A new algorithm developed by technology company S-Cube is designed to improve the accuracy of the imaging of subsurface reservoirs
According to the company, the XWI algorithm of the S-Cube has the predictive power to match pre-drilling rock measurements with up to 90 per cent accuracy.
This significantly reduces risk and uncertainty in identifying profitable deep-sea deposits and helps exploration and production operators maximise recovery and avoid costly US$50mn dry holes.
As the first ever ‘Pay as You Go’ cloud business model for the energy sector, it is now available on demand via the Amazon Web Services cloud. The solution can scale to thousands of sq km whilst retaining iteration cycle times to minutes, rather than hours or days.
Thus, the framework provides a step-change in this process as it provides the best possible 3D image of the Earth’s interior to uncover new resources and define drilling paths. The XWI algorithm integrates proprietary Adaptive Waveform Inversion (AWI), Full Waveform Inversion (FWI), Reflection and Constrained FWI and additional methodologies to derive the most detailed and accurate subsurface models.
Using data generated from active seismic surveys, it provides the ability to view the Earth’s interior with superior definition, focus, accuracy, and certainty. S-Cube models were tested against wellbore measurements and demonstrated the ability to provide accurate predictions that align with downhole measurements up to three km deep.
The cloud-based automated digital model generation (data-in-model-out solution) shaves months of 3D processing time of seismic data, enabling operators to construct detailed models faster and without the need for in-house supercomputing technology. With a web-based dashboard for real-time result visualisation, operators have constant access to vital insight that can make their exploration and/or production more efficient, less costly and more environmentally friendly.
“Understanding the subsurface is critical to the needs of the upstream industry,” said Nikhil Shah, chief operating officer and co-founder of S-Cube.
“Our technology is helping world-renowned energy firms to use artificial intelligence in their exploration and production processes to improve drill-or-not decision making, optimise workflows, enhance safety and reduce costs. We like to call this a ‘Think more, drill less’ mindset and are proud to now offer it on a pay-as-you-go basis,” he concluded.
