3-D and 4-D GIS

3-D GIS

Upstream oil and gas operations are inherently three-dimensional. Therefore, ESA has made a major investment in extending GIS technology to 3-D subsurface environments, where hydrocarbons are found and produced. In pushing ESRI’s 3-D technology to its fullest, we have imbedded within GOM³ over 1,000 3-D GIS models of producing and depleted fields. These 3-D GIS models show the relationship between wells, completions, sands, pipelines, facilities, the sea floor and tops-surfaces, estimated on the basis of paleo data within the 3-D model.

Our implementation of 3-D GIS preserves the same critical query and spatial analysis functionality that distinguishes GIS from mapping and visualization packages. All Reports, Charts, Tables and Well Log Images are available within 3-D, as well as the 2-D component of the system. We also are expanding our support for importing grids and vector data generated outside GOM³ into our 3-D GIS models.

ESA’s 3-D research is presently focused in three areas: 1. The completion of 3-D models of all surface production facilities; 2. Importing and correctly registering 2-D seismic sections and transects in 3-D and 3. Generating 4-D models reflecting the movement of oil, gas, water and pressure within reservoirs as they are produced over time.

4-D GIS

We use 4-D GIS to designate generating a series of maps made on a variable that changes over time and sequentially draping those maps over a 3-D body – like an oil or gas reservoir. In 4-D, you can page the maps in the scene forward and backward in time. 

For instance, in 4-D you could choose to see monthly or annual maps for oil, gas or water production from a reservoir draped over the 3-D polygon for the reservoir. This shows the spatial distribution of production over time in relation to reservoir structure. 

This technology has great power in quickly examining reservoir performance, identification of permeability barriers and reservoir compartmentalization. It can be used to easily identify problems of water coning and gas/oil phase relationships that characterize pressure maintenance problems. Combined with other data, locations for extension and infill drilling are both suggested by the analysis performed with the 4-D approach.