Z-99 Seismic Fracture Analysis on the Pinedale Anticline: Implications for Improving Drilling Success

The Pinedale Anticline in Wyoming, USA, has become an area of significant interest since the recent success of several wells that have produced significant volumes of gas from its tight sandstone reservoirs. Production from these reservoirs is now possible using new stimulation techniques that were developed in neighboring Jonah Field. The best production rates appear to come from reservoirs that have had their permeability enhanced by natural fractures. Therefore, the ability to detect the presence of natural fractures in the reservoir could have a significant positive impact on the success of future wells. A new technique uses azimuthal variations in the amplitudes of seismic data at long shot-receiver offsets to identify the presence of open natural fractures. This technique has been used on a portion of Veritas ’ multi-client 3D survey over the Pinedale Anticline to identify the presence of these fractures. This presentation shows the results of this analysis and how it compares to what is already known about fractures in the reservoirs of the Pinedale Anticline