Integration of Surface Seismic and Well Information to Improve Drilling Success for Onshore Carbonate Caves

Ordovician carbonate caves have been considered as important reservoirs for a long time and their exploration has rapidly increased in recent years in China (Yang et al, 2010). Accurately locating the target is very critical to improve drilling success for carbonate caves. As carbonate reservoir exploration has moved deeper and deeper (6000-8000 m), wells often either hit the side of the cave or totally miss it. Here we look at the application of a new technology that is particularly suited to cave drilling. It initially builds an accurate baseline earth model; and then, during the process of drilling, it updates the subsurface image in real time by using information acquired while drilling in combination with surface seismic data. In this paper we show how this new technology can be used to help accurately reach deep carbonate caves.