CO2 characterization using seismic inversion based on global optimization techniques for enhanced reservoir understanding: a comparative study

Abstract

Characterization of CO<inf>2</inf> in subsurface reservoirs is an important aspect of ensuring the effectiveness and safety of storage operations. Seismic inversion technique, widely applied in the petroleum industry for tasks such as quantitative reservoir characterization and improved oil recovery, is now finding potential application in estimating the extension of CO<inf>2</inf> plumes within an underground reservoir. Seismic inversion, coupled with global optimization techniques, offers a powerful approach to enhance reservoir understanding in CCS projects. This paper presents a comprehensive study on the application of a global optimization workflow to increase subsurface resolution in the CO<inf>2</inf> storage. Global optimization techniques including simulated annealing and particle swarm optimization are employed to optimize the subsurface model and estimate the P-wave impedance. We used the Sleipner field in the Norwegian North Sea which is extracting gas with high CO<inf>2</inf> content, and for environmental reasons, they have been injecting more than 11 million tons of CO<inf>2</inf> into the Utsira sand saline aquifer above the hydrocarbon reserves since 1996. To monitor the spread of this CO<inf>2</inf> plume and ensure the safety of the upper layers, a series of seven 3D seismic surveys have been conducted. Our study concentrated on vintage data from 1994 (before CO<inf>2</inf> injection) and 1999 and 2006 (after an 8.4 Mt CO<inf>2</inf> injection). The workflow incorporates prior information from well logs, facilitating faster convergence and detailed subsurface representations. The findings suggest that the application of global optimization techniques is advantageous for optimizing earth’s subsurface models, particularly in the context of CO<inf>2</inf> storage initiatives. Although we faced challenges due to the absence of time-lapse well-log data in the specific area of interest, we successfully applied our inverse workflow to generate acoustic impedance data, to the best of our knowledge. These findings offer valuable insights for enhancing the understanding of CO<inf>2</inf> dispersion within a reservoir. © The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences 2025.