Using Colored Inversion in the Geosteering and Well Placement: Bridging the Gap Between the Operations Geoscientists and Asset Geoscientists

Abstract Development of unconventional reservoirs requires optimum placement and geosteering of lateral wells through the target zone. In many instances, due to variable lithology and reservoir properties, well placement encounters many challenges thus necessitating more detailed studies. In many occasions, particularly during the appraisal phase of the reservoir, the lateral wells are preceded by the vertical pilot wells in order to accurately identify the reservoir zones and successfully guide the lateral well through the target. However, in the absence of pilot wells, the task to identify a suitable landing point and subsequent geosteering of the well becomes a challenging task. In order to alleviate the challenges so as to run a more successful well operation to optimize the cost and production, we propose a fast-track seismic-based approach to well design and planning. Our approach is based on the colored inversion attribute, which can be utilized to accurately identify the location and thickness of the subsurface target zones. The attribute is used to geosteer the well through the target zone, thus maximizing the possibility to effectively encounter the sweet spots along the lateral. In addition, we have used the colored inversion attribute, augmented with a well-driven low frequency model to accurately predict the total porosity of the reservoir.