Integrating Geology & Geophysics to assess seal risk ? An example of seismic interpretation to address sand juxtaposition across faults

Abstract

Understanding the geological risks is an essential process while exploring for hydrocarbons and seal risk is considered the primary reason for unsuccessful wells around the world. This paper focuses on a simple seismic interpretation workflow to address fault-seal sand juxtaposition risk in a structurally complex area. The geological nature of the fluvial reservoirs in the study area, combined with tilted fault blocks provides an effective sealing mechanism to trap hydrocarbons but also enhances leak points. The workflow uses 3D seismic data to analyse juxtaposition of sand bodies across faults, with some geophysical limitations. The presented method has been successfully applied to the study area and has significant implications in exploration pre-drill risks and post-drill evaluations. The results of this study reinforce the necessity to integrate a multidisciplinary evaluation with latest technology to obtain reliable subsurface assessments that effectively translates to better business decisions and improved exploratory success rates.