Optimizing Exploration and Appraisal Well Placement Using Structural Uncertainty Analysis

Reserves estimation and well placement in exploration and production requires accurate positioning of an interpreted geological structure in the depth domain. Technical risks related to the structural geological interpretation from seismic imaging are called structural risks and are critical in both exploration and development. Decisions for well placement should take into account the structural risk associated with the uncertainty in our knowledge of the velocity model used to create the seismic image. Structural uncertainty analysis (SUA) provides a way to quantify the risk associated with the localization of geological and drilling targets in 3D. The paper discusses a workflow for well placement optimization based on SUA.