Challenges:

As conventional reservoirs in Kuwait move progressively from primary production to IOR and EOR, a higher seismic resolution will be required to provide information on internal reservoir architecture, and to monitor changes in reservoir characteristics (pressure, fluid type etc.) over time. In addition, the focus of exploration on new, deeper objectives requires improvements in seismic penetration, whilst evaluation of tight carbonates and shale reservoirs necessitates the development and application of new seismic techniques to image and characterize fracture networks. As new non-conventional reservoirs are targeted, an integration of all geoscience data will be necessary to build the understanding of rock properties and fluid dynamics. Non-seismic methods may be relevant to the support the imaging of shallow reservoirs.

Research Objectives:

• To improve the penetration of seismic to be able to image deeper reservoirs
• To improve the frequency content of seismic to improve the resolution of internal reservoir architectures
• To improve the ability of seismic to monitor changes in reservoir characteristics and fluids over time
• To develop integrated geoscience workflows to evaluate new reservoirs, notably tight carbonates and shale’s

Research Programs:

1. Wave Phenomena: Comprises research into the propagation of seismic waves through the subsurface, advances in seismic acquisition, processing techniques, and emerging approaches to extract additional reservoir information from seismic attributes.
2. Applied Geosciences: Comprises research into non-seismic geoscience methods that are required to develop a more complete understanding of the subsurface, and may include stratigraphy, sedimentology, structural geology, along with non-seismic remote sensing methods (gravity, magnetics, magnetotellurics etc.).