Strategic geosteering workflow with uncertainty quantification and deep learning: Initial test on the Goliat Field data

Abstract

Continuous integration of real-time logging-while-drilling data into a subsurface model with relevant geological uncertainties enables strategic geosteering: a field-level optimization of the well-placement strategy. Model errors arising from oversimplified conceptual geological models and imperfect simulation of measurements result in unreliable subsurface-model updates. The model errors are particularly pronounced when synthetic measurements are approximated with a fast but imperfect model, such as a deep neural network (DNN).#xD;We present a practical data-assimilation workflow consisting of offline and online phases. The offline phase involves DNN training and building an uncertain prior near-well geo-model. The online phase utilizes the flexible iterative ensemble smoother (FlexIES) to perform real-time assimilation of extra-deep electromagnetic data while accounting for the model errors in the approximate DNN model. We demonstrate the proposed workflow on historic well-log data from the Goliat Field (Barents Sea). #xD;The median of our probabilistic estimation is on par with proprietary inversion, regardless of the number of layers in the chosen prior or the approximate DNN model. By estimating model errors, FlexIES automatically quantifies the uncertainty in the boundaries and resistivities of layers, which is not standard in proprietary inversion. #xD;This capability allows us to capture uncertainties more efficiently, thus providing input for future quantitative decision support methods. We demonstrate the potential of quantitive decision support by visually estimating the ahead-of-bit risk of reservoir exit that has occurred during the considered operation.