Ensemble-Based Seismic and Production Data Assimilation Using Selection Kalman Model

Abstract

Data assimilation in reservoir modeling often involves model variables that are multimodal, such as porosity and permeability. Well established data assimilation methods such as ensemble Kalman filter and ensemble smoother approaches, are based on Gaussian assumptions that are not applicable to multimodal random variables. The selection ensemble smoother is introduced as an alternative to traditional ensemble methods. In the proposed method, the prior distribution of the model variables, for example the porosity field, is a selection-Gaussian distribution, which allows modeling of the multimodal behavior of the posterior ensemble. The proposed approach is applied for validation on a two-dimensional synthetic channelized reservoir. In the application, an unknown reservoir model of porosity and permeability is estimated from the measured data. Seismic and production data are assumed to be repeatedly measured in time and the reservoir model is updated every time new data are assimilated. The example shows that the selection ensemble Kalman model improves the characterisation of the bimodality of the model parameters compared to the results of the ensemble smoother.