Unlocking Subsurface Complexity With HTD: Driving Innovation and Sustainability in Oil and Gas
Key Takeaways:
- ● High trace density (HTD) with Super Sampled Seismic offers unprecedented clarity in subsurface imaging, enabling more precise exploration and development in complex geological settings.
- ● Fairfield Geotechnologies leverages HTD to overcome challenges like velocity inversions and noise, improving reservoir characterization and reducing exploration risk.
- ● HTD enhances decision-making with richer datasets, minimizes environmental impact by reducing unnecessary drilling, and boosts recovery rates through better well placement strategies.
- ● Fairfield’s tailored HTD solutions, exemplified by projects in the Permian and Midland Basins, help partners unlock untapped reserves responsibly.
In today’s energy landscape, precision and efficiency in exploration and development are key to unlocking untapped reserves. High trace density (HTD) surveys, specifically through Super Sampled Seismic, has emerged as a game-changing tool for the oil and gas exploration industry, offering unprecedented clarity into subsurface geology. At Fairfield Geotechnologies, we’re leveraging HTD to overcome geologic challenges, bringing our partners closer to a future of growth, innovation, and sustainable energy solutions.
Why HTD is a Game-Changer for Oil and Gas Exploration
HTD data captures dense collections of seismic traces to provide detailed subsurface imaging for oil and gas exploration. This approach enables clearer detection of geological features, particularly in areas with complex near-surface structures, such as the Cenozoic Zone in the Delaware Basin. Composed of dense accumulations of silts, sands, and conglomerates, this layer distorts the imaging of deeper formations due to velocity inversions caused by salts. These inversions, where sound travels through fast, slow, and then very fast layers, create distortions rather than complete obscuration. The dissolution of underlying gypsum and salt has led to structural collapses, further complicating data acquisition by introducing attenuation, dispersion, and noise. Historically, these conditions have posed significant challenges for traditional seismic surveys, limiting their ability to generate clear images of the subsurface.
By utilizing Super Sampled Seismic data, HTD delivers insights that were previously out of reach, allowing for a deeper understanding of subsurface formations and improving the ability to distinguish between valuable geological signals and unwanted geophysical noise. This advanced approach to seismic acquisition not only increases the quality of the data and its imaging, but also extends the utility of geophysically advanced algorithms. In zones of interest like the Wolfcamp, this has proven critical for identifying subtle variations in geomechanical properties, leading to more targeted well placement and improved well spacing strategies.
Fairfield’s seismic acquisition approach is designed to overcome geophysical hurdles with fit-for-geology survey design, improving signal clarity by minimizing coherent noise and capturing changes in velocities, amplitudes, and phases across a wide range of offsets. This allows us to visualize complex geological features that were previously missed by legacy seismic data, offering unprecedented subsurface imaging precision. It also provides a richer dataset for seismic data interpretation — leading to better reservoir characterization and reduced exploration and development risk.
Key Advantages of HTD
- ● Enhanced Decision-Making: Higher density data and improved signal-to-noise ratios support more accurate interpretation of subsurface features.
- ● Reduced Environmental Impact: By enhancing exploration precision, HTD reduces the risk of drilling wells that cannot be economically completed, minimizing unnecessary operations.
- ● Increased Recovery Rates: High-resolution seismic data aids in identifying stratigraphic traps and fractures that can enhance reservoir performance.
Partnering to Deliver Affordable Energy Responsibly
At Fairfield, we believe that driving industry-wide change requires collaboration. HTD Super Sampled Seismic is part of our commitment to partnering with clients and stakeholders to meet the challenges of producing more energy with less impact while returning value to shareholders.
Our recent work in the Cedar Canyon 3D survey, spanning approximately 365 square miles in the Permian Basin, exemplifies how advanced seismic acquisition techniques can deliver unprecedented resolution in subsurface imaging. This project leverages Fairfield’s cutting-edge 3D technology to illuminate complex stratigraphic features, enabling operators to optimize development in one of the most prolific hydrocarbon basins in the world.
Additionally, our high-resolution 3D seismic survey in the Midland Basin is specifically tailored to target critical formations, offering new insights into fault networks and reservoir distribution. By providing operators with a clearer understanding of subsurface structures, this project supports the reduction of drilling uncertainties and promotes more efficient recovery strategies.
In the Barnett Shale, our focus on harnessing the untapped potential of formations in Ector County underscores the role of high-density seismic imaging in revitalizing mature plays. This initiative not only aids in identifying economically viable zones for development, but also highlights our ability to deliver actionable data in regions previously considered challenging.
Across these efforts, Fairfield’s HTD Super Sampled Seismic data is guiding improved oil and gas exploration practices by reducing uncertainty, enabling informed decision-making, minimizing environmental impact, and maximizing resource recovery.
Why Fairfield’s HTD Is the Key to Unlocking Subsurface Success
- ● Innovation in Action: HTD uncovers subsurface details missed by legacy seismic data, giving our clients a clear advantage in complex geological settings.
- ● Sustainable Growth: By reducing exploration risks and supporting energy transition projects like CCS, we’re driving the industry toward a greener future.
- ● Teamwork and Success: We work closely with clients to tailor HTD solutions to their needs, ensuring the best outcomes through a collaborative approach.
As the oil and gas exploration industry adapts to new challenges, Fairfield is committed to leading with innovative data solutions like HTD Super Sampled Seismic surveys that balance growth and sustainability. Our expertise in geophysical data acquisition and our ability to translate complex data into actionable insights ensure that our partners can unlock the full potential of their assets. Contact us today to learn more about our projects and partnership opportunities.