Abstract: E&P Companies, different types of data, fairway mapping and geomodels

E&P companies are looking at data differently than they did in the past. The reason why they are doing this is because data drives big economical decisions including the sanctioning of a new play which is when the board decides to create a budget to buy data and land to enter a new play. E&P companies are also moving away from the Geoscientists and Engineers working as individuals on the data creating their own maps and analysis towards working together collaboratively and using a geomodel as the repository of the data across the area.

The biggest problem encountered in the past with building geomodels was the work converting the data into a standard dataset. There are several mnemonics for each type of well curve (i.e. sonic has DELT; DTC; DT; etc.) and there just needs to be just one unique mnemonic for each type of well curve. The geological tops also need to be standardized as well as the seismic horizons. The standards need to be consistent. The goal is to be able to run a geomodel within 2 to 3 weeks to obtain the necessary answers about purchasing a lease; participating in a well; or drilling a well.

The emphasis is on working as an integrated team utilizing Geoscientists, Petrophysicists and Engineers using data from the different disciplines to build a static model which will then be used for the reservoir simulation and the understanding of fluid flows.

Even the Data Management is becoming an integrated team being referred to as Petrotech. Petrotech looks at standards, how the data should be loaded, loads all the data using the standards and are not only understanding the data but how the software handles the data so there are elements of Data Management, Information Technology (IT), Geology, Geophysics, Petrophysics, and Engineering on the Petrotech team.