Time-lapse full-waveform permeability inversion: a feasibility study

TL;DR

This work addresses updating reservoir permeability directly from time-lapse seismic data by proposing an end-to-end multiphysics inversion framework. The method minimizes $\min_{\mathbf{K}} ||\mathcal{F} \circ \mathcal{R} \circ \mathcal{S}(\mathbf{K}) - \mathbf{d}||_2^2$ and backpropagates errors to update $\mathbf{K}$, enabling direct permeability updates from seismic observations. A Compass-model feasibility study demonstrates permeability updates concentrated within the CO2 plume, improved CO2-saturation predictions, and robustness to some forward-modeling errors, while highlighting ill-posedness and the need for uncertainty quantification. The findings suggest a path toward faster, integrated 4D reservoir monitoring and digital-twin capabilities for geological carbon storage.

Abstract

Time-lapse seismic monitoring necessitates integrated workflows that combine seismic and reservoir modeling to enhance reservoir property estimation. We present a feasibility study of an end-to-end inversion framework that directly inverts for permeability from prestack time-lapse seismic data. To assess the method's robustness, we design experiments focusing on its sensitivity to initial models and potential errors in modeling. Our study leverages the Compass model to simulate CO2 storage in saline aquifers, which is derived from well and seismic data from the North Sea, a candidate site for geological carbon storage.

Figures (13)

• Figure 1: Multiphysics forward model.
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