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Geology & Geophysics technology advances will be greater to meet the challenges of fnding the smaller felds, more subtle traps and traps in hard-to explore areas and reduc- ing costs.

A typical question is often simply “How do we start?” followed by “How can an objective and audit- able assessment be made, what are the controlling factors, what data is needed and which factors are really important?” As always, the geology is the starting point and resource assessments are only meaningful if they take the petroleum system Visualize the interplay between regional tectonics, salt morphology, and the over- risk factors that control burden to identify potential oil and gas traps. Combine powerful 3D rendering and advanced edge-detection attributes with multi-Z salt interpretation for delineation and the development of the characterization diapirs, domes, and other salt structures.

resource into account. It is also essential that all of

Streamlining simulator and the INTERSECT high-reso- the underlying data can be audited and the efforts are further lution reservoir simulator to perform fow entire assessment workfow is reproducible supported by the simulations. Optimization and experimen- and open for critical reviews.

Evaluate uncertainty from play to prospect

Studio E&P knowledge environment tal design techniques allow rapid analysis scale, calculate chance of success and

OE: It must be difcult to train operator that enables multi-user collaboration, as of multiple realizations to evaluate numer- risked volumes, and move prospects through to the exploration drilling program.

staf on all these new technologies for well as effective capturing and sharing of ous development alternatives to come up

Images from Schlumberger.

deepwater exploration and keep a high knowledge between remote users. with a robust feld development plan. knowledge standard with fast changing

Deepwater exploration uses techniques

OE: What specifc, software-related mea- OE software capabilities.

: In general, how does software, like Pe- based on acoustic and elastic inversion, surements are required to address reser- trel, change the way deepwater exploration

Neber: Yes. Modern training has to go rock physics analysis, and property mod- is conducted in the oil and gas industry?

voir engineering challenges in deepwater?

well beyond traditional software class- eling. In addition, pre-drill pore-pressure

Neber: Neber: room training and support help fles. For analysis is key to evaluate pore pres- The primary goal of deepwater Until now, the majority of indus- example, technology adoption packages sures that might be encountered during reservoir studies is to answer essential try effort has been spent on defning the (TAP) combine consulting, targeted train- drilling. questions concerning structure, reservoir trap and reservoir. Also, in the past, the ing, deepwater workfow optimization and extent, compartmentalization, formation charge and seal analyses have been dif-

OE : How does Petrel make deepwater best-practice methodologies designed for quality, and producibility. Petrophysical fcult to use and integrate into a stream- exploration less risky and specifc workfows. and geological measurements can be lined geoscience workfow, although more cost efcient?

We also have a cloud-hosted workfow made while drilling to get an early a signifcant percentage of exploration

The Petrel E&P understanding of the reservoir and to failure is related to a lack of understand-

Neber: centric guidance module — Petrel Guru — software platform delivers plan further detailed data acquisition and ing of these processes. Today, software embedded in our Petrel platform. It allows collaborative workfows sampling programs. platforms like Petrel can address and a fully interactive automation of common that unite the subsurface Deepwater reservoirs are often thinly simulate charge and seal. Petrel incor- deepwater workfows, making common disciplines of geophysics, layered and highly laminated and the porates science and workfows from the tasks faster, more approachable and com- geology, geological model- assessment of each is critical for deci- PetroMod petroleum systems model- prehensible. ing, reservoir engineering sions on completions. ing software, and fault seal evaluation and drilling. Its frame- The analysis of fault distributions software, making them easier to perform Dr. Alexander Neber serves as technical work makes workfows based on downhole measurements and on an integrated system. The GeoX marketing manager, Software Integrated repeatable to ensure 3D seismic fault identifcation techniques exploration risk and resource assess- Solutions (SIS). He came to Schlumberger comprehensive uncer- is important. ment software has been integrated into in 2007. He worked as a petroleum tainty assessment from The Petrel platform unites the subsur- Petrel workfows for an easy-to-use and systems modeling and discipline lead for seismic to simulation. By face disciplines of geophysics, geology, scalable decision-support technology for exploration technology in the Middle East enabling disciplines to geological modeling, reservoir engineer- risk, resource and economic evaluation of and Asia. After two years as geoscience work together, all team ing and drilling to evaluate structure, exploration projects and portfolios. business manager in Australia, he joined members and their work reservoir extent, compartmentalization, the Schlumberger Software Integrated

OE: As new technologies continue to be processes contribute to developing a sin- formation quality and producibility. Earth- Solutions HQ team in 2014. He received developed, how do we see exploration gle volumetric earth model – static and model uncertainties are analyzed in the a diploma in geology from Frankfurt needs changing in the future?

dynamic – scalable for both deepwater Petrel platform and can be connected to University, Germany, and a PhD in sedi-

Neber: exploration and development projects. the ECLIPSE industry-reference reservoir In the future, the need for mentology from the University of Cologne.

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