Method to facilitate monitoring over time of changes in physical states in a subsurface formation

Abstract From the Canadian patent

Method to facilitate monitoring over time by use and interpretation of 4D seismic data of changes in physical states of a zone of a subsurface formation such as a reservoir. The method exploits the recognition of seismic shapes more specifically an ambiguous discriminant analysis technique enabling the uncertainties regarding seismic measurements to be integrated into the interpretation. The uncertainties taken into account are evaluated on parts of seismic traces obtained during the course of successive seismic surveys corresponding to subsurface formation zones (outside the reservoir) where the physical states monitored have undergone no significant change. Application to monitoring a …