Value of Experience and Lessons Learned

A geophysicist criticized me saying (???? ??? ???? ???? ???? ??? ?? ??????? ?? ??????????? ??????? ) i.e. a younger one could be more professional than you because of new technology and programs!!

E&P Upstream industry has never been a one man job or decision. Success of this industry goes to TEAM WORK and Old EXPERIENCED PEOPLE who have many of LESSONS LEARNED that younger generations have not get the chance to know about.

CASE 1:

I remember one of the most experienced Egyptian geophysicists I had the chance to work close to him, had his computer attached to the workstation but never used it. Depth map of one of the most complex reservoir extended over natural land/natural islands/shallow water and deep water, was constructed based on a 2D seismic and he had to check a selected location of an Appraisal well in deep water. He was not feeling comfortable with what was mapped by the computer and had to check the seismic survey in the area of the well location. Thus, he corrected the contour lines in that area by his own hands.

The well was drilled and came 48 ft shallower than predicted and some anti-Egyptian Geophysicists, Geologist, and Drillers were very much happy as drilling proved him wrong. Years later after production and due to GOR problems not matching well depths, a GYRO/GR campaign was acquired in all the wells using same crew and same wire-line unit to resolve depth uncertainties among the drilled wells. Results proved that the drilled appraisal well should be shifted down 48 ft to match saturation profiles and production data. Correction ended to the well depth set exactly as predicted after hand correcting the contour lines in the 2D map.

CASE 2:

3D seismic was acquired across the same field using Vibroseis on mainland and islands, dynamite in shallow water and air guns in deep water. Such complex 3D seismic was very much challenging with respect to merging and processing or processing then merging the three surveys.

Again computer programs and auto track was used to map about 9 reservoirs from shallow to deep ones. Four geophysicists (three western expats and one Egyptian) had to take responsibility interpreting the final seismic data and producing depth maps of 7 reservoirs.

The three western expats were very much confident using computers programs than gazing into the screen checking the seismic data across the field. They, one after another, produced and updated depth map of the main reservoir only which the Egyptian geophysicist was not comfortable with because of many structure anomalies that did not match geological understanding about the deposition environment and near by tectonics. He realized that they used auto track blindly without reviewing the well logs and related depth uncertainties. He had to go and check every inline and cross-line seismic section and go on manual tracking in most of the questionable areas thus produced depth maps of 7 reservoirs. His work was proven by actual drilling of development wells.

It worth mentioning that one of the maps of the main reservoir produced by one of the expat geophysicists using his mother company software was interpreted as a Mosaic reservoir. We got the feeling that the reservoir would have to be heavily faulted looking like a farm of warms. This if was real would have ended to a very complicated and costly development plan. None of those faults was intercepted during drilling and the Mosaic picture was attributed to the computer program and incompetency of the responsible geophysicist with respect to geology of the field and related near by tectonics.

Lessons Learned:

1. Don't over estimate your experience as always there are more knowledgeable and experienced colleagues you need to seek their advice
2. Carefully check your data source and know how to carry out proper data filtration
3. Don't trust computers and programs:

a) They are developed based on mathematics that is controlled by assumptions and averaging of properties

b) They are not SMART as vendors clam but you are the smart one who can tell if what is produced by computers goes with physics and understanding pr not

c) They are GIGO i,e, take your data as it (GARBAGE IN) and produce related results (GARBAGE OUT).

Always remember they are a lot of lessons learned you need to know from those who are older and had the chance to gain knowledge and experience during their old days that you have not and will not get a chance to know about without learning from what they gained.