Time-lapse seismic in the Sabiriyah oilfield - Kuwait

Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) has been conducting, in relation to time-lapse 3D seismic (4D), petrophysical modeling studies and 4D pilots in its onshore o ilfields. Reservoir characterization utilizes data from several disciplines that incl ude many uncertainties due to an incomplete data set. Incompleteness in the data set results in non-uniqueness and high dimensionality. Consequently, stochastic or geostatistical modeling is used while a pure deterministic kn owledge, which is desirable, is currently unattainable. A 4D study in Sabir iyah Oilfield has indicated that reservoir characterization could become mo re deterministic than stochastic with fluid flow data interpreted from 4D. Hence, 4D seismic technology has enormous potential. Studies have also been initiated with the objective of establishing the eco nomic feasibility of optimizing the location of injection and in-fill produ ction wells based on fluid flow gradient maps derived from 4D seismic, rath er than on a geometric pattern. The results, to date, of these activities in both carbonate and elastic res ervoirs are very encouraging. Consequently, KOC has plans to enhance the ev aluation of the existing data sets and to extend such studies to other rese rvoirs and fields.