Advances in five-dimensional seismic data interpretation and reservoir prediction

Five-dimensional seismic data encompasses seismic reflection wavefield information across three-dimensional space, offset, and observation azimuth. The interpretation of such data offers a novel approach for high-precision characterization of complex oil and gas reservoirs. This paper reviews key scientific issues and foundational research related to five-dimensional seismic data interpretation, with a particular emphasis on major advances in techniques involving rock physics theories, seismic attribute analysis, seismic inversion optimization, fracture prediction, in-situ stress estimation, and fluid identification, both domestically and internationally. It further explores the opportunities, challenges, and future directions in the development of theories and methods for interpreting five-dimensional seismic data. Theoretical research and real applications have shown that constructing a five-dimensional seismic rock physics model—incorporating temperature and pressure conditions, strong heterogeneity and anisotropy, and other microscopic rock physics mechanisms—provides the physical basis for seismically identifying different types of complex reservoirs. Additionally, the development of robust inversion and quantitative interpretation methods tailored to fractured reservoirs can address issues such as computational instability and low information utilization often associated with massive high-dimensional datasets. Innovations in fracture prediction technology, leveraging multi-dimensional information fusion attributes—including five-dimensional geometric attributes, azimuthal elastic modulus ellipse fitting, Fourier series decomposition, and azimuthal inversion attributes—have proven effective in enhancing fracture prediction accuracy. Moreover, the establishment of five-dimensional seismic prediction methods for engineering sweet spots (e.g., reservoir brittleness and in-situ stress) based on anisotropy theory enables effective evaluation of the fracturability of subsurface formations. The application of five-dimensional seismic interpretation theory and technology provides a new pathway for predicting complex reservoirs and oil-gas identification.