Through the Eyes of a Student

…A few months ago I was asked if I would like to be a part of a committee which would be organizing a symposium for the CSEG. Being a student, I wondered if I may be a little out of my league but I reluctantly accepted anyway. My position was…

Tracing the Industry

…I am writing this column on a beautiful day in January. As soon as I finish this column, I will be packing to head up to Banff for the weekend and take in some of the Doodlespiel events. It has been a few years since we have gone to the…

Grapevine

…Happy February everyone! The 40th Doodlespiel was held in Banff January 27th to 29th and it was GREAT! Huge thanks to Victor Irwin and his crew for putting on an anniversary event to remember. (Personally, I will have to remember NOT to wear high heeled boots on the ice for…

Quantitative Interpretation Part I: Method

Lee Hunt

…Summary Recent advances in drilling and completions technology, economics, and in our business model have been profound, and are overwhelmingly concerned with a quantitative description of material properties, stress, and azimuthal properties of our reservoir and its bounding materials. Surface seismic data can provide estimates of many of these variables,…

The future of geophysics in Canada’s oil and gas industry

…The role of geophysics within the Calgary-based oil and gas industry is currently in a state of transition. Declining conventional reserves and the emergence of resource plays have created a different set of geotechnical challenges, and the discipline of geophysics within this newly emerging business environment is redefining itself. The…

Rock Physics Facilities and Research in the Experimental Geophysics Group at the University of Alberta

Douglas R. Schmitt

…Introduction The Experimental Geophysics Group (EGG) carries out a wide variety of field and laboratory studies. These studies focus on understanding what controls the physical properties of rocks and how these relate to geophysical surface observations. Here, we hope to give some overview of the laboratory facilities that EGG has…

Jim Gaiser

An Interview with Jim Gaiser

…Jim let us begin by asking about your educational background and work experience. Looking back on my childhood, I was always fascinated by rock formations, the forces of nature and Geology. So as an undergraduate at Indiana University in Bloomington - where I grew up – I studied Geology and…

Presidential Column

…Welcome back after the 2011 Christmas break. I hope everyone had an opportunity to spend some time with their friends and loved ones over the holidays. It seemed to me that 2011 went by extremely quickly – no sooner did we hold the Doodlespiel in January (just a quick reference…

Executive Message

…It’s been three years since the election that catapulted me into the role of Vice President. After that, there was a bit of a wait as the inauguration was not until April 1st, 2009. The central theme of my 08/09 campaign was a promise to keep things the same, and…

CAGC Column

…Well it is that time of year again. We should see a white Christmas here in Southern Alberta but with temperatures hovering slightly above the freezing mark it will probably just be a “barely”. Winter work looks decent for the seismic sector. Certainly reports out on the street suggest far…

Tracing the Industry

…Happy New Year! I want to tell you about a new CSEG function that I am involved in. On March 22, 2012, the first CSEG Symposium will be held at the Telus Convention Centre. Each year, the Symposium will honor one or more prominent CSEG members. This year, the Symposium…

Grapevine

…Welcome to the New Year! Apart from the World Junior IIHF Hockey Championship that wrapped up earlier in Calgary (Go CANADA!); also coming up this month will be the 40th Anniversary Doodlespiel out in Banff from January 27th thru 29th, 2012… best of luck to all the teams. It sounds…

Azimuthal Fourier Coefficients

Jon Downton, Benjamin Roure and Lee Hunt

…Abstract Azimuthal AVO analysis can be split into two parts: the Amplitude Versus Offset (AVO) analysis and the Amplitude Versus Azimuth (AVAz) analysis. For regularly sampled data in azimuth, the properties of the Fourier transform allow these problems to be treated separately. If we calculate a Fourier transform of the…

Practical Seismic Petrophysics: The Effective Use of Log Data for Seismic Analysis

Tad Smith

…Abstract This study demonstrates empirical relationships derived from microseismic, 3D inversion attributes and 4D seismic to production in unconventional shale in the Horn River Basin. Production variations are explained through the use of the above mentioned tools and a careful investigation of stimulated rock volume. These production variations are shown…

Investigating anisotropy in rocks by using pulse transmission method

Jaime Meléndez Martínez and Douglas R. Schmitt

…Abstract Recent interest in unconventional reservoirs motivates our work in laboratory measurements of seismic anisotropy. Seismic anisotropy is the variation in speed of a wave as a function of its direction of propagation. Analyzing anisotropy in unconventional reservoirs is important since anisotropy leads, for example, to differential stresses upon loading…

Integration of Rate-Transient and Microseismic Analysis for Unconventional Gas Reservoirs: Where Reservoir Engineering Meets Geophysics

Christopher R. Clarkson

…Summary Unconventional gas reservoirs, including tight gas, coalbed methane and shale gas reservoirs, have become a significant source of natural gas supply in North America, and are becoming actively explored for, and in some cases exploited, globally. Most recently, liquids-rich (wet gas, gas condensate and light oil) plays have become…

Presidential Column

…Christmas carols are playing in the stores, staff parties are in full swing, and skiers and boarders are looking at the perpetual winter clouds that settle in over the various ski hills throughout the country this time of year. As our industry gears up for our most active season, so…

Executive Message

…This is going to be my last message on behalf of the CSEG Executive as my term in this role ends in March of 2012. It has been a pleasure serving on the Executive and I have enjoyed my stint immensely. Since my last note, we have been working diligently…

CAGC Column

…The recent delay on the Keystone Pipeline became more academic as the issue was allowed to bubble and fester in the public domain. Certainly in the end, Obama, facing an election in 2012, was in a lose-lose position in making any kind of decision before the election. In many ways,…

Grapevine

…p>Happy December! With the Season’s Greetings, I wish for all of you to have a safe and happy holiday season. And... for those of you on Santa’s naughty list (and I could name names, but won’t), I hear the Old Guy is open to bribes. Not that I know from…