" Risk reduction from greater
certainty on decisions. Gives confidence
to the geologist and reservoir engineer
that their ideas are grounded in reality.
Shows them what
is known versus unknown."
" Greatly enhances field development
decision-making."
" Gives insight to the explorationist
on the critical elements of a specific
play that may be prospective."
" Uncovers subtle opportunities
that may not be apparent from any other
technique or technology."
" Improves predictive capabilities
on the upside development potential."
" Convinces management, investors
and partners of the commercial viability
of a prospect or merits of a field development program."
" We found a 3-billion barrel
field in Africa using analogs. The
discovery would not have happened without
them."
" We used negative analogs from
the Gulf of Mexico to show why we should
not make a major investment in a deepwater play in an expensive
block in another part
of the world."
" Using analogs, I found a large,
untapped accumulation under a salt
dome where the seismic was poor."
" We made critical decisions
in the North Sea by using analogs from
the U.S., South Africa and the Pyrenees."
" We tried to talk management
out of drilling a deep well offshore
Africa because analogs indicated it
could not be commercial. We drilled
it anyway and
lost a
lot of money."
" I found a 200-million barrel
field solely through the use of analogs.
It was a battle to get them to drill it."
" Today, seismic technology sometimes
becomes a ruling technology, and that's
too bad because sometimes analogs are put aside
or not used the way they should be."
" Many view seismic as ground
truth, but it tends to smooth things
out and analogs tend to add detail.
I'd like to see someone research the
accuracy of
seismic
versus analogs. I bet analogs would show
more detail."
" Sometimes we rely too much
on seismic. We may be very confident
of something based on analogs, but
if management does not see it on seismic
they are reluctant
to act. That just proves younger managers
do not really understand the power
of analogs."
" Still today some geologists
only look at 'close-in' data and completely
miss the point of using analogs."
" Geologists should do more than
look at what is close by."
" Managers and engineers are
comfortable with analogs that are very
close; geologists are willing to look
further a field; I used a Prudhoe Bay
analog to
develop a
good prospect in Syria."
