Innovations in seismic data processing Practical experience of JSC Gazprom Neft cooperation with Yandex Terra (Seismotech Ltd.)
Objective: The Gazprom Neft Middle East B.V. Company owing a number of promising areas in Iraq faced the problem to conduct 3D CDP seismic survey over the area of 277 sq.km, carry out quality control, and on-the-fly processing of seismic data as soon as practicable with a view to quickly make a decision on deep well location. Area under investigation is characterized by complicated surface and seismic-and-geological conditions (significant changes in topography, and thrust tectonics, salt, respectively). The decision was made that the required quality and tight schedule of works can be met using the innovative solution of the Yandex Terra Company - Customer’s Computing Environment (CCE).
The Customer set up the following targets:
• Online quality control of the onshore 3D seismic acquisition as the data are obtained from the crew camp in Iraq.
• On-the-fly processing of a part of data in the Customer’s Computing Environment by efforts of the Contractor, including building 3D depth-velocity model and depth migration of gathers, which were aimed at on-line correction of deep well location point;
• Supervisory control of works being carried out and geological advisory support from the party of the Customer’s specialists working from St. Petersburg;
• Prompt final processing of total 3D seismic field data in the Customer’s Computing Environment, including building a depth-velocity model balanced over the area and consistent with a priori geological information; and obtaining migrated depth amplitude cube suitable for structural interpretation.
Solution:
1. Customer’s Computing Environment (CCE) is a working environment created on the computer resources of the Yandex Terra Company with allocated processor, RAM and disk storage, which are necessary for conduction of the works planned. Access to CCE is possible from around the world with the secure Internet connection.
2. Customer’s Computing Environment comes with the pre-installed software for interpretive processing of 2D/3D/4D/3C/4C seismic data (Prime software system developed in Yandex Terra).
Innovative approach Customer’s Computing Environment provided an opportunity for collaborative efforts of remotely located specialists having access to the project data from around the geography, on-line monitoring of work conduction, and highest standards of data security and confidentiality.
Complete processing cycle including the works carried out to correct a deep well location point amounted to 70 net days.
According to opinion of JSC Gazprom Neft specialists, availability of on-line depth imaging using the data coming in the course of field acquisition allows significantly reducing the time to make a decision for drilling equipment mobilization, which is crucial in terms of season limitations and being under time pressure