The Nexen time-lapse project

Time-lapse seismic (4D) analysis of a heavy oil reservoir undergoing steam injection is a critical step in the evaluation of production efficiency and wellbore conformance. Through the identification of changes in seismic character, steam chamber development can be mapped as three-dimensional bodies to monitor active steam fronts and identify unheated portions of the reservoir.

The Nexen Energy ULC (“Nexen”) time-lapse project (the “Project”) is an innovative approach to 4D monitoring, where small, individual arrays of permanently installed geophones are constructed on a fit-for purpose basis, unique to each drainage area. This enhancement allows for quick, cost effective acquisition, and short processing and interpretation timelines.