 3-D seismic vol-ume from central Alberta, Canada,where the focus was on the Mannvillechannels that are filled with interbed-ded units of shale and sandstone at adepth of 1,150 m to 1,230 m (3,773 ftto 4,035 ft). On the 3-D seismic vol-ume, these channels show up at amean time of 1,000-plus ms or minus50 ms. The team used the sweetness,gray-level co-occurrence matrices(GLCM) energy, GLCM entropy,GLCM homogeneity, peak frequency,peak magnitude, coherence and

impedance attributes and derived GTM1 and GTM2outputs. These attributes provide the cluster locations(projection of the mean posterior probability of thedata vectors) along the two axes in the latent space tobe used in the cross-plotting that follows. Figure 1a shows a coherence stratal slice distinctively

exhibiting the different channels. Figures 1b and 1c showthe equivalent displays for GTM1 and GTM2 attributes.Breaking the 2-D latent space into two componentsallowed the team to use modern interactive cross-plot-ting tools. While GTM1 shows the definition of theedges very well for the channels, GTM2 exhibits thecomplete definition of the channels along with their fillin red and blue. In a narrow zone passing through thecenter of the channels, the GTM1 and GTM2 attributeswere cross-plotted. Then, by assigning red and greenpolygons on two clusters (not shown), the team noticedhow the enclosed points were projected back on thecoherence displays shown in Figure 1d. The two clustershighlight the fill of the channels differently. Similar appli-cations of GTM analysis to other datasets from Alberta,Canada, have shown encouraging results. n

Seismic Facies Analysis Using Generative Topographic MappingUsing pattern recognition to study the shape and character of seismic waveforms can reveal seismic facies variation at the target level.

Stratal slice at a level close to a horizon picked at 1,020 ms from (a) coherence volume computedusing the energy ratio algorithm, (b) GTM1, (c) GTM2 and (d) cluster points from the cross-plot ofGTM1 and GTM2 attributes within two polygons—one in red and the other in green—that are projectedonto the coherence stratal slice, highlighting different channels. (Image courtesy of Arcis SeismicSolutions and the University of Oklahoma)

By Isaac Farley, SEG

As the manager of the SEG Wiki, I have challeng-ing and fulfilling work that fills my day. Luckily,

I am surrounded by a great team within SEGPublications (most notably Andrew Geary, SEG Wikieditor) to help meet the goals of connecting thosepassionate about the science of applied geophysics,providing the necessary tools to make lasting contri-butions and advancing the mission of SEG. Beyondthe core wiki team, our volunteers transform ourwork into an exceptional community asset. We’re alllucky to have the support of John Stockwells, KarlSchleichers and Matt Halls, who invest so much intothe resource. If you have visited the wiki to read a biography

(wiki.seg.org/wiki/biographies) of a former SEG awardwinner, you should thank John Stockwell. He’s pouredhundreds of hours of time and energy into these pages.If you have found a useful open dataset(wiki.seg.org/wiki/open_data) for your research, stop KarlSchleicher at the annual meeting in Denver and shakehis hand. If you’re enjoying the The Leading Edge geo-physical tutorial series (wiki.seg.org/wiki/geophysical_tuto-rials) or need access to the newly launched, freelyavailable book “Seismic Data Analysis” in the wiki(wiki.seg.org/wiki/seismic_data_analysis), let Matt Hallknow—he’s been instrumental in both and, likeStockwell and Schleicher, so much more at wiki.seg.org.

“Our community needs this resource,” Hall said.“Now it’s up to us to increase the momentum andbuild an open, collaborative resource that will benefitall geophysicists for decades to come.”I invite you to join us at the 2014 SEG Wikithon

this week. The second annual wikithon will be helddaily from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. and from 5 p.m. to 6p.m. Sunday, Oct. 26 to Wednesday, Oct. 29 in room708 of the Colorado Convention Center. Visitwiki.seg.org/wiki/wikithon_2014 for more informationabout the event.

What’s a wikithon?Perhaps I should take a step back. If my previous wiki-related conversations are any indication of what youare currently thinking, the two most popular questionsamong readers might very well be: Wait, what’s a wiki?And: Did you say wikithon? Those are perfectly validquestions and the type that we welcome [email protected] or during the 2014 SEG Wikithon.Ward Cunningham, the developer of the first wiki

software, used the Hawaiian word “wiki,” meaning“quick,” to convey his vision for building the sim-plest form of a working database. Today, in the digitalsense, a wiki refers to an online application that ismaintained collaboratively by people through con-tent modifications (oftentimes quick contributions)as an asset for a larger community. If you’ve yet tobenefit from the wiki collaboration of Stockwell,

Schleicher, Hall and others, I invite you to take alook. If we are missing entries or entire topics thatyou believe would be an asset to your community,there is the wikithon. There is the wiki. Join us! The wikithon, purposefully designed as a partici-

pant-driven meeting, is a physical gathering of like-minded SEG members joining to advance individual

Wikithon 2014: Advancing the Future of the Science of GeophysicsSEG gathering seeks to connect those who are passionate about applied geophysics on a wiki forum.

#WIKITHON14

GoalTo connect those passionate about the sci-ence of applied geophysics and provide thenecessary tools to make a difference

WhoAll SEG members and participants at theannual meeting, regardless of wiki experience

LocationRoom 708, Colorado Convention Center

Time12 p.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. fromOct. 26 to 29

See WIKI continued on page 28 >>

By Paul O’Brien, Ikon Science, and Rachel Blackman, Fuse IM

In many settings, rock physics information tendsto be stored either in an ad hoc fashion or in

proprietary formats, making it complicated andinefficient to archive, query, retrieve or share withothers. The Ikon MetaStore is a complete rockphysics information management system designedto mitigate these inefficiencies. Jointly developed by Ikon Science and FUSE IM,

the system has a web-based front end and can runeither on a company’s intranet or as a fully enabledcloud system that can be accessed by any web-enabled device.In its first year, the MetaStore already has been

installed at two of the world’s supermajors and isbeing deployed by other companies on a global basis.The system is designed to store a wide variety of

rock property data as well as many other data types,allowing users to investigate information from a richvariety of sources. The system also has the capability tohandle complete projects and data from other applica-tions, allowing companies and users to search andaccess all geospatially located data assets from a singleonline repository using a detailed map interface.Martyn Millwood Hargrave, CEO of Ikon

Science, said, “The current version provides safestorage for all RokDoc project data as well as datafrom lots of other sources and allows users to searchboth geographically and geologically for data in aflexible and customizable way, giving our customersa really new and innovative way of engaging withtheir data for maximum value and minimum effort.”The system allows administrators to enable con-

figurable levels of access for selected groups or indi-

vidual users for security and governance purposes.This provides users with an overview of availabledata within a specified geographical location,domain, asset or other variable parameters.Data can be uploaded from documents (.pdf, .doc,

.ppt, .xls) as well as vector and geomechanical dataand can be associated with the correct assets, wells,fields and basins.In the same way that many mass consumer sites

operate, users have the ability to quickly identify andlocate data based upon specific search criteria andthen export those data as LAS or other format filesfor input into other systems like RokDoc orSchlumberger’s Petrel using a “shopping basket”checkout approach.The system provides automated workflows to

generate reports and guided workflows to make iteasy to both upload and retrieve data, with audittrails captured on previous versions of projects andthe ability to retrieve old projects if necessary.

Standardized rock physics formatRock properties are stored by lotsof companies in various formats(Excel, PDF, CSV, XML and pro-pr ietary databases). There is awidespread desire to move toward amore standardized format, whichwould at least be partially accom-plished by moving properties to asingle database, and the IkonMetaStore is well positioned tofacilitate this process.MetaStore 2.0 will introduce the

ability to manage and load rockproperties data from a wide variety

of data sources, including company internal spread-sheets, documents, text files and databases. It also willinclude enhanced searching, visualization and analyti-cal tools (e.g. matrix cross-plots, rose diagrams andwell trajectory plots with markers) for working withdata across projects in a global operating environment.It also will store the managed data in an industry stan-dard corporate database based on the publicpetroleum data model (PPDM).“PPDM is an important foundation component in

XStreamline, our open, integrated E&P data manage-ment environment,” said Jamie Cruise, FUSE IMdirector of products and technology and solution archi-tect. “It has a strong community and is constructedlargely from generic commodity infrastructure. We sup-plement PPDM with our tools to deliver the specialistupstream functionality that the industry needs to fulfilldemands for vendor-neutral standardization.”

Second-generation System Provides ‘Maximum Value and Minimum Effort’Rock physics information management system has been installed at two of the world’s supermajors and is being deployed by other companies on a global basis.


The Ikon MetaStore cross-plotter delivers understanding of regional trends. (Image courtesy of Ikon Science)

Multiattribute SeismicAnalysis Platform CanReduce Exploration RiskUpdates to a multiattribute seismic analysis platform include a new andlarger geoscience workspace and enhanced well-loading performance.

Contributed by Geophysical Insights

Geophysical Insights has released the commercial availability of Paradise 2.0,the multiattribute seismic analysis platform, which will be announced at

SEG 2014. Some of the more significant changes in Paradise 2.0 include:• New and larger geoscience workspace, providing space for future workflows;• Easily customizable themes and backgrounds;• Horizon ghosting—move a shape of the horizon in time or depth;• Horizon stratal slices—create a slice between two horizons and move it intime or depth;

• 2-D color bar support for self-organizing maps (SOM) on horizons and grids;

• Principal component analysis (PCA) on attributes delimited by horizons;• Running an SOM over a larger area than the PCA sample area;• Saving arbitrary lines as 2-D lines; and• Enhanced well-loading performance.“The concept of analyzing multiple attributes simultaneously and thereby gain-

ing greater insights from the seismic response is being widely received by theindustry,” said Tom Smith, president and CEO of Geophysical Insights. “Paradise2.0 is a major advancement for the platform, positioning the technology to hostmany new geoscience workflows and capabilities we have planned for 2015. Iinvite interpreters to drop by our booth and find out why Paradise is unique inthe application of advanced pattern recognition methods and how these methodscan be used to reduce exploration risk and field development cost.” Geophysical Insights will have a series of presentations daily at booth 2163 by

geoscientists and interpretation software specialists. Printed schedules of presenta-tions are available at the booth.n

See SYSTEM continued on page 30 >>

Contributed by Wireless Seismic Inc.

Modern seismic recording instruments fallinto two camps: cabled and cablefree.

Cabled systems have long been the default sys-tem of choice, recording data in real time andallowing operators to continuously gauge andcontrol the condition of the spread.

This choice comes at a price. The cables thatenable instant data transmission are cumbersometo move around and need to be in perfect con-dition to function. The difficulties in transmit-ting high-bandwidth data through miles ofcables and thousands of connectors can result insignificant downtime while troubleshooterscheck the spread for problems and make repairs.This downtime reduces the working day andcrew productivity.

GatheringSeismic Data UsingHybrid RadioTelemetryA seismic recording system can deliveruninterrupted seismic crew productivityand effective data storage.

A screenshot of the RT System 2 Central shows WRUs in green col-lecting data in real time. The blue WRUs designate lost radio con-nectivity while continuing to record and store data to flash memory.Production continues with no data loss. (Image courtesy of WirelessSeismic Inc.)


By Dave McCann, ION Geophysical

When ION Geophysical embarked on the task ofbuilding a new inversion algorithm that would

more accurately reconstruct the Earth, the companywent back to first principles. This meant looking atthe various depositional environments and the distri-butions of impedance contrasts. What was determinedwas that commercially available inversion algorithmsassume a Gaussian distribution that does not ade-quately represent the broad range of impedance con-trasts observed in geology. A different approach wasneeded. Based on that realization, the company devel-oped its new inversion algorithm, PrecisION.In every geologic province, obtaining an under-

standing of the rock properties is essential for success-ful operations. Unfortunately, there is a significantdifference between what can be predicted from seis-mic data and what can be seen in a well. Built withinsights derived from actual earth and physics data,PrecisION is a novel seismic inversion technique

that can be applied to post-stack and prestack seis-mic data to recover rock properties. When compared to commercial software, the new

algorithm can provide superior earth reconstructionswith greater accuracy and resolution. This is veryhelpful in clearly identifying layer boundaries neces-sary for prospect evaluation, drill planning and reser-voir modeling. The inversion algorithm performs itsanalysis in the Eigen domain, a province in whichusable information is easily separated from noise toproduce very stable inversion results. Within the Eigen domain, independent signals are

naturally segmented into various Eigen vectors. Dueto algorithmic parameterization, the Eigen vectorsare inverted are for Vp, Vs and density. This approachis advantageous because the algorithm determineswhether or not the offsets and signal-to-noise ratiowill allow for the successful inversion of Vs and den-sity. It also yields an uncertainty volume associatedwith each of the parameters that can be inverted.This uncertainty volume also can be used to quality-

check the processing and ensure the highest possiblequality. These advantages can be used to aid in theevaluation of prospect risk and decision-making.Figure 1 shows the inverted shear impedance from

one of ION’s studies. The impedance values rangefrom a low of 12,000 to a high of 44,000. Below theshear impedance image, a related image can be seenthat identifies the uncertainty of the inversion. For

Building Better, More Accurate Earth ReconstructionsSeismic inversion algorithm can be applied to post-stack and prestack data to recover rock properties.

Figure 1. Inverted shear impedance (top) and its 95% confidence range(bottom) are shown. (Image courtesy of ION Geophysical)

See HYBRID continued on page 30 >>

See EARTH continued on page 30 >>

Contributed by ffA

In 2014, the E&P industry is expected to spendabout $10 billion on acquiring and processing seis-mic data, producing about 10 petabytes of new data.Interpreting such volumes of data is a huge chal-lenge, particularly when correctly identifying andunderstanding subtle geological variations can havesuch a large impact on prospect risking, productionoptimization and strategies for maximizing recovery. The usual approach to solving such challenges is

automation. However, the essence of interpretationis to convert incomplete and often ambiguous datainto an accurate understanding of a geological sys-tem and then be able to communicate that under-standing so that it can be used effectively to guide acomplex decision-making process. Automating thisprocess fully is extremely difficult since understand-ing is a human quality that comes from assessinginformation in the wider context of a priori knowl-edge and past experience.However, the process of gaining geological

understanding from seismic data can be made much

more efficient if the way that interpretation tech-nology is designed is informed by the knowledge ofhuman cognition. In many respects, the human brain is still the

most powerful information analysis tool, and up to

40% of prime cortical real estateis devoted to vision. Things thatare taken for granted, such asthe ability to instantly identifyand classify objects—despiteenormous differences in theirmorphology, size, color and ori-entat ion—are st i l l a lmostimpossible to mimic using com-puters. This is a critical factor inseismic interpretation, wherethere is a need to identify geo-log ical features whose real-world and seismic expressionscan vary enormously. Another important cognitive

property is the ability to recog-nize an object through connect-

ing disparate elements in a scene. However, thehuman visual system can be fooled, as the number ofoptical illusions testifies. In particular, people’s per-ception of size, boundary positions and the spatialrelationship between objects in different scenes is

highly subjective. What this means is that seismicdata need to be presented to interpreters in sucha way that they can use their cognitive abilitiesto the full capacity. For this reason, cognitive cybernetics is at the

heart of the geological expression approach toseismic interpretation on which ffA’s GeoTericsoftware is based.Using a knowledge of cognitive cybernetics

in designing interpretation software requiresspecific attention to be paid to interactivity.Cognitive cybernetics refers to the feedbackloops that control how people update theirunderstanding of a situation as they get moredata. This works most efficiently if informa-tion is updated at the correct rate. For exam-ple, ideally, software needs to work at the samepace as the cognitive process. Two areas inwhich cognitive cybernetics has a major roleto play are in optimizing attribute generationand object delineation. There are three data-comparison techniques

that can be used to make the most of visual cog-nitive abilities: juxtaposition, superposition andexplicit encoding. These three techniques are atthe heart of GeoTer ic’s example-dr ivenapproach to seismic noise filtering (noise expres-sion) and fault imaging (fault expression). In fault expression, juxtaposition is used to

allow side-by-side compar ison of multipleparameter choices, while superposition is used toallow the preferred fault image to be comparedto the underlying seismic reflectivity data.Explicit encoding enables multiple pieces offault-related information to be viewed simulta-neously, providing a more complete picture ofthe imaged fault network. This example-drivenor cognitive cybernetic approach makes it possi-ble to get an optimal fault image in secondsrather than days or weeks.Explicit encoding is perhaps the most power-

ful data-comparison technique available. As aresult, RGB color blending is rapidly becominga mainstream element of seismic interpretationworkflows. However, color blending only par-tially leverages the advantages that can comefrom approaching seismic interpretation from acognitive cybernetics perspective. For example,using techniques such as the adaptive geobodiesand facies classification functionality (IFC+) inGeoTeric makes it possible to construct a 3-Dgeological model extremely fast, fully honoringthe information in the seismic data.Overall, building an understanding of cogni-

tive cybernetics into the software developmentprocess can transform seismic interpretationand can provide the technology necessary toturn a mountain of data into a wealth of sub-surface understanding. n

Seismic Interpretation and Cognitive CyberneticsSoftware provides a geological expression approach to seismic interpretation.


GeoTeric from ffA uses an understanding of human cognition to deliver greater subsurface understandingand productivity gains in seismic interpretation. (Images courtesy of ffA)


By Rhonda Duey, Executive Editor

There are deals, and then there are big deals. Therecent announcement that Geokinetics has signed

a binding agreement with CGG for the purchase ofthe latter’s North American land seismic contractacquisition business is a very big deal indeed. Geokinetics filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in

March 2013, emerging from the process one monthlater. The move will increase its presence in Canadaand the Lower 48 and give it a presence in Alaskaagain, which it moved out of in 2011. CGG willretain its multiclient land library, but its multiclientteam will use Geokinetics crews exclusively foracquisition of these datasets for six years.In return for the “contribution” of its North

American land business, according to CGG, the Frenchcompany will retain a 16% equity in Geokinetics.The deal is considered to be a sweet one by

both companies. It enables Geokinetics to doublethe number of marketed land crews in the regionwhile retaining experienced CGG staff, and it ispart of CGG’s strategy to “refocus and reconfigurethe worldwide perimeter directly operated byour land business line,” according to CGGCEO Jean-Georges Malcor. “This combina-tion will offer our North American customersan unprecedented opportunity to meet theirexpectations for performance, technology andflexibility. As for CGG, I am convinced [theland group], in its new configuration, will beable to better seize future opportunities andto contribute strongly to the group’s continu-ing success.”According to David Crowley, Geokinetics

president and CEO, this agreement might seemto be somewhat contrarian. “The Lower 48states over the past three years have certainlyshown a decline in land seismic crew activity,”he said. “Canada has gone through a rough spellover the last two seasons, and although Alaskahas shown a recent uptick, it’s been reasonablyflat over the past two or three years.“We emerged from our Chapter 11 filing a

year ago, we’ve looked at what markets wewanted to invest in and why, and the argumentagainst North America is that it’s not very con-solidated; there’s a lot of competition. But there’salso ready access to capital, talent and technol-ogy in this key market.”Crowley added that Geokinetics was trailing

some of its competitors in its investment incableless equipment, which was affecting itsability to compete. “We thought that ourknowledge base, the way we design the shoots,the way we manage contracts and our reputa-tion in the industry are such that if we could getaccess to this newer technology and increase ourscale and footprint, we would then compete at amuch higher level.”The company set forth to acquire the new

nodal systems and managed to access 60,000from a local manufacturer. Then came the CGGopportunity, with an additional 35,000 nodes. Italso brought CGG’s brand and reputation.“They differentiate through technology and

operational excellence,” Crowley said. “For methe driver was to get critical mass in somethingthat’s scalable in Canada, get further scale in theLower 48 and then reenter the Alaskan market.”Due to CGG’s joint venture with Fugro own-

ing Seabed Geosolutions, a direct competitorwith Geokinetics in shallow water, the companycan’t take any controlling interest inGeokinetics, although it does have the option toincrease its stake to 19.5% at a later date. Helikes the relatively low-risk aspect of the transac-tion as none of the markets are new toGeokinetics. “We won’t be able to say in thefuture how surprised we were and that we didn’tknow the market was like this,” he said. “We livein these markets.”

And though the market iscurrently depressed, Crowleydoesn’t expect it to stay thatway. “When equipment is fly-ing off the shelves and youcan’t hire enough people tostay in business, that may notbe the right time to be makinga significant purchase,” he said.“We have the viewpoint thatthere is a lot more upside forland seismic in North Americathan downside based on cur-

rent activity levels.”Synergies abound. The two companies have very

complementary client bases in North America, withCGG bringing the supermajors to the table andGeokinetics working with medium and large inde-pendents. They’re also working with an independentconsulting firm to integrate the teams. “We knowthey operate their crews differently than we do, sowe’re investing time and effort at the front end tobring in both sides and decide whether to adopt one

method or the other or perhaps meld them into ahybrid scheme.“We’re also looking at all of the disciplines: how

we manage assets and people, how we design oursurveys, logistics and project management. It’s not awhite sheet of paper. We’ve all been in the businesslong enough.”So far the integration is going quite well, he

added—in fact, the consultants have commented onthe professionalism expressed by the employees. “Idon’t see the social issues that can really kill a deal,”he said.While Crowley doesn’t believe in growing for the

sake of growth, the added scale does have its advan-tages. Having more crews enables more flexibility.Being larger gives the company a better seat at thetable when working with suppliers. And client feed-back has been extremely positive.“It is an opportunity for both teams to high-grade

their operations,” Crowley said. “And havingrecently met the CGG teams and knowing theGeokinetics teams I have every reason to believe thatour combined future will be brighter.” n

New Crews, New TechnologyA deal with CGG will enable Geokinetics to be the largest land seismic contractor in North America.

David Crowley is presidentand CEO of Geokinetics.

Contributed by Polarcus

Time is money, and in a fast-moving world thepressure to make quick and accurate decisions

on key exploration milestones is greater than ever.Polarcus’ RightFLOW can seamlessly integrate andaccelerate every step of the seismic data acquisitionand processing workflow. This includes everythingfrom the initial survey design to the delivery of finaldata products, with the technology able to tailor theworkflow for any given geologic and geophysicalenvironment. The result will enable users to makemore informed decisions about potential well com-mitments earlier in the exploration cycle.This latest Polarcus offering is the result of a data

processing collaboration between Polarcus andDownUnder GeoSolutions (DUG) that has taken afresh look at the entire seismic workflow. The part-nership combines the survey design and acquisitionexpertise at Polarcus with the processing and imag-ing expertise at DUG. As a result of that collabora-tion, Polarcus is deploying DUG’s Insight softwaresystem onboard its fleet of high-end 3-D seismicvessels. The software system is powered by SGI-engi-neered hardware, which will enable the company tooffer companies a processing flow designed in con-junction with each companies’ own experts toaddress both the specific geological objectives andthe critical time lines for the project. At the core of any offering will be onboard qual-

ity-control (QC) flows to ensure that seismic dataare recorded well within the tolerance specificationsset by the user. Key modules have been specified byPolarcus’ own field geophysicists and designed byDUG software engineers to ensure that a full suite

of QC products are produced in real time on a line-by-line basis and offline during the course of acqui-sition to monitor surveywide seismic data qualityand temporal and spatial continuity.A significant component of the onboard process-

ing flow is the inclusion of DUG Broad, a deghost-ing technology that removes the variable amplitudeand phase distortion caused by the interference ofsource and receiver side ghosts. Variations in receiverdepth, source depth, obliquity, sea state and signal-to-noise ratio are all taken into account. This resultsin a broadening of the spectrum as frequencies sup-pressed by destructive interference have their ampli-tude (and phase) restored. This means that Polarcuscan deliver high-quality broadband data as eitherprestack gathers and/or as part of the processingflow producing prestack-migrated volumes.

The hardware systems deployed on the Polarcusvessels will include up to 172 trillion floating-point

operations per second of processingcapacity designed to interface in realtime with the seismic data recording sys-tem. The real-time software environmentis interactive and intuitive, meaning noscripts are required for onboard QC orprocessing. The offline processing toolkithas been specifically designed to allowproduction of full-fold migrated 3-Dvolumes, incorporating a suite of multi-channel noise attenuation techniquesincluding shallow-water demultiple, 3-Dsurface related multiple elimination,highly interactive velocity picking andQC, Voronoi area regularization andprestack time migration.

The offering can itself be structured in differentways to suit individual user requirements includingcomprehensive onboard acquisition QC followed byfull onshore processing; ultrafast advanced onboard3-D processing followed by a more complexonshore processing sequence; or a combined off-shore and onshore flow that passes an onboard pro-cessed intermediate dataset to a DUG onshoreprocessing center for more sophisticated multichan-nel noise attenuation, velocity analysis, regulariza-tion, and time and/or depth imaging.Polarcus believes that the “right” processing flow has

to be considered as part of the overall 3-D surveydesign, acquisition and data delivery effort. The essenceof the concept is that the right processing flow can bedesigned for any given geologic and geophysical envi-ronment to provide very high-level processed productsin as short a turnaround time as possible. Visit Polarcus at booth 2524 for more information.n

Advanced Seismic Solutions for Reducing Exploration CostsSeismic workflow technology can accelerate project turnaround while optimizing decision-making around geological and project constraints.


Contributed by TGS

One of the major challenges for subsaltimaging in the Gulf of Mexico is the

poor signal-to-noise ratio and the lack ofsignal content in the lower frequencies. Fordeeper prospecting, the application of mod-ern de-multiple and de-noise techniques isvery important along with protecting andenhancing the seismic signal toward thelower frequency. This might contain subtlegeologic information under the salt, whichcan better image the pay zone. Correct lat-eral and vertical positioning of steeply dip-ping salt flanks is important to define theclosure near the complex salt overhang forwhich an accurate velocity model isneeded. Below, a case study discusses whereboth of these challenges were addressed toimprove the subsalt imaging with respect tothe legacy processing.

Seismic bandwidth enhancementIn addition to applying appropriate de-noiseand de-multiple techniques, a TGS propri-etary workflow known as Clari-Fi wasapplied to the seismic data to enhance itsoverall bandwidth. Clari-Fi is a multistepworkflow that removes both the source andreceiver ghosts, broadens the bandwidth of

the data on both the low and high ends ofthe usable frequency spectrum and accountsfor the Earth’s Q compensation effects. Forthis reprocessing effort, Clari-Fi proved ben-eficial in improving the stability of offsetpicking during depth-imaging tomography,which eventually provides a better subsaltvelocity mode and final migration image.

TTI modeling and migrationIn this particular dataset, the sediment andsalt structure are in the moderate to steepdip range. Correct vertical and spatial imag-ing of steep salt flanks and the sediment

Hydrocarbon ProspectDelineation and Seismic ImagingBroadband processing and TTI migration can lead to improved subsalt imaging.

As the result of a data processing collaboration, DUG’s Insight software system will bedeployed onboard Polarcus’ fleet of high-end 3-D seismic vessels. (Image courtesy of Polarcus)

Figure 1. A depth slice compares the resolution of legacyvs. reprocessed data. Figure 2. An inline comparison shows legacy VTI vs. repro-cessed TTI data. (Images courtesy of TGS)

See IMAGING continued on page 30 >>


By Indy Chakrabarti, Paradigm

While seismic data acquisition today is done inhigh definition (HD), analysis of HD data has

not traditionally kept pace. This is about to change.With its latest release, Paradigm seeks to provideusers with a return on their HD seismic acquisitionthrough the analysis of data in HD. Paradigm 14 HDcapabilities span workflows across seismic data pro-cessing and imaging, velocity modeling, and seismicinterpretation and include quantitative analysis andearth modeling.Paradigm 14 includes advancements in HD pro-

cessing and imaging that allow users to visualize thesmall features, such as fractures, thin beds and smallfaults, that are important in the exploitation of mod-ern reservoirs. The release also includes quantitativeseismic interpretation (QSI) technologies that enablequalification of amplitude prospects to more accu-rately identify sweets spots in the reservoir. Now, withthe most recent iteration of the release, the com-pany is moving toward HD earth modeling usingthe volume-based SKUA-GOCAD modelingsuite. HD earth modeling facilitates high-fidelitydelineation of the most relevant geological fea-tures of the subsurface and improves the accuracyof production forecasts with geologic models thatare closer to reality. By honoring geology andseismic, users are able to better quantify uncer-tainty in their reservoir, resulting in lower-riskreservoir management decisions and more accu-rate production planning and forecasting.For greater efficiency when working with

large data volumes, the Paradigm SeisEarth inter-pretation and visualization solution suite enablesroaming in rendering mode with volumes largerthan GPU memory. Well planning is tightly cou-pled with SeisEarth, and platform positioningoptimizations have been introduced. WithinVoxelGeo, users can achieve more precise geo-body detection results with extended support forgreater than 8-bit seismic volumes. The interpre-tation solution also strengthens support for pro-duction and engineering data through newdisplays for casing, perforations and core propertydata, and gridding of time-based production data.Major additions to QSI include synthetic

workflows for all interpretation and seismic char-acterization applications. These are enhancedwith improved layouts, new checkshot calibra-tions and new workflows when working withdepth-migrated data. The release also providessupport for full seismic inversion workflows onthe Windows platform. Prestack gather precondi-tioning, stacking and inversion are available inboth the SeisEarth 3D Canvas and the new 2DCanvas to support QSI workflows. New technologies for modeling unconven-

tional plays have been added to the volume-basedParadigm SKUA-GOCAD modeling suite. Theseinclude microseismic data analysis, stimulationpath generation for better characterization ofcomplex hydraulic fracture growth and improvedassessment of stimulated rock volumes in low-permeability reservoirs. The new SKUA structural uncertainty model-

ing module enables geoscientists to assess theimpact of fault position and structural uncertaintyon in-place hydrocarbon estimates and produc-tion forecasts to overcome uncertainties andimprove forecasting. A restructured volumetricinterpretation capability provides a full 3-D inter-pretation of all faults and stratigraphic horizons inthe seismic volume to fast-track interpretationand interpretation validation in depositionalspace. Through the use of 3-D paleo-flattening,geoscientists can extract stratigraphic featuresfrom seismic data that were undetectable untilnow, resulting in enhanced geologic accuracy.

Geologic interpretation in the Paradigm StratEarthwell log correlation solution has been enhanced withimproved data communication with the ParadigmEpos infrastructure and data management system.Geologic interpretation also includes support forraster logs and zone track improvements, which canenhance ease of use and streamline workflows.Automatic and with no configuration required,

Paradigm 14 product installation is simpler, especiallyfor single users. Numerous connectivity improve-ments support convenient coexistence with othergeology and geophysics platforms. It is now easy totransfer interpretations between the Paradigm Eposinfrastructure and Schlumberger’s Petrel software viaRESQML using a dedicated Petrel plug-in.Similarly, users can transfer data directly fromGeolog to the Petrel software for improved multi-team collaboration on shared projects. These con-nectors augment pre-existing support to HalliburtonOpenWorks.

In other developments in this release, theStratimagic seismic facies classification system is thefirst Paradigm application to plug in to the ParadigmEpic open and integrated platform. Additional work-flow efficiencies have been achieved by enabling seis-mic classification results from Stratimagic to bevisualized and used in the Paradigm SeisEarth andVoxelGeo interpretation systems. Visit Paradigm at booth 623 for more information.n

Driving HD Evaluation from Imagingto Interpretation and ModelingNew technologies extend standard workflows and improve accuracy of production forecasts.

An integrated display of data in the Barnett incorporates seismic data, horizons, geobodies, karsts, wells and microseimic data. (Image courtesy of Paradigm)


By Christopher McCoy, Lenovo

When it comes to seismic interpretation, geo-physicists understand that time and accuracy

are everything. Any improvements in the ability tointerpret seismic data can lead to faster project com-pletion, which can make the difference in winning acontract bid or having additional interpretation timebefore project inception.Stephen Dominguez, software developer and

applications engineer at CGG, understands this.CGG’s Insight Earth application, which the com-pany added to its software portfolio in January 2014,is advanced 3-D visualization and interpretationsoftware that greatly enhances seismic interpretationsystems and provides geophysicists with a guidedtool that can automate the fault extraction process,precisely define salt bodies, deliver fast depictions ofpaleo-depositional environments and enable thevisualization of discrete fracture networks in uncon-ventional plays. Running the application on theLenovo ThinkStation D30 workstation usingNVIDIA Quadro K5000 GPU technology,Dominguez and CGG were able to bring the mostcomplicated structures into clear definition anddeliver superior results for CGG’s global users.Dominguez is constantly in search of new tech-

nologies that can improve performance of the algo-rithms, processes and workflows in the Insight Earthapplication suite. With Lenovo’s launch of itsThinkStation P Series workstations and NVIDIA’slaunch of its new Quadro K5200 GPU cards inAugust 2014, Dominguez realized that these newplatforms could potentially enable demonstrablegains to accelerate and enhance interpretation pro-

cesses. Lenovo’s ThinkStation P900 is a dual-proces-sor workstation built on the latest Intel Xeon pro-cessors and includes a highly expansivemotherboard, a Gen 3 PCI bus and a speciallyenabled BIOS that can initialize multiple NVIDIAGPU accelerators. With this new hardware thatincludes the introduction of the NVIDIA QuadroK5200, Dominguez was determined to put theseadvanced offerings to the test and find out just howthey would help geophysicists gain the performanceedge they needed.Working with Lenovo and NVIDIA engineers,

Dominguez mapped out a comprehensive plan todetermine performance improvements in the newhardware architecture across three key categories:CPU, GPU and file I/O (disk processing). Thiswould illustrate the system’s ability to render accu-rate visualizations using CGG’s advanced InsightEarth seismic interpretation workflow. His planincluded multiple configurations of LenovoThinkStation hardware and NVIDIA GPU technol-ogy because Dominguez felt it was cr itical todemonstrate both aspects in isolated performancebenchmarks (Lenovo ThinkStation D30 workstationrunning Quadro K5000 cards vs. ThinkStation PSeries running those same cards, and so on) as wellas in comprehensive system performance gains toget a full picture of the capabilities of the new hard-ware to provide tangible advancements for seismicinterpretation workflows.“I wanted to see what this new hardware could

really do,” Dominguez said. “This required testingfor virtually every scenario our customers mightface to get an accurate picture of the realizableimprovements in performance and efficiency.”

With the plan in place, Dominguez set to work onrunning the benchmarks. Running the application onthe Lenovo ThinkStation P900 with the NVIDIAQuadro K5200 GPU technology installed,Dominguez was able to benchmark an overall 15%performance improvement (geometric mean of GPUscore, CPU score and the I/O score) in Insight Earth’sability to process and render seismic data, meaning thatgeophysicists using the solution would be able tocomplete projects more than 15% faster than was pre-viously achievable. For example, projects estimated totake 100 days could now be completed in 85 days,leaving that extra time for additional interpretation,risk mitigation and any number of tasks that wereunachievable under previous circumstances.Companies using the Insight Earth software couldnow gain a competitive edge in project bidding byoffering 15% faster completion rates done with greaterattention to characterizing the subsurface structure. “Previous generation hardware was enough to get

the job done, but it is now mainly utilitarian as geo-physicists have pushed the capabilities to the limit,”Dominguez said. n

Achieving Performance Gains in Seismic InterpretationNew platforms could potentially enable demonstrable gains to accelerate and enhance interpretation processes.

SEG Challenge Bowl FinalsThe Challenge Bowl Finals are an international test ofstudents' knowledge in the field of geosciences.

Students who participated in regional competitions allover the world now come down to this final momentwhere only one team will take the ultimate grand prize!

Monday, Oct. 27, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.Hyatt Regency Denver, 3rd floor,

Centennial Ballroom E

Are You Managing Your 2-D seismic?New tool set aims to simplify, facilitate data interpretation.

By Gary L. Jones, IHS

In the seismic interpretation world today, 3-D seismic data is the dominanttool for reservoir characterization and geologic modeling. However, there are

vast areas where 3-D is too expensive to completely cover all of the study areas,so 2-D data fills that role. These seismic data are used to connect existing 3-Dsurveys, analyze basins, map out regional plays and help define geology on amuch larger scale. To achieve this coverage, the industry is actively acquiring new 2-D surveys and

repurposing many older 2-D surveys to fill the void. This large accumulation ofseismic data brings with it the challenges of managing and incorporating this datainto existing and new projects. IHS Kingdom has long been a user of 2-D seismicdata and recently introduced a new philosophy and tool set to help bring this dataeasily and accurately into the interpreter’s world. Past experience has shown that 2-D data can pose challenges for the user when

reading and loading the data into the Kingdom project. It was clear that the processneeded to be simplified but understood that the process also needed to handle theinherent complexity of 2-D data. The result is SeismicDirect, introduced in theKingdom 2015 release. SeismicDirect allows for batch loading of clean, well-documented data with

common attributes while incorporating older data with complex formats and min-imal information to guide the usage of the files. Often there is little or no infor-mation in the file’s metadata to assist the interpreter or data loading technician inloading the data into a project. SeismicDirect, along with its new SEG-Y viewerand editor, SeismicExplore, assists in understanding, preparing and cleaning up thedata so it can be served up to multiple projects for interpretation. Once the simple,straightforward preparation process is completed, the data can be attached to anynumber of projects. Required coordinate conversion and datum shifts are handledautomatically with each project, saving countless hours and even days of effort.During SEG IHS will be presenting the concepts behind SeismicDirect in sev-

eral presentations. Come and see how you can manage your old and new 2-D dataefficiently and effectively. n


By Craig Beasley, NEOS GeoSolutions

As all geoscientists know, the basement is thefoundation upon which all other sedimentary

layers rest, hence its name. Given its role as the foun-dation of the geologic column, understanding thebasement often can provide explorationists withcr itical insights into the relative productivity,prospectivity and economic potential of shallowerhorizons deposited above it, including in the reser-voir zone(s) of interest.Geologic activity in the basement, including fault

reactivation, intrusion emplacement and control onhydrothermal fluid migration, impacts heat flow inthe overlying sedimentary section and ultimatelyaffects thermal matur ity in the hydrocarbon“kitchens.” Oil is the first hydrocarbon type to beliberated from kerogen as increasing levels of heatand pressure are applied in the kitchen; oil genera-tion is followed by the subsequent liberation of wet-gas/condensate, dry gas and, when “overcooked,”CO2 and graphite. Knowing which hydrocarbontype one will be dealing with is an important factorin exploration decisions and in project eco-nomics, especially in shale plays.

The conventional wisdom that has prevailedin the petroleum industry for the last 50 years isthat thermal maturity varies in a straightforwardlinear manner with burial depth. The shaleboom of the last decade has dramaticallychanged that conventional wisdom, as the mostastute explorers now realize that variations inbasement topography, fault networks and com-position can all cause localized distortions in theburial depth vs. thermal maturity relationship.For example, a senior technical adviser for

one of the largest pressure pumping companiesin the world said at a Denver Rocky MountainAssociation of Geologists luncheon that one ofthe key elements in identifying sweet spots inthe Niobrara Shale play of the Denver-Julesburg(D-J) Basin was, “identifying the location ofbasement faults that have been reactivated andthat, over the course of geologic time, haveacted as conduits for hydrothermal fluids thataffected the thermal maturity of the Niobrara.”NEOS GeoSolutions recently delivered the

results from a 7,770-sq-km (3,000-sq-mile)multiphysics survey in the D-J Basin and, amongother things, confirmed that this technicaladviser was right. As Figure 1 shows, basement-related features—including intrusive complexesand fault-driven horst structures—appear tocorrespond to two of the D-J Basin’s more pro-lific fields, Hereford and Pony. This same multi-client survey, which is available for license toother E&P operators, identified at least sevensimilar basement-related features that, at present,do not have significant exploitation or produc-tion operations underway.On another project in the Appalachian Basin

covering the Marcellus and Utica shales inPennsylvania, a chief geophysicist at one ofNEOS’s clients speculated that changes in base-

ment composition were altering the thermal profile inan area undergoing development drilling. Thesechanges were responsible for differences in productionrates and especially the Btu content (i.e., liquids vs. gas)of the flowstreams obtained from newly drilled wells. NEOS undertook an analysis of several multi-

physics datasets—in particular gravity, magnetics andelectromagnetics—and applied workflows thatincluded simultaneous joint inversions and Eulerdeconvolutions. The results, depicted in Figure 2,proved the hypothesis of this chief geophysicist:Compositional changes in the basement are better atpredicting the flow rates and Btu content of newlydrilled wells compared to more widely acknowledgedgeological and geophysical factors such as structuralsetting (e.g., burial depth or shale thickness) or acous-tic attributes (e.g., brittleness or fracture density).This isn’t to say that structural or acoustic insights

aren’t valuable; they absolutely are. But it does implythat a multiphysics approach—in which a variety ofgeophysical measurements are analyzed at depths ofinvestigation ranging from the basement to the near-surface—might provide a more constrained subsur-

face model and valuable set of related interpretiveproducts than an approach that relies on only one ortwo geophysical measurements or properties.These multiphysics projects and others that are

being undertaken in regions extending fromArgentina’s Neuquén Basin to onshore Lebanon arehelping explorationists better understand the rolethat basement faulting might play in influencingsweet spot locations in unconventional shale reser-voirs as well as the impact basement compositionvariations have on the relative liquids vs. gas contentof the flowstreams from newly drilled wells. n

What’s Lurking in the Basement?Illuminating the basement can reveal key drivers of reservoir performance beyond the shale.

Figure 1. In the D-J Basin, Niobrara oil and gas production is relatedto basement features. (Images courtesy of NEOS GeoSolutions)

Figure 2. Marcellus oil (green spots) and gas (red spots) productiondraped on a basement model is shown. Correlations are noted from thebasement to the reservoir.


Contributed by EMGS

With well data often scarce, many Gulf ofMexico (GoM) operators today rely on the

structural images and elastic properties derived fromseismic when evaluating the probability of successand estimating reserves in their prospective fields. Yet, while this information is crucial, gaps still

remain in the geological model, particularly inregard to fluid content information and hydrocarbonvolumes. A complete picture of the subsurface onlycan be achieved through combining different com-plementary data sources.At SEG this year, EMGS will illustrate how 3-D

controlled-source electromagnetic (CSEM) data,when integrated with seismic data, can lower explo-ration costs and increase discovery rates in the U.S.and Mexican GoM.3-D CSEM surveys map resistive bodies in the

subsurface where, the larger the resistive body, thegreater the response. Integrating electromagnetic(EM) data into the exploration workflow allows fora better classification of prospects in an area bydowngrading or upgrading the probability of findinghydrocarbons and improving the evaluation of thesize of the accumulation.Mexican operator Pemex, for example, has found

that the integration of 3-D CSEM data into itsexploration workflow has significantly reduceduncertainties in the evaluation of prospects in thePerdido Fold Belt and other areas in the GoM. Since 2010, EMGS has acquired more than

16,000 sq km (6,178 sq miles) of 3-D CSEM data

for Pemex over more than 40 identified prospects.The results—proven by the drillbit—were revealingand highlighted how the integration of 3-D CSEMdata with 3-D seismic data can enhance subsurfaceunderstanding, resolve interpretation ambiguity andreinforce independent observations. In one case, Pemex identified a prospect located

about 700 m (2,297 ft) below the mud line where thetop of the reservoir interval presented a seismic brightspot with two associated flat spots interpreted as gas-oil and oil-water contacts. Seismic amplitude analysisindicated the presence of a likely hydrocarbon-bear-ing reservoir with the main uncertainty being thehydrocarbon saturation as it was possible that low gassaturation was producing the bright amplitudes.In the 3-D CSEM inversion, an anomaly was seen

at the top of the structure that was consistent with theuppermost part of the seismic anomaly and the first

flat spot in the structure. Together, the integrated inter-pretation of seismic and CSEM data was an accumula-tion in a quality reservoir with high gas saturationdown to the first flat spot and low saturation (fizz gas)farther downdip. This interpretation was later con-firmed by a productive gas and dry appraisal well. In another example from the same survey area,

wide-azimuth 3-D CSEM data were acquired overthe prospect, and no vertical resistivity anomalies cor-responded to the proposed target. Instead, a low-resis-tivity zone over the crest of the structure was presentwith the zone suggesting the presence of high-salinitybrine around the faulting. This resulted in an increasein seal risk and a decreased probability of success.Adding 3-D CSEM data to seismic data is a highly

effective exploration strategy that is proven by theseand several other cases in the GoM and will be animportant tool preparing for Round 1 in Mexico. Looking northward, EMGS completed a 1,850-

sq-km (714-sq-mile) CSEM survey in the AlaminosCanyon area of the U.S. GoM earlier this year. Theintegrated interpretation of CSEM and seismic datawas a valuable tool for companies participating inlease sale 238 and will continue to play a key role infuture leasing decisions and well placements. In addition, the ability of 3-D EM data to map salt

bodies and provide improved velocity models formore robust seismic imaging without scatter andrefraction issues is of particular benefit in this basin.The exploration landscape is changing. To find out

how EMGS and CSEM data can help reduce inter-pretation uncertainty, lower exploration costs andincrease discovery rates, visit EMGS at booth 448. n

Creating Exploration Success in the GoMIntegrating 3-D CSEM data with seismic data can increase discovery rates and lower exploration costs.

A Wilcox resistivity map (left) and an improved salt body interpretation(right) show data from the Daybreak survey in Alaminos Canyon in theGoM. (Data courtesy of TGS)

Contributed by ESG Solutions

In hydraulic fracturing operations, well produc-tion success depends not only on effective wellplacement and treatment design but also on theinherent characteristics of the reservoir, includinggeology, local and regional stress conditions, andthe presence of natural fractures. Maximizing pro-duction volume requires the successful generationof complex fracture networks with optimal stimu-lated surface area, all with good connection path-ways back to the well. It is therefore useful toaccurately characterize natural fracture systems andunderstand generated fracture behavior within theformation to optimize operations.Microseismic, or passive seismic, monitoring has

emerged as a powerful fracture characterization andproduction optimization tool for hydraulic fractur-ing operations. Hydraulic fracturing in naturallyfractured reservoirs is known to generate seismicitydue to the interaction of injected fluids with thepre-existing fracture network. Typically, the observedmoment magnitudes for such operations are small,usually with magnitudes less than zero. Microseismicmethods commonly provide information on relativestimulation volumes and overall fracture dimensions;however, many advances in acquisition and data pro-cessing have provided new ways to visualize andunderstand fracture development.The reliability of typical microseismic geophones

(15 Hz) in accurately detecting larger magnitudeseismicity recently has been questioned, promptingthe addition of lower-frequency geophones to sensornetworks (known as a hybrid configuration) toaccurately characterize events over a wider-magni-tude band. The result is a new understanding of the

effect of larger magnitude seismicity on reservoirdeformation and fracture network development. Figure 1 illustrates the occurrence of seismic

events between magnitude 0.0 and 0.5 (left image,red dots) and depicts the resulting discrete fracturenetwork generated from the seismic data. Fractureplanes associated with the large-scale seismicity aresignificantly larger in diameter (right image, largegreen discs) compared to those associated with typi-cal small-scale microseismicity. It is clear that largerseismicity considerably affects the reservoir in termsof energy release and deformation, often producingfailure planes hundreds of feet in diameter. Accuratecharacterization of large events therefore has impli-cations for understanding stimulated surface areasand potential fluid connection pathways.Recently, ESG has had multiple opportunities to

supplement traditional downhole microseismicrecording with sparse six- or eight-station near-sur-face networks consisting of low-frequency sensorsduring hydraulic fracture stimulations. In one exam-ple in a North American unconventional shale play, a

total of 4,500 events wererecorded on the downholearray situated close to the reser-voir, ranging in magnitudefrom M-1 to M-2.6. The near-surface network recorded atotal of 28 events ranging fromM-0.4 to M1.4. These eventsalso were recorded on thedownhole array; however, thedownhole signals were satu-rated and underestimated eventmagnitude by at least one orderof magnitude.

In the same example, an assessment of seismicenergy release showed that larger magnitude eventsdetected with the near-surface network accounted fora full 83% of the total seismic energy released duringthe hydraulic fracture stimulations. Additionally, theseevents accounted for another 11,870 sq m (127,768sq ft) of activated fracture surface area, about 10,295sq m (110,814 sq ft) more than would have been esti-mated from the downhole array alone. Overall, the 28events as derived from the near-surface networkaccounted for less than 1% of all the recorded eventsbut added an additional 4% to the total liberated sur-face area when combined with the surface area gener-ated by the 4,500 events recorded downhole. Evaluation of reservoir stimulation over a wider-

magnitude range using the hybrid configurationallows for a more accurate assessment of reservoirdeformation and fracturing processes associated withstimulations than would have been achieved usingtraditional microseismic techniques alone. Visit ESG Solutions at booth 2348 for more

information.n

Understanding Seismic Energy Release andImplications for Stimulated Surface Area Multi-array microseismic data reveal that up to 83% of seismic energy released during hydraulic fracturing might be caused by a handful of largermagnitude events.

Figure 1. Microseismic events colored by moment magnitude are shown on the left. At right, a microseismic-derived discrete fracture network was obtained using data from a hybrid sensor network. Larger magnitudeseismic events represent considerably larger fracture surface areas and result in more energy release andreservoir deformation compared to typical microseismic events. (Image courtesy of ESG Solutions)


Contributed by Emerson Process Management

For all the benefits reservoir modeling has broughtover the last few years, limitations still remain as

to how data are captured and analyzed, the linkbetween the seismic data and the model, and the dif-ficulties in quantifying uncertainties and improvingreservoir management decision-making. Too often, there is a focus on just a single reservoir

model despite data supporting different interpreta-tions. There also can be an ambiguity in the seismicdata—especially if only a portion of the earth’sresponse is captured within a seismic image orwhere there are bandwidth limitations.Furthermore, the time-consuming nature of the

seismic interpretation and model-building process(especially with large 2-D and 3-D seismic datasets)and long lead times in taking the model to simula-tion can result in delays to reservoir volume estimatesand ultimately to decisions relating to bid valuations,production estimates and operational plans.At SEG’s Annual Meeting, Emerson Process

Management wil l be demonstrat ing thepotential of reservoir modeling through itsRoxar reservoir management software solu-tion and new Model-Driven Interpretation(MDI) workflow.The company’s vision is simple: an integrated,

flexible seismic-to-simulation workflow wherethe modeler can move back and forth betweendomains (seismic interpretation and structuralmodeling, for example), receive instant feedbackon measurements, and capture uncertainty andincrease confidence in reservoir managementdecisions from the outset.In this way, operators can make informed

decisions across the prospect life cycle on crucialareas such as where to drill, what productionstrategies to adopt and how to maximize oil andgas recovery.MDI, developed within Emerson’s reservoir

modeling software Roxar RMS, enables model-ers to not only create the geological modelwhile conducting seismic interpretation but, forthe first time, to also capture uncertainty duringthe interpretation process. MDI quantifies geologic r isk early and

allows geoscientists to guide and update themodel directly from the seismic and other data.Rather than creating one model with thou-sands of individual measurements, the newworkflow enables interpreters to create thou-sands of models by estimating uncertainty intheir measurements. Interpreters can use MDI to calculate proba-

bilities for different outcomes with uncertaintyinformation collected and paired with geologicfeatures to accurately represent the geologicstructure. Interpreters also can see what parts ofthe model are most uncertain and where moredetailed analysis is needed.So what does the new workflow mean to

reservoir modeling? The benefits can be seen inthe quality of the models and the speeds inwhich they are generated.First, MDI can generate a highly accurate depic-

tion of the geometry and properties within thereservoir. Geoscientists can guide and update a 3-D geologically consistent structural model directlyfrom the seismic and other data, resulting in amore complete representation of the reservoir. A Middle Eastern operator is using MDI to

calculate gross rock volume (GRV) uncertaintyon a high-profile offshore field. MDI is creatingP10, P50 and P90 GRV values that providevaluable input and reduce risk in future fieldappraisal and development plans.It’s through MDI that early estimates of reser-

voir volumes can be generated to support future

commercial decisions. Operators also can make pre-dictions of horizon or fault positions and integratethese with LWD data and precision steering toreduce drilling risk.Secondly, the new workflow can dramatically

accelerate the decision-making life cycle. MDI cangenerate a more complete representation of the datain less time with models updated in real time andoften built on relatively sparse data, with the flexiblebut integrated nature of the process ensur ingincreased productivity throughout asset teams. Leaner asset teams, shorter decision-making

time scales and domain experts are able to quicklyintegrate and share knowledge across the prospectlife cycle.Emerson’s new workflow places uncertainty man-

agement at the heart of reservoir decision-makingand can reduce lead times.Visit Emerson Process Management at booth 759

for more information. n

Unlocking the Value of Assets Through Model-Driven InterpretationNew workflow relies on uncertainty management for reservoir decision-making and can reduce lead times.

MDI enables users to not only create the geological model while conductingseismic interpretation but also to capture uncertainty while interpreting.(Image courtesy of Emerson Process Management)


By Ariana Benavidez, Associate Editor, E&P

Denver is famous for more than its Mile Highnickname. It’s also known for its breathtaking

scenic beauty, spectacular dining, abundant numberof attractions and the 225-km-long (140-mile-long) Rocky Mountains panorama. Amid the variety of attractions the city offers is

the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, opendaily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 2001 Colorado Blvd.Currently, the museum is showcasing its “Whales:Giants of the Deep” exhibit, which features morethan 20 skulls and skeletons, including that of a 18-m-long (58-ft-long) sperm whale. Also on displayis a life-size replica of a blue whale heart that isequivalent to the size of a car. Admission is $13.For more information, visit dmns.org.However, if art better suits your fancy, be sure to

check out the “Matisse and Friends” exhibit at theDenver Art Museum. The paintings on display arefrom the National Gallery of Art in Washington,D.C., and featured artists include André Derain,Albert Marquet, Maurice de Vlaminck, RaoulDufy, Georges Braque and Kees Van Dongen, inaddition to Henri Matisse. The museum hours are10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 10a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, and it is located at 100 W.14th Ave. Pkwy. Admission is $13. For more infor-mation, visit denverartmuseum.org.Perhaps after a full day of SEG events, sitting

down to a satisfying gourmet meal sounds like themore relaxing option. In that case, check out one ofDenver’s top spots for dining: Guard and Grace. Thisfine-dining steakhouse located at 1801 CaliforniaSt. offers more than just succulent beef. Entreesinclude Skuna Bay salmon, Hawaiian tuna, RockyMountain trout, prime rib, New York strip, filetmignon and rack of lamb, among many other

options. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 10p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.on Friday and 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday. See thefull lunch and dinner menus at guardandgrace.com. If you’d like something with a more casual setting,

try Old Major on 3316 Tejon St. and see why USAToday named this place one of the 10 best dininghot spots in Denver. The entrees include a 21-daydry-aged Colorado rib eye, Block Island swordfish,lobster, fish and chips, roasted chicken, smokedcountry sausage and homemade pasta with clams.To make a reservation or to view the full menu,go to oldmajordenver.com.Want to squeeze in some shopping before leav-

ing the Mile High City? One unique shoppingexperience can be had at the Rockmount RanchWear flagship store and museum. Denver’s veryown fashion pioneer Papa Jack Weil invented thewestern snap-button shirt and opened his shop in

1946. He sold his shirts to everyone from presi-dents to rock stars, including Eric Clapton andBruce Springsteen. Weil worked daily until he was107 years old, passing away in 2008. VisitRockmount for your very own western-style shirtsouvenir at 1626 Wazee St. in downtown Denver.Afterward, stroll on over to metro Denver’s No.

1 tourist attraction: 16th Street Mall. The 16-blockmall is packed with restaurants, cafés, public art andvast shopping options. From bookstores andcharming gift shops to brand name stores, there issomething for everyone. After a long day on theSEG show floor, shoppers might welcome hoppingon one of the free shuttles that run the length ofthe mall. Parking can be expensive and hard to finddue to the popularity of this attraction, so visit16thstreetmalldenver.com to make online parkingreservations or to retrieve a 16th Street map orshopping map. n

Mile High City Offers Feasting and FunDiscover all that Denver has to offer from its finest restaurants to its best attractions.

>> EUR continued from page 12>> PATHWAY continued from page 3

The 13th step on the west side of the Colorado State Capitol building isexactly 1,609 m (5,280 ft) above sea level—one mile high. (Image courtesy of Dave Falconer and Visit Denver)

The Denver Art Museum is housing a ‘Matisse and Friends’ display onloan from the National Gallery of Art. (Image courtesy of Steve Creceliusand Visit Denver)

intrasalt velocity variations. Inaccuracies in topsaltinterpretation result in errors in positioning base salt,which in turn degrade the subsalt image. A rugosetopsalt interface demands finer spatial sampling thanis achievable using conventional acquisition tech-niques—deficiencies that are naturally addressed bythe IsoMetrix system. Finally, at the subsalt level, reflected waves return-

ing to the surface from deep formations might beexpected to be near vertical. This might question theneed to measure horizontal pressure gradients.However, modeling studies demonstrate that evenareas of relatively simple subsurface structure andmoderate salt complexity can create strong distor-tions of the wavefield. Fine-scale isometric samplingmeans that such distortions are measured withoutspatial aliasing, ensure correct handling through thedata-conditioning stages and can even benefit thesubsalt image directly.In addition to adequate spatial sampling, it is

well known that azimuth diversity and long offsetsare important elements in ensuring good illumina-tion of subsalt plays. Various acquisition designshave been used to address this, such as wide-azimuth multivessel configurations. Designs basedon the Coil Shooting single-vessel full-azimuthacquisition technique also are prevalent. Theseprovide an efficient method of recording full-azimuth data and, when combined with multiplevessels, also can deliver long offsets. Field trialsperformed this summer demonstrate the compati-bility of IsoMetrix technology with a wide rangeof acquisition techniques to address offset andazimuth diversity. WesternGeco is featuring a daily booth theater

presentation highlighting the benefits of IsoMetrixtechnology for successfully navigating the pathwayto subsalt plays. Visit Schlumberger at booth 1319 formore information. n

“Investing in the best downhole acquisitiongeometry and leveraging SIGMA3 innovations in3-D anisotropic velocity modeling and enhancedsignal processing demonstrates high-confidenceevent locations delivered in the context of theearth model,” Machnizh said. “Doing things rightcosts money, but it is far more expensive to wastemoney on costly nonproductive frack stages bynot implementing a comprehensive integrated sci-ence that can be validated in real time.” In part-nership with FracGeo, the company is doinggeomechanical modeling that can predict micro-seismicity before the microseismic data areacquired and thus can help to better design themicroseismic acquisition and completions engi-neering to improve success.When it comes to engineering services integra-

tion, determining the best way to complete andfrack is about production response. Operators maxi-mize return on investment by drilling the optimalnumber of wells and leveraging their trajectories tomake the most of reservoir properties. SIGMA³engineers have performed more than 35,000 stages,including onsite stimulation programs on major pro-ducing basins worldwide. Optimized fracturing cam-paigns lead to fewer costly stages and better recovery.

Manage reservoir variability through integration Discrete solutions do not address the value of inte-grated reservoir characterization workflows thatenable real-time frack data and microseismic eventsto be processed, interpreted and visualized in tandemwith the earth models, well geometries and geome-chanical properties. This is the only way to managevariability and extract more from shale reservoirs.SIGMA³ is showcasing Integrated GeoEngineering

workflows, including seismically driven reservoircharacterization, subsurface microseismic, comple-tions and onsite frack engineering, at booth 308. n

articles and, in so doing, the shared communityasset. As always, the wikithon is open to all annualmeeting attendees, regardless of wiki experience. Doyou excel at correcting grammar? Are you interestedin connecting SEG entries with one another? Is thewiki missing photographs (hint: yes)? If you are anexperienced wiki champion, we need you, too. For several of the wikithon sessions, we will be

joined by staff and researchers representingGeoscientists Without Borders (GWB). If you areinterested in learning more about their projects orassisting with launching GWB-specific programand project wiki pages, we’ll see you in Denver. Wehave a good start (wiki.seg.org/wiki/geoscientists_with-out_borders) but always welcome more help. If you are reading this and thinking, “Hey, I know

what the wiki really needs,” stop by the wikithonduring the annual meeting and introduce yourself(or send me an email). I look forward to assistingyou in crafting contributions that advance the sci-ence of applied geophysics. If you would like to takethe discussion to the wiki itself, click on the discus-sion tab on wiki.seg.org/wiki/wikithon_2014. Withinthe tab, we appreciate any questions or thoughts youmight have about all things wiki.

Seismic data analysis in the SEG WikiOz Yilmaz’s renowned book “Seismic Data Analysis”is now fully available as an open-access book in theSEG Wiki. With its launch, SEG’s two best-sellingbooks, “Seismic Data Analysis” and “Sher iff ’sEncyclopedia Dictionary of Applied Geophysics,”are freely available at wiki.seg.org. I invite you toevolve, expand and transform “Seismic DataAnalysis” to reflect the latest in science and technol-ogy via wiki contributions. Join us at the 2014wikithon in Denver to discuss the new addition of“Seismic Data Analysis” and the exciting plans wehave for the year ahead. n

>> WIKI continued from page 16

Contributed by Spectrum

In clastic depositional settings such as the SergipeBasin, amplitude vs. offset (AVO) techniques areimportant direct hydrocarbon identification toolsfor E&P and development teams. Brazil’s NationalPetroleum Agency, ANP, recently announced thatthe Sergipe Basin will likely be included in Round13, which suggests there will be considerableopportunity for additional prospecting in this basin.AVO analysis will prove to be important as theexploration cycle expands and progresses to devel-opment in this basin. The Sergipe Basin is a relatively mature hydrocar-

bon province on the northeast coast of Brazil com-prising 44,370 sq km (17,131 sq miles) both onshoreand offshore. Petrobras has made several offshore dis-coveries since 2010, including the 2010 Barra well(1-SES-158) and the subsequent Barra 1 appraisalwell (3-SES-165). The wells targeted oil- and gas-charged Maastrichtian sandstones that displayreadily identifiable AVO anomalies on 2-D seis-mic profiles.

Seismic dataIn 2013, Spectrum reprocessed 8,200 km (5,095miles) of seismic data using modern prestacktime and depth imaging algorithms. The seismicdata were acquired with an 8-km (5-mile)streamer in 1999, providing a wide range ofreflection angles for quantitative interpretation.The reprocessing illustrates clear images ofstratigraphic features within the prospective sec-tion, and numerous potential AVO anomaliesare evident. Two profiles near the 1-SES-158Barra discovery well were selected, and the digi-tal logs from this well were incorporated intothe analysis.

Discovery wellThe Barra discovery well was drilled in 2010 in2,341 m (7,680 ft) of water, reaching a depth of6,510 m (21,358 ft). Porosity and permeabilityconditions in the reservoir are excellent atdepths of 4,650 m to 4,750 m (15,256 ft to15,584 ft), where drillstem tests indicate thepresence of commercial quantities of gas andcondensate. The sandstones encountered in theBarra well are about 80 m (262 ft) thick, andwell tests indicate a high-porosity gas-chargedreservoir. The accompanying figure shows astrike line near the Barra 1 well with the AVOanomaly highlighted by brackets.

AVO attributesFor mid- to high-porosity sandstones encasedin shales or mudstones, gas- and light oil-sat-urated sandstones can be identified usingAVO techniques with high-quality long-off-set seismic data.Available well data show that the sandstone

in the Barra well has 25% to 33% porosity,with velocities that are equivalent to or slightlyfaster than shale velocities and sand densitiesthat are less than the shale densities. AVOmodeling indicates a Class 2 to Class 3 AVOresponse, depending on the thickness of thesand modeled. Computed AVO attributes indi-cate that enhanced gradient (FNxF) and scaledPoisson’s ratio change (SPR) attributes shouldbe diagnostic for sands of sufficient thickness.SPR change is the weighted sum of the

AVO intercept and g radient, where theweighting is determined by the backgroundvelocity rat io of the geology. The SPRattribute is a fluid factor AVO attribute thatshould il luminate hydrocarbon-saturatedreservoirs and marginalize wet- or brine-satu-rated reservoirs. The FNxF attribute is com-

puted by calculating the difference betweenthe far-angle stack and the near-angle stackand multiplying the difference by the far-angle stack. Angle ranges are used in place ofoffset ranges so they are optimized for thegeology and objective depth.To determine whether AVO attribute stacks

can identify potential hydrocarbon reservoirs,2-D seismic profiles that tie the Barra discoverywell were analyzed. For each of these profilesan SPR and FNxF stack were computed, bothof which show visible anomalies for the highporosity gas-saturated sands found in the Barradiscovery well.Based on the available well data and the 2-D

profiles covering this basin, AVO anomaliesfrom SPR and FNxF attributes can identify hydro-carbon charge in sandstone reservoirs for thick sandswith 18% or higher porosity. This screening processwill not necessarily eliminate other geologies with

lower velocity ratios; however, it will highlightprospective anomalies and cull out leads andprospects that do not exhibit AVO signatures associ-ated with hydrocarbons. n

Direct Hydrocarbon Indicators from Calibrated AVO Stacks AVO techniques will be integral to the Sergipe Basin exploration cycle.


An AVO-conditioned stack using 4 degrees to 32 degrees after noise attenuation andresidual moveout corrections is shown. The multilegged seismic amplitude anomaly isbracketed in blue. The projected well path is shown by the green line. (Image cour-tesy of Spectrum)


Standardization will allow companies to managedata for the long term, providing an audit trail of dataloading, identification of data sources, management ofaccess/entitlements and tagging data quality.The MetaStore 2.0 beta version includes basic

data management, analytical and visualization capa-bilities on the PPDM database (supporting bothOracle and MS SQL Server).

The future is openThe Metastore has been designed as a fully flexible,open system with an open door policy to allow ven-dors to either write data access routines or provide anAPI such that any vendor’s data or proprietary rockproperty data may be stored, queried and accessed inthe system.Giving companies the ability to create compre-

hensive and accessible repositories of their dataassets using open technology shifts the emphasisaway from data management as a passive task andencourages active engagement with end users.Demos of the Ikon MetaStore will run daily at

booth 1208. n

this study, the company displayed uncertainty tothree standard deviations or a 95% uncertaintyrange. In this display, the lower values, or red color,indicate a more reliable value of the inversion. Theyellow color indicates a larger uncertainty, i.e. lessreliable inversion. A vertical yellow bar to the left of the display also

can be observed—this is an area of limited seismiccoverage, with an associated lower confidence in theinversion. In addition, for this pass of the processing,a small degree of residual moveout was left on thegathers. This can be seen per the uncertainty volumeas yellow spectrum colors that correspond to majorevents along the seismic line. This clearly indicates aneed to review the preprocessing of the data.The key risk in any inversion lies with the quality

of the preprocessing. It’s a simple formula: Thegreater the quality, the lower the risk. ION opti-mizes data quality by embedding a reservoir charac-terization specialist within the processing team. Ateach stage of processing, the parameters selected arechecked to confirm that the resultant data still meetthe stringent criteria necessary for elastic inversion.By following this rigorous workflow, the companycan reduce the possibility that preprocessing willyield data inadequate for reservoir prediction. Thiswould prove a significant risk were the preprocess-ing done elsewhere.Through careful preprocessing and the analysis of

uncertainty offered through the PrecisION work-flow, ION seeks to improve the reliability of the dataused to predict reservoir properties and relatedprospect and/or field economics. n

The advent and adoption of autonomous cable-free systems in recent years has circumventedmany of the cable systems’ problems. Theseautonomous nodal systems tend to be lower inweight and volume than cable systems.Operators simply deploy them in the field andleave them to acquire data, trusting that data arebeing recorded and that the spread remainswithin specification (e.g., noise levels, quality ofgeophone coupling, etc.). As the electronics ofthese systems are reliable, this choice is often asafe bet. Contractors don’t have to wait on therecording system status to start shooting, so pro-ductivity is limited by the energy source, not bythe recording system.Since autonomous nodes are blind, the user has

no idea if they are recording or are still in place.They have no real-time quality control, making itimpossible to monitor the state of the spread. Data

have to be harvested from the nodes by bringingthem back to the camp or by harvesting the data insitu using complex field terminals. The contractorhas to invest in and mobilize large transcriptiontrailers to house the expensive computers neededto carry out this work. The user has to wait fordays or weeks to see the data produced by skilledtechnicians in the field, which often leads to delaysin making informed decisions on the ongoing sur-vey parameters.Up to 20% extra units are needed in the field

with some nodal systems since they need to betaken off the line for harvesting and batteryrecharging. At the end of the survey, all of thenodes are brought back to camp, resulting in ahuge backlog as they wait to be harvested.Wireless Seismic’s RT System 2 is an alternative

system that seeks to offer the best of both worlds.The system architecture is best imagined as acable system, where the cables are replaced byhigh-bandwidth radios that transmit data wire-

lessly in real time between wireless remote units(WRUs). The system works by digitizing the ana-log input data from the geophones and storingthem in the WRU’s memory. The data are thenstreamed through the telemetry system to thecentral recording system. As the transmission dis-tance between WRUs is small, the system is notsubject to the limitations of other radio architec-tures. RT System 2 is free from the drawbacks ofcabled systems and offer s the benefits ofautonomous nodes.The system features a hybrid radio telemetry

system so that if a WRU loses radio connectivity,its internal GPS turns on and continues to recordseamlessly, storing data into its large flash memory.When radio connectivity is restored, the buffereddata are transmitted wirelessly to the centralrecorder, as telemetry bandwidth permits, and theinternal GPS switches off to extend battery life. Visit Wireless Seismic at booth 908 for more

information. n

truncation against the complex salt overhang are veryimportant to increase confidence while prospect map-ping. Analysis of the legacy vertical transverse isotropic(VTI) dataset showed mis-ties at key well locationsalong dipping salt flanks, which established the needfor a tilted transverse isotropic (TTI) approach duringmodel building. Major steps in the depth-modelingworkflow included calibration of the existing modelwith checkshot information, estimation of epsilon anddelta parameters using an automated focusing analysisand multiple iterations of grid-based tomography forsediment definition to solve for both the short andlong wavelength features of velocity anomalies in themodel. Both Kirchhoff migration and reverse timemigration (RTM) were used for salt body interpreta-tion and modeling. Broadband processing helpedimprove the low-frequency signal in the subsalt, whichgenerated good-quality picks on the migrated gathers.For subsalt velocity and model updating, both conven-tional tomography and RTM-based delayed imagetime (DIT) scans also were used.

Image comparisonsThe reprocessed data showed better overall resolu-tion due to the Clari-Fi processing that had beenapplied. In particular, the major and subtle fault fea-tures are more interpretable as visible on the depthslice. In addition to better ties at the well locationsalong the steep flanks due to well calibration andTTI modeling, the signal below salt and subsalttruncations are now better focused due to usage ofRTM and DIT. Visit TGS at booth 825 for more information. n

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>> HYBRID continued from page 19

>> EARTH continued from page 19 >> IMAGING continued from page 22

Exhibition HoursSunday, Oct. 26 (Icebreaker)........6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 27 ..............................9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 28..............................9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 29.......................9 a.m. to 4 p.m.


“We find that there are areas that are not servedby our national meetings,” Liner said. “We feel likewe need to get out there.”SEG and AAPG also are collaborating on the

journal Interpretation, which launched in 2013.Interpretation is a peer-reviewed journal for advanc-ing the practice of subsurface interpretation. “That’sa cooperative effort with AAPG,” he said. “Wealternate between editors that are SEG membersand AAPG members.”SEG is expanding in other ways as well.

Recently the society brought a near-surface geo-physics group from Germany into the fold. Linersaid that a large segment of the membership isinvolved with near-surface issues, and it already hada section, so it brought a pre-existing society onboard that wanted to join the larger organization.The topic of near-surface geophysics is becomingincreasingly important as geophysicists becomeinvolved with environmental issues and productionseismic, he said.“One of the things we’re trying to do is bring

together all of these different constituencies andemphasize that they’re working on the same thing,”he said. “It’s also an area where we have nonseis-mic. There’s a lot of work done on conductivity,gravity, magnetics and other methods. Those thingsare front and center in the near surface.”Taking the reins of a thriving society might seem

like an easy task, but Liner said there are always chal-lenges ahead. For one thing, the industry as a wholeis enjoying a sustained period of high commodityprices. “That really sets the tone in everything wedo,” he said. “If that were to change, we could havepressure on our membership like everyone else.”Now is the time, he added, to build up reserves andput things in place to handle that kind of shock.

“We realize right now that things are prettygood, and we just want to fine-tune everything towhere it’s sustainable. Growth for its own sake issort of a zero-sum game.”And while students are always a strong focus for

the society, SEG isn’t ignoring its baby-boomermembers. Liner doesn’t expect many of these oldermembers to retire and spend their days golfing or flyfishing; they’re more likely to become consultantsand stay active members. “We do want to be awareof them as a group, though,” he said. OutgoingPresident Don Steeples has created a volunteer reg-istry for people who want to become more activewithin the society. It has already proven its value.“We had someone ask about one of our founda-

tion projects, and we had to dig very deep to findout who to talk to about it,” he said. “We will soonhave a button on the SEG web page that simply says,‘volunteer.’ You click that, give your information,which committees you’re interested in and whatkinds of projects, and that gets pushed out to theappropriate person on staff and the volunteer base.“Once you get to be this size—30,000 members,

100 employees—it’s about lines of communicationwithin your organization staying open,” he added. So what’s on Liner’s agenda for his upcoming

presidency? “Well, now, isn’t that an interestingquestion?” he quipped. “I’m not coming in with abig, audacious project in mind.” Easy for him to say.One of his hopes is to mend fences with theEuropean Association of Geoscientists andEngineers, which used to co-sponsor some ofSEG’s initiatives but has not been as involvedrecently. Liner is good friends with the incomingpresident of the association, Mohammed Al-Faraj,and hopes to leverage that into a stronger intersoci-ety relationship.“We have what I consider to be an historic

opportunity to make it a good working relation-

ship that helps our joint membership,” he said. “Wehave a significant overlap in membership. There’sno sense in us not cooperating.”He’s also continuing the work of previous presi-

dents in terms of enabling more members to haveaccess to the annual meeting, even if they can’tattend in person. Concepts like digital posters and apay-as-you-go ability to listen to a session on acomputer would reach many members who aren’table to travel. Liner said that even though theseconventions attract up to 10,000 people, not all aremembers, and the annual meeting only represents8% to 10% of SEG worldwide membership.“With 65% of our membership outside the

United States, there are many remote members outthere who would like to sit in on a session of theirinterest and hear the talks as they’re presented,” hesaid. “We don’t have that capability now. But we’redefinitely working on it.” Denver attendees will also enjoy the benefits of a

streamlined registration process, he said. “The ques-tion is how you scale things up,” he said. “Ourmeetings have been getting progressively largereach year. You never have a quantum jump whereyou just say, ‘We’ve got to do something different,’but after a while it builds up to say, ‘Surely there’ssomething we can do better.’”Liner also is tasked with leading the search for a

new executive director to replace Steven Davis,who will be leaving the society when his contractexpires. “We look forward to finding the right per-son to lead SEG going forward.” The hope is tohave a new director in place in mid-2015.Overall, the goal going forward is to continue to

give the members what they want and expect froma professional society. “We want SEG to be an asso-ciation of choice for people doing applied geo-physics, to reinforce that brand,” Liner said. “Andwe want to do it well.” n

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>> FEATURES continued from page 1

and signage to special new events including a mem-bers-only reception, students’ open mike night and asneak peek of New Orleans 2015. This is also thefirst year we have provided child care for our atten-dees, an initiative brought by the SEG Women’sNetworking Committee.”SEG seeks to bring the most up-to-date trends and

technologies to delegates and exhibitors during thisyear’s show. Major changes include faster registration,with delegates able to scan the QR code found ontheir confirmation email at self-serve kiosks at theconvention center and select conference hotels. Inaddition, exhibitors can visit the exhibitor rebookingbooth to view an online live digital floor plan of SEG’s2015 New Orleans event and book their booth. The Denver event will kick off with an opening

state-of-the-society address by SEG President DonSteeples, followed by the forum “Threats andOpportunities: Disruptive Innovation in Oil andGas” by Rutt Bridges. The show also will include aspecial session on the Asia-Pacific region, studentprograms that offer the chance to interact with sea-soned professionals and a Wednesday night wrap-upparty at Denver’s Museum of Nature and Science. “We hope that this year’s annual meeting offers

attendees the chance to connect with more than 350companies from around the world, people frommore than 85 countries and the industry’s mostqualified professionals,” McGuire said. The show alsooffers the chance for attendees to be inspired by thelatest technological advances, to network and, withmore than 120 educational sessions, propel theircareers and industry knowledge. The technical program reflects the annual meeting’s

theme of “connect, inspire, propel, climb” and is at theheart of the event, according to Bradley Birkelo, SEGAM technical program chair. This year’s technical pro-gram, which is roughly the same size as last year’s,encountered a record number of abstract submissionsthat required the addition of sessions to accommodatethe increased demand for presentation slots. “SEG’s Annual Meeting Technical Program reflects

the relevant geophysical problems of our day,” Birkelosaid. “These problems range from full waveform inver-

sion to rock properties estima-tion from reflection seismicdata. The common thread forthese applications is the desire touse our geophysical data to pro-vide more quantitative informa-tion about the subsurface.”The program addresses the

recent trend of geophysical appli-cations targeting unconventionaloil and gas reservoirs. The near-surface mining and geothermalgeophysical communities alsowill present work applying simi-

lar techniques toward engineering and groundwater-related problems.Many members attend the meeting for the knowl-

edge-sharing that takes place, and the benefits ofattending the technical program are just as great.“For researchers, the technical program represents anopportunity to share their work with their col-leagues and receive feedback directly from their fel-low researchers,” Birkelo said. The material presented in the technical program

often serves to inspire and guide others’ researchefforts. As such, many SEG members look to the tech-nical program for the latest ideas and innovations thatthey can apply to their daily jobs. “Nowhere else willyou find such a concentrated collection of appliedgeophysics ideas,” Birkelo added. “Our student mem-bers often use the SEG Annual Meeting as their firstopportunity to present their work to a group of theirprofessional peers outside of their institution. No mat-ter who you are, staying abreast of the latest geophysi-cal developments pays you dividends for your career.” The technical program will include several special

sessions built around topics of heightened interest tomembers, including a session dedicated to invitedpapers from the 2013 Unconventional ResourcesTechnology Conference (URTeC). “The URTeCpapers highlight interdisciplinary collaboration withgeophysics, geology and engineering all contributingto an integrated understanding for unconventionalreservoirs,” Birkelo explained.

Other special sessions will focus on hydrogeophysics,marine seismic acquisition environmental issues andwhat microseismic data can say about fluid flow. “Embedded in the near-surface technical program

are a number of papers relating to projects funded bythe SEG Foundation program, Geoscientists WithoutBorders,” Birkelo said. “These papers document andhighlight the applied geophysical work being done toimprove the lives of people throughout the world.”The special session “Recent Advances and the

Road Ahead” will provide a look into the future ofapplied geophysics. The technical program also fea-tures a special session with papers from this year’shighlighted global region, Asia-Pacific. The number of submitted abstracts was a record at

1,634. From these abstracts, the technical programcommittee created a program of 984 presentedpapers. In addition, the technical program also willinclude 72 oral presentations, 15 poster sessions and36 oral discussion (e-poster) sessions. New this year,each oral discussion session will take place in its ownroom to eliminate any cross-talk. “We are givingauthors the same 15 minutes for their presentations,but we have extended the discussion time afterwardto 10 minutes to allow additional discussion betweenthe author and the audience,” Birkelo said.The technical program is scheduled to contain 21

post-convention workshops focused on topicsincluding induced seismicity, the use of geophysicsin reserves estimation, reservoir and caprockintegrity modeling, rock physics of unconventionalreservoirs, and full waveform inversion. “The post-convention workshops represent an opportunity tolook at the various topics in more focused detailwith an opportunity for greater interaction with thepresenters,” Birkelo said. Because it can be challenging for members to

attend all of the presentations that might be of inter-est to them, SEG will be electronically recordingpresentations for playback the following day at oneof the on-demand viewing stations. SEG also will belive-streaming the presidential address, the forum ondisruptive technologies and the “Recent Advancesand the Road Ahead” special session. n

Melanie McGuire is seniormanager of conventions andmeetings operations.

Documents

2014 SEG Annual Meeting - EMGS -