Researchers from BP’s Subsurface Technical Center have developed new algorithms, which have been applied on seismic data run at its High Performance Computing, claimed to be one of the largest supercomputers in the world.
The algorithms hold capacity to analyze data in few weeks, which are normally expected to take minimum one year, helping the firm to rapidly take development decisions for the field.
The algorithms are said to enhance a technique called Full Waveform Inversion (FWI), which matches seismic simulations with existing seismic data to produce better subsurface images.
BP is also planning to use the new technology to detect additional resources in Azerbaijan, Angola, and Trinidad and Tobago, in addition to Gulf of Mexico.
The technology allowed the company to enhance the clarity of images that are collected during seismic surveys, specifically regions below the earth’s surface that complex salt structures previously obscured or distorted.
The enhanced seismic images will help to drill development wells in deepwater reservoirs.
BP’s global upstream business chief executive Bernard Looney said: “This technological breakthrough has essentially allowed our team to find a new oil field within our existing Atlantis field.
“Given the overwhelming success of this project, we are now deploying this technology across BP’s global operations.”
BP upstream technology head Ahmed Hashmi said: “This innovation again shows that BP remains at the forefront of advanced seismic imaging and digital technologies.”
