David Connolly, Roar Heggland, Friso Brouwer, Geert de Bruin, and Paul de Groot

Workflow for Prospect Risking using HC-Chimneys

1. Are chimneys observed in my data set?
Gas (and oil) chimneys are observed in
seismic data as vertical zones of low am-
plitude, chaotic data. Although chimneys
are not always obvious, more than 90% of
Tertiary and Mesozoic basins evaluated
have associated chimneys. Apart from
de-risking prospects, chimney analysis is
routinely used to detect abnormal pres-
sures and source rock expulsions, to pre-
dict zones of heavy tar and to predict geo-
hazards.
Y es 2. Apply chimney processing to seis- 3. Are the results of my chimney processing valid?
mic data to highlight vertical HC Not all vertical discontinuities in seismic data are related to HC migration.
migration. Additional criteria are necessary to validate the results. They include:
Single attributes, such as coherency 1. Link to shallow DHIs 4. Piston Cores
may show chimneys, but are not 2. Pock mark morphology
unique indicators. Chimney process- 3. Link to thermally mature kitchen
ing uses multiple directional attributes 4. Link to observed seeps
combined via a neural network to
highlight the chimneys. Expected
chimneys are picked in the data, and
used to train the neural network to
find similar features. The result is a
ChimneyCube. 2. Pock marks 4. Mud volcano

4. Are the observed chimneys directly linked to my trap? Y es

No
Y es 5. Are the chimneys associated with faults? No

F au lt T rap s T o p S eal T rap s

5a. H ow d o th e ch im n e ys re la te to th e tra p ? 5 b . W h a t is th e m o rp h o lo g y o f th e c h im n e ys ?

Chimneys not present Chimneys adjacent or Chimneys at Chimneys on Gas Cloud Pipe with pockmarks Pipe with radial fracturing
or not linked to trap below crest flank or DHIs

Seal

Charge-risk Trap Fault Seal Trap Fault Leak Trap Fault Flank Trap Gas Cloud Trap Blowout Pipe Trap Mud Volcano Trap

Low probability of vertical Chimneys stop in overlying Chimneys leak to High Integrity Trap Moderate to high integrity Extensive seal risk Extensive seal risk when
charge. Lateral charge seal. High Integrity Trap shallow sands or (HIT). Often filled to trap. High probability of when active. active, but is self healing.
necessary. (HIT). Often form pressure surface. Low Integrity spill. success.
seals. Trap (LIT).

Flatspot
Target

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