The SEAM Barrett model: Strengths and weaknesses

Abstract

The SEG Advanced Modeling (SEAM) Barrett model was designed to model typical land basins found in the North American midcontinent that host unconventional reservoirs, such as fractured shale reservoirs. This model was used recently in several studies to assess whether shale bodies could be resolved using azimuthal 3D P-P reflection seismic data. In one study, it was claimed that near-surface complexity prevents the identification of the shale bodies using azimuthal analysis and concluded that velocity variation with azimuth (VVAz) and amplitude variation with azimuth (AVAz) are not worth running in the Permian Basin. However, another study by different authors applied a different seismic processing sequence to successfully resolve the reservoir geobodies and showed promising AVAz and VVAz results. We have focused on the SEAM Barrett model itself. Despite some advantages, the limitations of the Barrett model prevent general conclusions to be drawn about the usefulness of VVAz and AVAz to characterize fractured unconventional reservoirs.