as Explorations Tools

Geophysical Engineering Dept.

Institute Technology Bandung

A Historical Perspective
Galileo Galilei (1590) --- experiment with benda jatuh
bebas
Isaac Newton (1687) --- Newton Law
(establishment of theoretical
foundation, 17th and 18th)

18th & 19th century

--- development of pendulum

apparatus first global
application in geophysics

Vening Meinesz (1928) --- Shipborn gravitymeasuring (world wide rec.)

A Historical Perspective
(Gravity method in oil exploration)

1928 --- First oil discovery (Nast Dome, Texas)

using Eotvos Torsion balance gravity-measuring

1932 --- Pendulum gravity-measuring (Cleveland oil

field, Texas)

1932-1935 --- Gravimeter with 0.1 mGal accuracy

1940 --- Improvements gravimeter by Worden and
LaCoste & Romberg

USE HIGHER RESOLUTION

GRAVITY AND MAGNETIC DATA

PLAY
IDENTIFICATION

TACTICS

Regional
reconnaisanc
e

PROSPECT
CAPTURE

Prospect
identification
and risk
assessment

Petroleum
system
analysis

Lease and G&G

Play analysis

Tectonostratigraphic
framework

Establishing
exploration
focus
and G&G

acquisition

PROSPECT
EVALUATION

Prospect Risk
reduction
Drill-site
decision
(less complex
prospect)

RESOURCE
APPRAISAL

RESERVOIR
MANAGEMENT

Asset
deliniation
and

Reservoir
performance
monitoring

development

Enhance
recovery

Drill-site
decision
( complex
imaging)

Basin Modeling
Gibson, R.I. & Millegan, P.S.; 1998

USE HIGHER RESOLUTION GRAVITY DATA

PLAY
IDENTIFICATION

GRAVITY
UTILIZATION

GRAVITY
RESOLUTIO
N REQUIRED
*

PROSPECT
CAPTURE

PROSPECT
EVALUATION

RESOURCE
APPRAISAL

RESERVOIR
MANAGEMENT

Isostatic
residual
Regional
tectonic
analisis
Basin and
depocenter
enhancement
Regional
modeling
Digital data
integration
(with remote
sensing, etc)

Semiregional
structural /
stratiigraphic
modeling
Target-spesific
enhancements
Layer stripping for
improved
delineation of
exploration
targets
Sensitivity studies
tied to density
and
lithology

Detailed,
integrated
2D / 3D
modeling
(with seismic
horizons,
density,
and velocity
information)
Porosity /
pressure
prediction
Salt edge / base
determination
Enhanced
velocity
analysis

Integrated 3D
rock properties
and velocity
modeling
Integrated
depth
migration (preor
poststack)
Borehole
gravityremote
porosity
detection
Detection of
shallow
hazards

Time-lapse
precision
gravity

1 5 mGal
2 20 km
wavelength
Continental
grids,
satelite
gravity,
airborne
gravity

0.2 1 mGal
1 5 km
wavelength
Conventional
marine
and land surveys

0.1 0.5 mGal

0.5 2 km
wavelength
High-resolution
land and
marine
surveys

0.1 0.5 mGal

0.2 1 km
wavelength
0.01 0.005
mGal
(borehole)
High-resolution
land, marine,
and
gradiometer
surveys

0.02 0.1 mGal

1 5 years

Integrated
reservoir
characterization
Borehole gravity

USE HIGHER RESOLUTION MAGNETIC DATA

PLAY
IDENTIFICATION

PROSPECT
CAPTURE

PROSPECT
EVALUATION

RESOURCE
APPRAISAL

MAGNETIC
UTILIZATION

Regional depth
to magnetic
basement
Regional
tectonic
analysis
Euler
deconvolution
Curie point
analysis

Detailed
basement
interpretation
Detailed fault
and
lineament
analysis
Delineation of
volcanics, salt,
and
shale

Detailed,
integrated
2D/3D modelingfaulting,
basement
structure,
volcanic,
salt edges, and
sediment timing
Depth slicing
and
lineament
analysis
Sedimentary
magnetic
analysis

Detailed 2D / 3D
modeling
inversion
Integrated
depth
migration (preor postack)
Magnetostartigraphy

MAGNETIC
RESOLUTIO
N REQUIRED
*

20 km spacing
5 8 km grid
1 5 nT
Continental
grids,
older surveys

2 5 km spacing
1 - 2 km grid
0.5 2 nT
Modern digital
surveys, marine
surveys,
digitized
older analog
surveys

0.5 - 1 km spacing
0.1 0.5 nT
High-resolution,
lowaltitude surveys

0.25 0.5 km
spacing
0.1 0.5 nT
High-resolution,
low-altitude
surveys
Borehole
magnetometer

RESERVOIR
MANAGEMENT

None published

Gibson, R.I. & Millegan, P.S.; 1998

WHY 4D-GRAVITY ANOMALY

PRODUCTION IMPROVEMENT OF
HYDROCARBON FIELD :
1. OPTIMIZING Wells Production (Existing)
2. Production Wells

PRESSURE MAINTENANCE

3. PATTERN WATERFLOODING in Reservoir

4. ADDING / SHUT-OFF / MOVING
Injection Well (existing)
5. RE-OPENING of Potential Layer
6. ETC

4D Reservoir Monitoring
(x,y,z,t)
A Paradigm Shift in Production Management
Science & Technology Components

Integration of Disparate Data (Kinds &

Scales)

Cased Hole Logs

Production Histories
Pressures & Temperatures
4-D Seismic Monitoring
Gravity Monitoring
Borehole Seismics
Remote Sensing

Gravity Monitoring
Surface gravity changes reflect underground
mass redistribution caused by production and
re-injection of hydrocarbon fluids
Precise measurement and analysis of gravity
changes can thereby help reveal changes in
reservoir conditions
establish a systematic procedure for microgravity monitoring of operating Hydrocarbon
fields

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Fully digital reading system

Automatic Leveling system
High accuracy (0.5Gal)
Automatic Lock Spring system
High Repeatability

Graviton

1.

Digital reading system

2.
3.

High Accuracy (1 5 Gal)

High Repeatability
Lacoste&Romberg G
with Alliod Sistem

1. Fully digital reading System

2. Automatic Leveling
3. High Accuracy (1Gal)
4. Automatic Lock Spring system
Scintrex AutoGrav CG-5

Gravimeter Lacoste&Romberg G
with Feedback system and
Computer Interface for Tidal measurement

GRAVITY METHOD
What is Gravity?

Gravity
Gravis

Gayaberat

Heavy
measurement of
gravity
F( r )=G(m1.m2)/r2 (Newton Law)

Gravimetry
F
r
F

magnitude of gravity acceleration

g( r )=G(m2/r2 )
= F( r)/m1

What is gravity?

Observed Gravity:
gobs = g0 +g2
g0 = G (m0/r02) effect of m0 (assumed as
point mass)
g2 = G (m2/r22) effect of m2 (as anomaly)
Mass = volume x density
=Vx

What is gravity anomaly

g=V2(2-0)/r22
=2-0

=V2 /r22

Gravity anomaly depends on density

contrast and Greens function

What is gravity
anomaly
(+)

X(m or km)
g

(+)

g=V2( 2- 0)/r22 =V2 /r22

= 2- 0
Gravity anomaly is direct proportional with
density contrast and Greens function

What is gravity
anomaly
(-)

X(m or km)
g

(-)

g=V2( 2- 0)/r22 =V2 /r22

= 2- 0
Gravity anomaly is direct proportional with
density contrast and Greens function

Gravity Anomaly
3D gravity anomaly g(x,y,z)
Gravity di permukaan (x,y,z) akibat sub-surface
sources ( , , ):

g ( x, y, z )

( , , )( z )

2
2
0 x y z

2 3/ 2

d .d .d

Convolution
K (Green function) and :
P(x,y,z)

g ( x, y, z ) K ( x, y, z ) * ( x, y, z )

y
dv=d d d

x
z

Bouguer Anomaly :
g = gobs gn + FAC BC + TC
gn = normal gravity of the earth (Geoid)

g 978032.7 1 0.0053024 sin 2 0.0000058 sin 2 2

FAC = Free-air correction

g n
0.308765
h

BC = Bouguer correction
TC = Terrain correction

Bouguer Gravity Maps :

To identify Subsurface geological structure
through density contrast and its geometry

Basin Structure
Classified according to their final form
Basin Geometry
Asymmetrical (most basins)
Nearly circular (Michigan Basin and Paris
Basin)
Symmetrical oval basin (few basins)

 Simple Basin (one depocenter)

Complex Basin (several individual
depocenters). Each individual depocenter
has its own migration rules and also
interacts with adjacent depocenter.

 Integration of well data, deep seismic

data, and magnetic data will improve any
regional structure map.

Importance
A. Gravity and magnetic are excellent lowcost component
B. High-cost detail seismic 3D surveys and
wildcat well can be concentrated in
relatively small portion of a structure
C. Well accepted to the environment
D. Nearly no social conflict

UNIT OF GRAVITY
Gravity g(x,y,z) is acceleration
in Systeme International
dUnites (SI) is ms-2
1 ms-2 = 106 ms-2
= 109 nms-2
After Galileo :

1 Gal = 1 cms-2
= 10-2 ms-2 (SI)

Gravity anomaly :
mGal (in exploration) 1 mGal = 10-3 Gal
Gal (in 4D survey) 1 Gal = 10-3 mGal
= 10-6 Gal
called as microgravity
= 10-8 ms-2 (SI)