9C-3D seismic interpretation of the Bakken Formation, Banner field, North Dakota

Abstract

The Bakken Petroleum System is a multi-reservoir play with estimated total undiscovered resources of 3.649 BBO oil and 1.85 TCF natural gas in the United States portion of the Williston Basin (Pollastro 2008). The presence of natural fractures in all three members of the Bakken Formation have been linked to high initial production (IP) and cumulative production from the Antelope Field and better reservoir potential in the Elm Coulee Field and Sanish Fields (Sturm and Gomez 2009; Honsberger 2012; Theloy 2011). Therefore, the ability of seismic data to determine the presence, orientation, and density of natural fractures is an important achievement for petroleum exploration and exploitation. The STAMPEDE 9-component seismic survey is located in Mountrail County, North Dakota, in the Banner Field, southeast of the Parshall and Sanish Fields. It is the goal of the Reservoir Characterization Project to analyze the structural influences on reservoir properties in the STAMPEDE survey area using the compressional and pure shear seismic volumes supplemented by the public well information available on the North Dakota Industrial Commission website. Fracturing induced by basement faulting and lithology changes is detectable using multicomponent seismic data in the Stampede seismic survey. Shear wave splitting analysis delineates zones of different fracture orientation and density. These areas correlate to interpreted fault intersections and the predicted area of increased fracture frequency based on facies changes in the Middle Bakken Member and its mechanical stratigraphy. Wrench fault mechanics are at work in the study area, creating isolated convergent and divergent stress regimes in the separate fault blocks. Main fault interpretations are based on shear wave isochron mapping, wireline log mapping, seismic panel observations. Fracture interpretations were made on the analysis of shear time and amplitude anisotropy maps and the correlation of a P-wave Velocity Variation with Azimuth (VVAZ) map. The corroboration of the shear time anisotropy with the VVAZ interpretation strengthens the interpretation of fractures present in the study area. Also, this provided an opportunity to contrast the sensitivity of these two methods to azimuthally anisotropic media. The methodology of this study can be used elsewhere to identify areas of increased fracture intensity and the the orientation of these fractures. This information can then be used to plan drilling locations and guide lateral paths.