Reservoir characterization and monitoring

Part of our work on reservoir characterization is carried out in close cooperation with the unit Geology. We develop methods that invert seismic data at high resolution by constraining the inversion process with geological knowledge. Moreover, we investigate the characterization of fractured reservoirs from their frequency-dependent response.

To monitor time-lapse changes in a reservoir during production, we combine time-lapse seismic monitoring with geomechanical modeling and investigate the interaction between oil production and changes in the overburden.

3D delineation of a reservoir (left) and changes in ‘traveltime-thickness’ of the reservoir between 2002 and 2004 (right).

There is an increasing interest for monitoring and controlling of subsurface processes, not only in hydrocarbon reservoirs, but also in environmental and engineering applications. In the coming years we will increase our efforts in further developing geophysical time-lapse methodology, which will be coupled with multiscale modelling of subsurface processes as well as with laboratory research on fractures, fracture networks and signatures of fractures.