US 12,468,058 B2
Thermal conductivity mapping from rock physics guided seismic inversion
Husam M. AlMustafa, Dhahran (SA); Rudi Lubbe, Dhahran (SA); Muhammad Ashfaq, Dhahran (SA); and Norah S. Aldossary, Khobar (SA)
Assigned to Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA)
Filed by Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA)
Filed on Jul. 28, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/876,223.
Prior Publication US 2024/0036225 A1, Feb. 1, 2024
Int. Cl. G01V 1/30 (2006.01); G01V 1/28 (2006.01); G01V 1/32 (2006.01); G01V 1/34 (2006.01)
CPC G01V 1/306 (2013.01) [G01V 1/282 (2013.01); G01V 1/325 (2013.01); G01V 1/345 (2013.01); G01V 2210/6224 (2013.01); G01V 2210/74 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for modeling basin geology in a subsurface region, the method comprising:
receiving seismic data representing acoustic signals that are reflected from regions of the subsurface region;
receiving thermal data representing temperature values that are mapped to locations in the subsurface region;
accessing a rock physics transform (RPT) that relates thermal conductivity in rock to subsurface formations;
determining, by applying the RPT to the thermal data and the seismic data, a relationship between the seismic data and the temperature values for each of the locations in the subsurface region;
generating, based on the relationship for each of the locations, a three-dimensional (3D) map of thermal conductivity in the subsurface region,
wherein determining the relationship and generating the 3D map comprises:
performing a seismic inversion on the seismic data; and
generating, based on the seismic inversion, values for one or more elastic properties of the subsurface region, wherein the relationship between the seismic data and the temperature values of the thermal data for each of the locations in the subsurface region comprises a relationship between the thermal conductivity of the subsurface region and the one or more elastic properties
determining, based on the seismic inversion, an acoustic impedance across the subsurface region;
generating a RPT based on relating the acoustic impedance to thermal conductivity in the subsurface region; and
based on the RPT, propagate thermal conductivity values through the subsurface region to form the 3D map of thermal conductivity; and
based on the 3D map of thermal conductivity, identifying at least one area comprising source rock having a threshold maturity, the threshold maturity being indicative of potential hydrocarbons in the subsurface region.