Seismic attribute-based characterization of a tight gas sand reservoir in the Ordos Basin, China

The Xiashihezi Formation of the Ordos basin is the largest producer of tight gas sand in China. Production patterns vary from one well to another throughout the basin. In this study, we integrated three-dimensional (3-D) seismic and well data to investigate geological controls on production in P₁h₈ member of Xiashihezi Formation. Our objective was to show the potential of using multiple seismic attributes to characterize the distribution and orientation of tight gas sand. We used the amplitude, the complex traces, the spectral components, and the seismic attenuation attributes derived from 3-D seismic volume to detect gas-bearing sand that might be associated with zones of production. Production data show that higher producing wells are associated with seismically definable larger amplitude, more stable phase, higher frequency, and stronger attenuation features in the study area. Our comprehensive result suggests that 3-D seismic data, integrated with wire-line logs and production data, are useful for characterizing tight gas sand reservoirs.