Distributed Acoustic Sensing is a novel technology for seismic data acquisition, particularly suitable for Vertical Seismic Profiling. It is a break‐through for low‐cost, on‐demand, seismic monitoring of reservoirs, both onshore and offshore. In this article we explain how Distributed Acoustic Sensing works and demonstrate its usability for typical Vertical Seismic Profiling applications such as checkshots, imaging, and time‐lapse monitoring. We show numerous data examples, and discuss Distributed Acoustic Sensing as an enabler of seismic monitoring with 3D Vertical Seismic Profiling.

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Thanks to its relatively low cost, time-lapse vertical seismic profiling (VSP) with distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) is an attractive proposition for frequent seismic monitoring around production and injection wells, aimed at production optimization in complex deepwater fields. We demonstrate that 4D DAS VSP provides sufficient data quality for reservoir monitoring in deep water, with a high value-to-investment ratio. 4D quality and image extent can be enhanced through well-executed acquisition and advanced processing. Further cost lowering via innovations on the source side is being pursued. The path to establishing 4D DAS VSP as a monitoring tool in deep water is through further field applications to demonstrate its ability to impact business decisions.

3D VSP has long been viewed as conceptually attractive for illuminating targets under complex overburden. However, the widespread use of 3D VSP has been hindered by the cost and risk of deploying geophones in a borehole, and by the limited availability of accessible wells. These hurdles are largely removed when acquiring downhole seismic with Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) instead of geophones.

TX 75083-3836, U.S.A., fax 01-972-952-9435. AbstractOne of the chief challenges facing the EP industry is to increase the recovery of hydrocarbons from the existing asset base. With access to new resources getting more difficult and production declines facing several major mature provinces, the awareness that we need to manage our assets differently is growing. Recovery optimization is therefore a growing issue with significant future capital, technological and workforce competence development implications.