China Petroleum Exploration ›› 2016, Vol. 21 ›› Issue (6): 9-17.

• EXPLORATION MANAGEMENT • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Key issues in application of seismic technology in petroleum exploration, appraisal and development stages

Long Yuguang, Zhang Yan, Dong Shitai   

  1. PetroChina Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development
  • Online:2016-11-10 Published:2016-11-10

Abstract: Seismic technology is the core for petroleum exploration, and it is gradually extended to petroleum appraisal and development stages. In the petroleum exploration, appraisal and development stages, when the geologic tasks, understandings and available data are different, the requirements for seismic technology are varying. Accordingly, it is necessary to clarify key issues in application of seismic technology during different stages, so as to ensure the appropriateness of the technology. During the exploration stage with limited data available for the concerned area, prospects, specific target and geologic conditions, seismic technology is indispensible. During the appraisal stage with clarified constraints, seismic technology may be deployed to determine favorable lithologies, reservoir properties and oil/gas-bearing potential, with much higher accuracy required than that in the exploration stage. During the development stage, seismic technology is mainly used to highlight the detailed features of specific reservoirs and oil pools; though geologists are less dependent on seismic technology, the technology can still be extensively deployed.

Key words: reservoir, appraisal and development, seismic technology application, key issue