Table of Contents

DEPTH CONVERSION...................................................................................................................... 2
Exercise Steps........................................................................................................................... 3
Comments.................................................................................................................................. 4

Petrel Introduction Course P2002 (v.7/02) Page 1

Depth Conversion
The fault model and 3D grid have been built in time and need to be converted to depth.
Currently only three depth conversion processes exist in Petrel:

 Linvel (V = Vo + kZ)

 Linvel (V = Vo + k(Z - Zo)

 Constant (V = Vo)

Where: both Vo and k can be either constants or surfaces.

In addition to the horizons that are being depth converted, other surfaces, such as seabed, can be
used as input for the depth conversion process. This means that the interval velocities can exist
between a datum and seabed, seabed to top reservoir, etc.
During the depth conversion process the converted grids can be tied to well tops. This is done on a
tab separate from the Intervals Tab where most of the parameters are set and is easy to miss. If
missed, the depth conversion is simply rerun with the tops selected, overwriting the previously built
3D Depth Grid.
Output from the depth conversion process is a new 3D Grid named the same as the input but with
the letters (DC) appended to the name. This 3D Grid is now in depth and is used from this point on
in the Petrel modeling process. If problems are found with top picks, faults, or modifications to the
primary horizons are made, then changes are made in the time domain and the steps up to and
including depth conversion rerun.
When all the depth conversion process is run a Velocity Model that contains all the depth
conversion settings will be created and stored under the Velocity Models sub-folder under at the
very top of he model. If you create a 3D grid later on, the same depth conversion settings can be
applied. If you want to use different depth conversion settings, then a copy should be made of the
velocity model before entering the Depth Conversion process.

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Exercise Steps
Several velocity models may be created in a Petrel model. By clicking with the right mouse button
in the Petrel Explorer on the folder called Velocity Models, the user can open a menu and from
there insert a new velocity model. It is always the model that is bold that will be used when the
depth conversion process is executed.
1. Double-click on the Depth Conversion Process in the Process Diagram to open the settings
dialog box.
2. Fill in entries under the Intervals tab according to the table below:
3. Find the Seabed time surface under velocity data in the Petrel Explorer Input tab.
4. Expand the Horizon folder of the time grid. Click on Base Cretaceous and drop it into Top
Time Horizon for all intervals in the 3D grid.
5. Change the Velocity set up according to the set up shown below. The velocity surfaces are
located in a Velocity Data folder in the Input tab.

6. Go to the Depth Well Tops tab and insert the well tops from the Well Tops folder in the Input
tab using the blue arrow.

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7. Go to the Wells tab, and choose Well Adjustment Inside segment only. Select Make Well
Report and Reset sheet. Click on Use influence radius and specify a well radius.

8. Click OK to run the depth conversion process. When it finishes, check the well report to
inspect the depth residuals.
9. A new 3D grid has been created. It has the same name as your time grid, with the (DC) added
to the end. Make this 3D grid active by selecting it in the Petrel Explorer. Do this before
moving to the next step to ensure that isochores are added to the depth model and not the
time model.

Comments
 To update the existing depth converted model, simply open the Depth
Conversion Process and change the settings and choose to override the existing model (create
a new model if that is what you want). Press OK.

 To create a new velocity model open the Velocity Models folder under
the time gird main folder. Right click on the velocity models folder and insert a new velocity
model. The new velocity model should be active (bold), double click on the Depth conversion
process and set the settings.

 It is possible only to use selected well tops in the well adjustment.

Right-click on the Well Tops folder and select Editor. In the column called 'Depth Conv', toggle
off the wells that you don't want to use as input for Depth Conversion. Press OK to close the
Well Tops Editor. Run the Depth Conversion process as described above.

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