Gulf of Mexico Bright Spots

Early Shell Discoveries*

By Mike Forrest1
*Presented at AAPG Convention, March, 2002
1

Consultant (Shell Oil Company retired), Dallas, Texas

Outline
1967 - 1969 Shell Bright Spot history.
Shell Prospect Posy - 1970
EI 330 Field
Shell Prospect Pine 1972
SMI 130 Field
Lessons.

This paper describes oil exploration studies that were performed in Shell Oil Company (USA) during 1967 to 1972.
Strong seismic reflections were observed over crests of structures in the Gulf of Mexico. After a calibration study was
completed where petrophysical data was available, an operations/research team was formed and Bright Spot
technology was applied in acquiring leases in the 1970 and 1972 federal offshore lease sales. Shell early discoveries
include Eugene Island 331 that has 150 million barrels of oil and gas equivalent (MMBOE) and South Marsh Island 130
Field with 250 MMBOE.

Index map of offshore Louisiana, showing location of Main Pass (MP) blocks 122/133 area, Bay Marchand Field (BM),
Eugene Island (EI) Block 330 Field, and South Marsh Island (SMI) Block 130 Field.

Acknowledgement
Thanks to Shell Offshore (New
Orleans) for permission to give this
paper and especially for the data
presented in this paper Data of the time, 1967 to 1972.

Thanks to Shell Offshore in New Orleans for permission to make this presentation and allowing the author to review old
files so data from the time could be included in this paper.

1967: Main Pass 122 - 133 Area

1.5 sec (5000)

3
During 1967, Mike Forrest, Shell geophysicist, observed high amplitude reflections that appear to conform to the
shallow crest of a low-relief closure in the Main Pass 122/133 area, offshore Louisiana.

1967: Main Pass 122 133 Area

1.5 sec, 5000

During 1967, Mike Forrest, Shell geophysicist, observed high amplitude reflections that appear to conform to the
shallow crest of a low-relief closure in the Main Pass 122/133 area, offshore Louisiana.

1968, Main Pass 122 -133 Area

Sonic Log

Electric Log

24 NFG

23 NFG
16 NFG

5000/sec
5000/sec.
5000/sec
vs. 6700/sec

Early 1968. One of several wells drilled in the area indicates gas sands at 2000 feet to 3000 feet, corresponding to seismic
amplitude anomalies. Sonic log indicates velocity of gas sands less than 5000 feet/second compared to 6700 feet per
second in surrounding shales, thus causing the strong reflections. The author read a Russian geophysical abstract that
discussed the theory and an example of direct detection of oil and gas pays using seismic data.
(Note - Today, MP 133 area is a 300 BCF shallow gas field that was developed Starting in the mid 70's).

N Late 1968: S. Flank Bay Marchand Field S 7

3.0 sec, 12000

Late 1968. North-south seismic line across south flank of Bay Marchand field, where Shell, at that time, was preparing to bid at
a lease sale on offshore block South Timbalier 26. The strong seismic event at 3.0 seconds on the north end of the line has
several hundred milliseconds of relief (about 2500 feet), and structural mapping indicated the strong reflection conformed to fault
closure. Urban Allen, Shell geologist, made a fault plane analysis that indicated the amplitude anomaly (that was
assumed to be associated with a sand) was juxtaposed with an oil sand across a small fault. After leasing the block,
drilling found the amplitude anomaly corresponded with a 100 to 200 foot oil sand with approximately 100 MMBO.

1968/1969 -- Example of amplitude anomalies

Plio-Pleistocene trend, Offshore Louisiana

1.5 sec, 5000

3.0 sec,
12000
1968. An example of several seismic amplitude anomalies on the crest of a Pleistocene structure, Offshore Louisiana.
During the late 1960's, seismic acquisition and processing changed from analog to digital format, thus allowing the
preservation of "relative seismic amplitudes" along a seismic trace and between traces. Seismic amplitude anomalies were
observed on the crests of many structures in the Offshore Louisiana and Texas Plio-Pleistocene trend. This prospect showed
strong amplitudes at depths of 5000 and 10,000 feet, thus providing an economic incentive to study the meaning of the
strong reflections. Because the Pleistocene trend was essentially an unexplored province at the time, no well data were
available to help determine the cause of the strong reflections.

1969
Bright Spot term coined.
Review several shallow Mio and Plio
gas/oil fields tied bright spots to pay
with petrophysical soft notch.
Operations/Research team formed.
Peak and Valley days.

1969. The term Bright Spot is coined in Shell New Orleans office. Gene McMahan. Shell geophysicist, looked over
Mike Forrests shoulder one day and stated, Those strong reflections look like bright spots. The term became a fixture
after discussions in coffee shop and meetings.
During the spring of 1969, Mike Forrest reviewed several gas and oil fields in the Pliocene/Miocene trend in the shallow
waters of the Louisiana shelf. A data package was prepared that showed gas/oil pays related to Bright Spots on
seismic data and calibrated to low impedance (velocity multiplied by density) intervals on well logs. These field studies
were shown to R.E. Mac McAdams, VP Exploration, and he immediately formed an operations research team to study
and calibrate seismic Bright Spots.
The next year, where there were several drilling successes and failures based on Bright Spots observed on then current
Shell leases; was referred to as Peak and Valley Days.

10

Prospect Posy
EI 330 Field
Shell Block EI 331
1970 - 1971

Prospect Posy introduction, EI 330 Field, 1969 and 1970.

Posy was one of the first prospects where Shell made detail amplitude and thickness measurements. Shell leased block
EI 331 and discovered 150 MMBOE. The overall EI 330 Field is 750 MMBOE.

10

11

Prospect Posy (EI 330 Field) J sand map

#3
#
3

#1

Shell 331
s

i
m
s
ei

e
lin

#1

Pennzoil 330

Prospect Posy structure map at J sand level with a good Bright Spot at approximately 1.7 seconds and conforming
to structural closure (interpretation by Mike Forrest). The primary crest of the structure is located in the middle of block
330 but a secondary crest is present in the north half of block 331; both crests are part of large closure that spans several
offshore blocks. Note the location of northeast-southwest seismic lines and also the locations of Shell 331 #3, Shell 331
#1, and Pennzoil 330 #1 wells.

11

SW

Prospect Posy, Line 388- 8486 migrated

Block 331

Block 330

12

NE

J Sd.
2.0 sec. 7000

Northeast-southwest seismic line across the main structure that is located in block 330.

12

SW

Prospect Posy, Line 375- 1127 stack

13

NE

J sd

Another northeast seismic line in the same vicinity as line in previous image. Note the J sand Bright Spot. This
seismic line is the same as shown in image 8, which is shown as example of prospects with amplitude anomalies in the
offshore Pleistocene area.

13

Prospect Posy J sand bright spot outline

14

J sand Bright Spot outline which conforms to structural closure. The outline is based on unmigrated seismic data;
the Fresnel Zone correction is shown on the map.

14

Prospect Posy Amplitude / Background

15

J Sd.

A/B 5
A/B 1.5

From Aubrey
Bassetts
Payzo
From Aubrey
Bassett
Pazo Program
From Aubrey Bassett Pazo Program
Program

Amplitude/Background (A/B) measurements at J sand level on a seismic line over crest of Posy. Measurements were
made using program called Payzo, written by Aubrey Bassett, Shell Geophysicist.

15

Prospect Posy A/B map at J sand level

16

A/B 4.0

A/B 3 - 4

A/B 1 - 2
331

Amplitude/Background
using Aubrey Bassetts Payzo Program
Amplitude/Background map at J sand level. The updip A/B is about four; note the consistent strong amplitude in the
area around the location of Shell #3 well.

16

W.

Posy, flat spot (#3 location)

E. 17

J sand
L sand

Line 3886411
Portion of east-west seismic line across the location of Shell # 3 well. Note the good Bright Spot at J sand level with
a Flat Spot indicating a thick pay.

17

18

Prospect Posy

150
100
0

100

< 60
J gross pay sand thickness map
Chuck Roripaugh, 1970.
Using Payzo program.
J sand gross thickness map, from seismic data, by Chuck Roripaugh, Shell geophysicist. The 150 feet gross thickness
in northwest portion of block 331 in area of Shell #3 well thins to less than 60 feet on crest of structure in block 330.
Leighton Steward, geology project leader, calculated the potential reserves for the J sand plus the deeper L sand,
and Shell bid and won Block 331 for $13 million in the 1970 lease sale.

18

Shell EI 331 # 3, J Sand

19

66 NFG
160
66 gross
NFG sand
160 gross
sand

Portion of well log from Shell # 3 well that shows 160-feet of gross sand with 66 net feet gas. There is a good match
between seismic interpretation and well data.

19

W
Shell #3

E 20

EI 330 Field
#2

Shell
#1

Penn #1
25

25 gas
66 NFG

23

7 gas

17 oil
L

42 NFO

24

Geologic cross-section from Shell #3 to Pennzoil #1 well. Note the multiple oil and gas pays and the thinning of the
gross interval and individual sands from Block 331 to crest of structure in block 330.
All of oil and gas pays correlate with amplitude anomalies of varying quality.

20

Posy Shell #1
Well Log
Acoustic Impedance

27 NFG
31 NFO
17 NFO

Log vs. Seismic

21

SeismicRunsum
J Sd.
K
L

oil pay

Shell Block 331 #1 seismic acoustic impedance from well data, with pays annotated, compared to the seismic data
across the well. Seismic is displayed in Runsum format, developed after the 1970 sale; it is a pseudo acoustic impedance
log derived by integrating the seismic trace (running sum = Runsum).

21

Plio Pleistocene Trend Curves

22

Refl. Coeff ( shale / gas, oil, water) vs. depth

From Bill Scaife and Harlan Ritch - 1971

.25
.15
.05
0
1000

5000

9000

Plio-Pleistocene trend curves, in this case defined as reflection coefficient vs depth, for gas, oil and wet sands. These
curves, derived from petrophysical data acquired in the Pleistocene trend during 1970/1971, were used to help interpret
amplitude anomalies in the 1972 Federal lease sale. Petrophysical trend curves are more complex than shown, as sand
quality plays a major role in petrophysical measurements and interpretation.

22

Prospect Posy Summary

23

First A/B and thickness mapping (Shell)

J sand thick gas.
L sand first oil bright spot
(hindsight)
Several other qualitative BSs were pay.
EI 330 Field - 750 MMBOE
Shell Block 331- 150 MMBOE
Ref: EI 330 Field, Scotty Holland et al.
AAPG website: Search and Discovery.
Summary of Prospect Posy.

23

24

SMI 130 Field

Shell Prospect Pine
1972 - 1973

Prospect Pine introduction, 1972.

First detail application of Runsum seismic processing (described in image 21) and calibration to petrophysical trend
curves. Bright Spots were used to successfully predict oil pays; this was very important at the time as oil was a much
more valuable resource than gas.

24

West Pine

Prospect Pine, SMI 130

25

130

1972. The Prospect Pine structure map, near top of stacked seismic amplitude sequence, as depicted by Jules Laine, Shell
geophysicist. Structure is shown as a small salt/shale diapir with a radial fault pattern and a downthrown fault block on the
west flank where the best amplitude anomalies were observed. West Pine is shown as a southeast-dipping structure bounded
by faults. Laine also made the "Bright Spot" interpretation.

25

West Pine
WNW

Prospect Pine
Shell #1

26

P
SMIi 130
n
e

ESE

1.5 sec, 5000

Prospect Pine and West Pine ESE-WNW seismic line. Stacked Bright Spots are present on west flank of salt/shale diapir
on Prospect Pine, and a single Bright Spot is present across the syncline to the west at Prospect West Pine. The Pine
amplitudes are oil and gas pays, whereas the West Pine amplitude, which has the same measured amplitude as an oil pay
across the syncline at Pine, is caused by low-saturation gas in a sand. Shell tested low quantities of gas, and the sonic log
showed cycle skipping suggesting the sand had about 10% gas saturation. The theory of a low-saturation gas sand
having a seismic amplitude as a high-saturation gas sand was developed at about the same time as the West Pine
observation.

26

27

Prospect Pine RUNSUM (Integration)

W

Runsum of Prospect Pine seismic amplitude package.

27

Prospect Pine

182 NFO

28

230 NFO
21 NFG

Geologic cross section, with oil and gas pays, shows the first two exploration wells on Pine, a downdip and an updip
test.

28

Prospect Pine #1 and 2 wells

29

Synthetic Seismogram - Runsum

seconds

Synthetic seismogram and oil/gas pay thicknesses from petrophysical data of two exploration wells at Prospect Pine.

29

30

Prospect Pine/West Pine Summary

First application of RUNSUM
processing and petrophysical TREND
CURVES.
Original estimate of 100 MMBO, based
on high probability oil calls.
Current est over 250 MMBOE.
West Pine - first recognition of low
saturation gas problem (LSG).

Prospect Pine summary.

30

31

Shell Discoveries Using Bright Spots

GOM Shelf 1.5 to 2 BBOE
GOM Deep Water Approx. 4 BBOE
Presence of bright spots was a key
factor in entering deep water during
1983 to 1986.

Shell discoveries using Bright Spot technology, 1970 to 1998.

31

Lessons

32

Good ideas come from operations people follow-up with research TEAM.
New ideas - requires persistence
BEWARE OF THE SKEPTICS.
In hindsight, good ideas are very often simple
and easy to understand.
If technical staff and management agree on
application of new technology,
GO FOR IT

Lessons from Shell initial Bright Spot studies and Prospect Posy and Pine successes.

32

33

Shell Team - 1969 to 1972

Billy Flowers, Glenn Robertson,
Mike Forrest, Urban Allen, Dick Grolla,
Aubrey Bassett, Chuck Roripaugh, Ray
Thomasson, Leighton Steward, Mac
McAdams, Miner Long, Manny Baskir,
Dave DiMartini, Gene McMahan, Lee
Backsen, Bill Scaife, Harlan Ritch, Sam
Mitchell, J.T. Smith, Jules Laine, et al.

List of the Shell team members (successful exploration is always a team effort) who played a significant role in Bright
Spot technology studies, 1967 to 1972.

33