Methods and systems for updating a basin model to identify hydrocarbons using paleobathymetry

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed. Methods may include obtaining a paleoenvironment chart that includes water depths and obtaining an isopach map of a subterranean region of interest. The isopach map includes a sedimentary thickness at each position within the subterranean region of interest. Methods may further include determining a paleobathymetry map by converting the sedimentary thickness at each position to a water depth among the water depths, updating, using a basin modeling system, a basin model of the subterranean region of interest by inputting the paleobathymetry map into the basin model, and identifying, using an interpretation workstation, a location of hydrocarbons within the subterranean region of interest based, at least in part, on the updated basin model.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 obtaining a paleoenvironment chart comprising a plurality of water depths;   obtaining an isopach map of a subterranean region of interest,
 wherein the isopach map comprises a sedimentary thickness at each of a plurality of positions within the subterranean region of interest; 
   determining a paleobathymetry map by converting the sedimentary thickness at each of the plurality of positions to a water depth among the plurality of water depths;   updating, using a basin modeling system, a basin model of the subterranean region of interest by inputting the paleobathymetry map into the basin model; and   identifying, using an interpretation workstation, a location of hydrocarbons within the subterranean region of interest based, at least in part, on the updated basin model.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 obtaining a gross depositional environment (GDE) map of the subterranean region of interest, and   wherein determining the paleobathymetry map comprises aligning the isopach map to the GDE map.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the GDE map comprises a paleoenvironment at each of the plurality of positions,
 wherein the paleoenvironment chart further comprises a plurality of paleoenvironments, and   wherein determining the paleobathymetry map further comprises converting the sedimentary thickness at each of the plurality of positions to the water depth among the plurality of water depths based on the paleoenvironment among the plurality of paleoenvironments.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein obtaining the GDE map comprises:
 obtaining, using a seismic acquisition system, seismic data from the subterranean region of interest;   obtaining biostratigraphic data from the subterranean region of interest; and   determining the GDE map based, at least in part, on the seismic data and the biostratigraphic data.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the biostratigraphic data is obtained from at least one well within the subterranean region of interest. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the biostratigraphic data comprises fossil information. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising designing, using a wellbore planning system, a wellbore plan based, at least in part, on the location of hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising drilling, using a drilling system, a wellbore path guided, at least in part, by the wellbore plan. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein obtaining the isopach map comprises:
 obtaining, using a seismic acquisition system, seismic data from the subterranean region of interest; and   determining the isopach map based, at least in part, on the seismic data.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the paleobathymetry map further comprises normalizing the isopach map. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the paleobathymetry map further comprises smoothing the paleobathymetry map. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sedimentary thickness and the water depth are inversely related. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising producing a paleostructure map from the basin model,
 wherein the paleostructure map is associated with a present time; and   wherein identifying the location of hydrocarbons comprises identifying the location of hydrocarbons based, at least in part, on the paleostructure map.   
     
     
         14 . A system comprising:
 a computer system configured to:
 receive a paleoenvironment chart comprising a plurality of water depths, 
 receive an isopach map of a subterranean region of interest,
 wherein the isopach map comprises a sedimentary thickness at each of a plurality of positions within the subterranean region of interest, and 
 
 determine a paleobathymetry map by converting the sedimentary thickness at each of the plurality of positions to a water depth among the plurality of water depths; 
   a basin modeling system configured to update a basin model of the subterranean region of interest by inputting the paleobathymetry map into the basin model; and   an interpretation workstation configured to identify a location of hydrocarbons within the subterranean region of interest based, at least in part, on the updated basin model.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising a wellbore planning system configured to design a wellbore plan based, at least in part, on the location of hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a drilling system configured to drill a wellbore path guided, at least in part, by the wellbore plan. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising a seismic acquisition system configured to obtain seismic data from the subterranean region of interest,
 wherein the computer system is further configured to:
 receive the seismic data, and 
 determine a gross depositional environment (GDE) map based, at least in part, on the seismic data; and 
   wherein to determine the paleobathymetry map comprises aligning the isopach map to the GDE map.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the GDE map comprises a paleoenvironment at each of the plurality of positions,
 wherein the paleoenvironment chart further comprises a plurality of paleoenvironments, and   wherein to determine the paleobathymetry map further comprises converting the sedimentary thickness at each of the plurality of positions to the water depth among the plurality of water depths based on the paleoenvironment among the plurality of paleoenvironments.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising a well logging system configured to obtain biostratigraphic data from the subterranean region of interest, and
 wherein the computer system is further configured to:
 receive the biostratigraphic data, and 
 determine the GDE map further based, at least in part, on the biostratigraphic data. 
   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising a seismic acquisition system configured to obtain seismic data from the subterranean region of interest,
 wherein the computer system is further configured to:
 receive the seismic data, and 
 determine the isopach map based, at least in part, on the seismic data.