Using influence diagrams to analyze decisions in 4-D seismic reservoir monitoring
Debarun Bhattacharjya, Tapan Mukerji · 2005
In this paper, we highlight some of the advantages of using influence diagrams in decision analyses in complex scenarios related to time-lapse seismic reservoir monitoring. Decisions are complex due to several uncertainties: uncertainty in the geological properties, seismic imaging and repeatability, reservoir structure, rock and fluids properties, and other factors beyond the scope of this paper such as oil prices and even the political scenario. Furthermore, several decisions need to be made over the entire reservoir lifecycle, right from exploration to abandoning the site, and often it is not clear how some current decisions might affect the future bottom line for an organization. Simple tools like scorecards and decision trees have become popular but complex situations demand the use of more sophisticated decision analysis tools and their integration with the existing tools of reservoir geophysics and engineering.