Geological Consulting Services
Ryder Scott assesses the exploration potential of fields and basins, conducting prospect and play analyses and evaluating the potential of international concessions. We maintain a comprehensive suite of geoscientific software and use it extensively. That versatility offers more flexibility to clients with G&G data populated throughout any one of several commercial software programs. Ryder Scott applies risk-assessment expertise to undrilled prospects and trends. In some cases, Ryder Scott performs original geophysical mapping and basin-modeling work. In any assessment of an exploration prospect, we adopt a method of risk analysis, bring objectivity and consistency to portfolio valuation and apply discriminating economic criteria to prospect selection.
Most projects begin with some geotechnical determination of the maximum, minimum and most likely ranges of various reservoir properties such as bulk rock volumes, net-to-gross ratios, porosities, hydrocarbon saturations and recovery factors. For undrilled prospects, this information is often produced by integrating seismic interpretation with regional geologic data. Once the magnitude of a prospect is estimated for a range of successful cases, we consider the probability that one or more of the necessary conditions for success is missing. We also apply geologic risk factors that include trap risk, reservoir risk, source risk and timing and migration risk. Risking a prospect portfolio allows a company to balance the cost of an exploration program against the economic potential of an oil or gas discovery.
Geoscientific Analysis at Ryder Scott
- The Ryder Scott geophysics group analyzes seismic data for oil and gas projects in all stages of maturity from exploration to development to secondary and tertiary recovery. The firm interprets that data to aid in the development of full-scale geological models and volumetric estimates of oil and gas in place. To investigate structural and stratigraphic reservoirs, Ryder Scott geophysicists carefully delineate the geology of faults, reefs, salt domes, anticlines and sand channels. To get the best possible geological picture, the geophysicists analyze and correlate well and seismic data. Where well control is limited, geophysical interpretations enable Ryder Scott to project the extensions of hydrocarbon accumulations away from the bore holes. The geophysics group is familiar with the latest workstation technology and uses a wide variety of interpretation techniques including amplitude analysis, attribute analysis, stratigraphy studies, structural mapping and modeling, AVO analysis, inversion analysis, velocity analysis and forward modeling.
- The Ryder Scott petrophysics group analyzes clastic and carbonate lithologies in a wide range of depositional environments. The group performs well-log analysis and correlations and core analysis and integrates those interpretations with well-test, geophysics and geology data. Our petrophysicists build crossplots for determining lithologies, porosity and permeability distributions, water-resistivity values, water saturations and shale parameters. Ultimately, the group has developed techniques for determining fluid-transport properties and identifying potential hydrocarbons in some of the most challenging lithology and porosity systems in the world.
- Ryder Scott performs geological analyses of fields and regions worldwide — from basin evaluations to production geology. The firm uses stratigraphic and structural analyses and the latest computer-mapping programs and techniques to help unravel structurally complex geology. The firm generates isopach and structure maps to better understand depositional environments and to define subsurface traps. Reservoir characteristics typically mapped include net and gross reservoir thickness, water saturation, porosity and pore volume. To produce a geologic model, Ryder Scott matches core and log data with the seismic stratigraphy and projects extensions of stratigraphic sections in unexplored areas. Ryder Scott integrates geological studies with geophysics, petrophysics and fluid properties to estimate the volumes of oil and gas in place.