Joint petrophysical inversion of electromagnetic, seismic, and fluid flow data for improved hydrocarbon exploration and production
Accurate determination of formation petrophysical properties such as porosity, permeability, and fluid contents, is essential for hydrocarbon exploration and production. These parameters are conventionally retrieved indirectly from geophysical measurements such as electromagnetic and seismic surveys via specialized interpretation. More specifically, electromagnetic data can be inverted to provide a resistivity image of the subsurface, while seismic data are typically used to image the subsurface structures as well as the velocity distribution. Translating electrical resistivity and seismic velocity into petrophysical properties relies on appropriate rock physics models. However, the inversion results from electromagnetic and seismic data are associated with uncertainty and artifacts due to the inherent non-uniqueness of the non-linear inverse problems, which may lead to ambiguous interpretation. On the other hand, reservoir model history matching is an essential element for hydrocarbon production prediction and management. Fluid flow data such as production rate and bottom-hole pressure are the traditional sources for reservoir model history matching but nevertheless their sensitivity to reservoir parameters is limited and localized. Recently, electromagnetic and seismic data have been considered as additional sources for history matching as they can provide information about reservoir properties with effective coverage in the interwell regions.