Innovative Seismic Reservoir Characterization Workflow in a Shale Oil Context

In a strategy for finding new hydrocarbon resources, Arabian Gulf countries are investigating shale oil reservoirs. The potential of a shale oil play is linked to two main parameters: first, both volume and maturity of the Total Organic Carbon (TOC) and second, the fracability potential of the rock, defined as a function of its rupture capability and fracture propagation ability. Indeed, a good shale oil reservoir is characterized by thick layers with high organic matter content, which can be easily fractured. These features are often evaluated in 1D at well scale by geochemical and geomechanical analysis. The aim of this paper is to present an innovative Seismic Reservoir Characterization (SRC) workflow highlighting the shale oil plays in 2D, at sedimentary basin scale, using available seismic and well data. For that, the ratio of shaly facies associated with high TOC content, first evaluated in 1D from wells, is propagated in 2D thanks to seismic facies analysis. Then, geomechanical properties are correlated with seismic information in order to extrapolate such properties to all available seismic surveys. This approach allows producing qualitative maps describing shale oil plays, at a sedimentary basin scale.