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Australian Energy Producers Journal Australian Energy Producers Journal Society
Journal of Australian Energy Producers
RESEARCH ARTICLE (Non peer reviewed)

Full waveform inversion: early start of model building process to resolve the complex near surface model in the Exmouth sub-basin, North West Shelf Australia

Lianping Zhang A B , Haryo Trihutomo A , Yuelian Gong A , Bee Jik Lim A and Alexander Karvelas A
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A WesternGeco, Level 5, 256 St Georges Terrace, Perth, WA 6000, Australia.

B Corresponding author. Email: lzhang46@slb.com

The APPEA Journal 58(2) 884-889 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ17229
Accepted: 13 February 2018   Published: 28 May 2018

Abstract

The Schlumberger Multiclient Exmouth 3D survey was acquired over the Exmouth sub-basin, North West Shelf Australia and covers 12 600 km2. One of the primary objectives of this survey was to produce a wide coverage of high quality imaging with advanced processing technology within an agreed turnaround time. The complexity of the overburden was one of the imaging challenges that impacted the structuration and image quality at the reservoir level. Unlike traditional full-waveform inversion (FWI) workflow, here, FWI was introduced early in the workflow in parallel with acquisition and preprocessing to produce a reliable near surface velocity model from a smooth starting model. FWI derived an accurate and detailed near surface model, which subsequently benefitted the common image point (CIP) tomography model updates through to the deeper intervals. The objective was to complete the FWI model update for the overburden concurrently with the demultiple stages hence reflection time CIP tomography could start with a reasonably good velocity model upon completion of the demultiple process.

Keywords: CIP tomography, earth model building, Exmouth basin, full waveform inversion.

Lianping Zhang is an Earth Modelling Geoscientist for WesternGeco based in Perth, Australia. Lianping joined WesternGeco in 2011, moving to Perth in 2016. Her experience ranges from different depth modelling and imaging projects from across the world with current focus in offshore Australia and New Zealand.

Haryo Trihutomo has a BSc in Geophysics from University of Gadjah Mada, Indonesia. Haryo joined WesternGeco in 2010, currently based in Perth, Australia. He works as Project Manager with 8 years’ industry experience from various countries in Asia Pacific and Middle East.

Yuelian Gong is a Depth Imaging Geophysicist for WesternGeco based in Perth, Australia. Yuelian joined WesternGeco in 2014. Yuelian has experience in a wide range of time processing and depth imaging projects from across Asia-Pacific area, with a particular focus on offshore Australia, New Zealand and South China Sea.

Bee Jik Lim is an Area Geophysicist for WesternGeco based in Perth, Australia. She joined WesternGeco in 1999 and moved to Perth in 2010. She has over 18 years’ industry experience with extensive background in Seismic Data Processing and Earth Model Building and Imaging throughout various countries in Asia Pacific.

Alexander Karvelas is a geologist working for the Geology and Interpretation group at WesternGeco Multiclient. He has a wide range of experience having worked on multiple Multiclient projects around the world in varying geological settings, including the Gulf of Mexico, NW Europe, North Africa, and more recently in the Asia Pacific region.


References

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