Summary
Optimizing the production of unconventional tight gas and oil resources is dependent on the ability of an operator to understand geologic heterogeneity within the reservoir prior to drilling and completing wells. At Pouce Coupe Field, Alberta, azimuthally sectored converted wave (PS) seismic is used to characterize the fracture network of the Montney Formation through amplitude inversion. Significant fracture heterogeneity is observed in the small study area that shows a good correlation to stage-by-stage production. Integration of the results with micro-seismic, compositional analysis, and development history of the field enables a more complete understanding of the reservoir and the properties that drive production. It is demonstrated that storage capacity and brittleness combined with a network of permeability enhancing fractures provide the best conditions for economic success, and all these properties can be de-risked through the joint application of PP and PS seismic.
