Reservoir geophysics

The concept of petroleum reservoir geophysics is relatively new. In the past, the role of geophysics was largely confined to exploration and, to a lesser degree, the development of discoveries. As cost-efficiency has taken over as a driving force in the economics of the oil and gas industry and as major assets near abandonment, geophysics has increasingly been recognized as a tool for improving the bottom line closer to the wellhead. The reliability of geophysical surveys, particularly seismic, has greatly reduced the risk associated with drilling wells in existing fields, and the ability to add geophysical constraints to statistical models has provided a mechanism for directly delivering geophysical results to the reservoir engineer.