Gregory Partyka

Gregory Partyka

Latest company	BP

Gregory (Greg) Partyka received a degree in Geological Engineering from the University of Manitoba in 1987. Since 1988, he has worked for Amoco, then BP, in Canada, Poland, United States and United Kingdom. He has moved back and forth between assignments in operations and technology. This mix of roles has allowed him to experience research, development, application, and just as importantly, the value that appropriate technology can bring to business decisions. Along the way, he has focused his efforts on multi-disciplinary problem solving and improving our ability to decipher geologic content embedded in seismic data. In 1996, he deepened his knowledge of reservoir characterization by participating in an intensive, year-long petrophysics training program. In 2003, he received the SEG Virgil Kauffman Gold Medal Award for his work on the development of the spectral decomposition technique for reservoir characterization. This technique has been implemented by many seismic contractors and has led to improved interpretation on many plays throughout the world. In 2007, Greg joined OpenGeoSolutions and continues development and application of spectral decomposition and spectral inversion technologies that help customers better define their exploration and development targets. Greg also served as the Spring 2005 SEG Distinguished Lecturer.

Spring 2005 SEG Distinguished Lecturer

Spectral Decomposition and Inversion

Limited signal bandwidth and abundant thin layering interact to produce tuned seismic reflections with peaks, troughs and zero-crossings that rarely follow true geologic boundaries. Such interference plagues traditional seismic methods and hinders the extraction and characterization of subsurface information.

While conventional interpretation techniques require constant attention to the source wavelet and its associated tuning-thickness and dominant frequency, spectral decomposition facilitates the process. It moves detection and resolution out from under the control of the source wavelet and allows impedance and thickness interference to be examined with respect to signal and noise on a frequency-by-frequency basis. Just as remote sensing makes use of sub-bands of much higher electromagnetic frequencies to characterize the earth's surface, spectral decomposition relies on sub-bands of substantially lower seismic frequencies to characterize the earth's subsurface.

This simple and robust seismic technology has been implemented by many seismic contractors and has led to higher resolution and improved interpretation on many plays throughout the world. It reveals and facilitates assessment of stratigraphy, structure, thickness, heterogeneity and reservoir architecture. By providing higher fidelity and superior fault imaging than conventional amplitude/attributes, it often reduces uncertainty, and facilitates integration of seismic, geology and reservoir simulation.

In this talk, my goal is to leave you with a better understanding of this technology via real and model case studies. Along the way, I hope to provide insight into the creative process that led to its development. I will include a discussion of the frequency domain characteristics of a layer, analysis window size and spectral balancing, and will wrap-up with some thoughts regarding the road ahead.

Additional Resources

A recording of the lecture is available in English and in Mandarin.

A transcript of the lecture also is available.

Biography Citation for the SEG Virgil Kauffman Gold Medal Award

Contributed by Craig Cooper

It is my sincere pleasure and honor to write this citation for my colleague and friend Greg Partyka.

His remarkable curiosity, determination, and ability to invent creative ways to decipher the nature and characteristics of subsurface geology embedded in seismic data are as inspirational as they are impressive. Although this award is for Greg’s work on the development of spectral decomposition, best known for its value in reservoir characterization, his contributions extend well beyond that and have added significant value by fostering multidisciplinary problem solving and by challenging the status quo. It has been extremely gratifying to observe the development of Greg’s professional influence and growth during the past 15 years.

Greg developed a good foundation in the geosciences at the University of Manitoba where he earned a degree in geological engineering in 1987. After a brief experience as a consultant, he landed in a technical group at Amoco Canada in 1988 where he quickly learned how to apply and make the most of seismic technologies and tools. While under the tutelage of the many capable experienced geophysicists within Amoco Canada, Greg became recognized for his creative and innovative use of technology in addressing tough business challenges. Greg transferred to Amoco Poland in 1993 and became more involved in the operations and business side of the company. He helped lead the company’s seismic efforts and experienced first hand both the value generated from effective use of technology and the importance of clear, concise communication.

Amoco recognized his aptitude for innovative application of technology and transferred him to the Amoco Technology Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1994 where he joined a team noted for its creation of coherency technology. Fundamental development and advances in spectral decomposition were made during this time and followed-on from the great successes accomplished by Mike Bahorich et al. in the development and application of coherency. As the value and potential business impact of spectral decomposition became apparent, Greg and the team spent a great deal of time traveling around the company transferring the technology to business unit staff for maximum impact. The technical transfer sessions established an extensive internal network of contacts which provided important feedback on the use of the technology and a source of ideas for further improvements.

Greg deepened his knowledge of reservoir characterization by participating in an intensive, year-long petrophysics training program in 1996. Greg then took his enhanced skills to BP Amoco’s Western U.S. Gas Business Unit in 1998 where he and the team drilled a string of successful wells. Though his impact on the business unit was significant, it was realized that the company would gain more value by getting Greg involved in projects, worldwide. For that reason, he was recruited into BP’s Upstream Technology Group in 2000 where he has been able to work with interpreters throughout the entire organization and achieve global impact on BP’s E&P activities. In addition, he has become very active within our industry, publishing a number of papers, giving numerous presentations and tutorial sessions on spectral decomposition, and working with many companies on the use of the technology. Greg continues his work with the family of spectral-decomposition-based technologies and, together with colleagues, has extended their impact into the areas of time-lapse seismic and reservoir simulation. So his significant contributions to the business of finding and producing oil and gas will most certainly continue.

Greg’s tremendous work ethic, high standards, creativity and innovation, modesty, perseverance, and willingness to work with everyone have earned him wide respect. I know that his many friends and colleagues join me in congratulating him on receiving this great honor.

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