A ‘dream team’ of top geophysicists, computer scientists and organisations has been assembled under the banner of the Kaleidoscope Project to create a major advance in computerised techniques for seismic imaging with one of the world’s most powerful supercomputers.

The project was launched on 14 November by Spanish energy company Repsol YPF, in partnership with Houston based imaging company 3DGeo, the Barcelona Supercomputing Centre (BSC) and Stanford University’s Stanford Exploration Project (SEP).

Repsol YPF’s Chief Geophysicist and Project Leader, Francisco Ortigosa, said Kaleidoscope has made possible the full realisation of the next generation seismic imaging technology. “This includes a specialised technique called Reverse Time Migration (RTM) that will accelerate and streamline oil and gas exploration by several orders of magnitude compared to current industry standards”, Ortigosa said.

The Kaleidoscope Project uses new models, algorithms and one of the world’s most powerful supercomputers, called the MareNostrum, operated by the BSC. Ortigosa said Repsol YPF expects to begin deploying elements of the new Kaleidoscope RTM technology as early as the first quarter of 2007.

“Repsol YPF now has exclusive access to the three key components of advanced seismic imaging: the RTM codes through Repsol’s relationship with the pioneers of the technology; privileged access through BSC to Cell Broadband Engine (Cell BE) based systems; and exclusive access as well to the BSC’s HPC research experience and MareNostrum supercomputer for use in the oil industry”, he said.

“Repsol YPF’s integration of these components will make RTM imaging a routine, cost-effective reality for oil exploration. RTM has been widely recognised as the next chapter in seismic exploration, as it can overcome the limitations of current migration methods in imaging complex geologic structures that exist in the Gulf of Mexico.”

Ortigosa said the chief impediment to the large-scale, routine deployment of RTM has been a lack of sufficient computer power, requiring 30 times the computing power used in exploration today to be commercially viable and widely usable.

“But now the Kaleidoscope Project brings together the necessary components of modelling, algorithms and the uniquely powerful computing power of the MareNostrum supercomputer to realise the promise of RTM, incorporate it into daily processing flows, to help solve exploration problems in a highly cost-effective way”, he said “Uniquely, the Kaleidoscope Project is simultaneously integrating software (algorithms) and hardware (Cell BE), steps that are traditionally taken sequentially.”

“Advancing seismic imaging to the next level of precision poses a multi-disciplinary challenge. That is why we have assembled a diverse team of the best minds from industry, government and academia for our Kaleidoscope Project.”

“Kaleidoscope brings together 3DGeo’s advanced algorithms and techniques; IBM’s Cell BE based processors and supercomputing architecture; the fifth most powerful supercomputer in the world, and the first in Europe, the MareNostrum at the Barcelona Supercomputer Center; and Repsol-YPF experience in model building. The collective knowledge base and resources of Kaleidoscope’s partners credibly promise to raise the industry standard in
seismic exploration.”

He said IBM developed the MareNostrum supercomputer and co-developed the Cell BE processor. “Public benchmarks show that the Cell BE processors perform the computation of algorithms central to seismic imaging, called Fast Fourier Transforms, 40 times faster than leading brand processors.”

“This collaboration will deliver a robust, first-to-market seismic imaging solution for Repsol-YPF, well ahead of the competition”, said Biondo Biondi, co-founder and chief technical advisor of 3DGeo, and associate professor at Stanford University.  “We estimate that this solution will accelerate seismic imaging by several orders of magnitude compared to conventional solutions running on standard Linux Clusters.”

Ortigosa said the Kaleidoscope Project’s technology is expected to significantly reduce exploration risks in complex areas such as the Gulf of Mexico where thick layers of salt preclude the visualisation of oil-bearing sands underneath.

BSC Director, Professor Mateo Valero, said the innovative collaboration between a private enterprise and academic researchers has great potential to generate enterprise business advantage. “Collaboration across these worlds has been traditionally limited”, he said.

Detail of the production wafer for the Cell BE processor. Photo courtesy of IBM.

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The MareNostrum supercomputer sits in a building that long ago was an old chapel. There is a harmonious contrast between the magnificent past and the stylish future. Progress does not disrupt the past. Photo by Roland Halbe. Courtesy of BSC.

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Comparison of processing using Shot Profile Migration (left) with Reverse Time Migration (right). The tooth-like body represents a salt body similar to those in the Gulf of Mexico. Oil accumulates along the flanks of those bodies, so it is crucial to be able to image them. RTM better defines the salt body and therefore lowers the exploratory risk of a well that could cost up to $US 100 million. Processed by 3DGeo on a model courtesy of BP