To obtain improved oil recovery (IOR), it is crucial to have a best-possible description of the reservoir and the reservoir dynamics. In addition to production data, information can be obtained from 4D seismic and from tracer monitoring. Interwell tracer testing (IWTT) has been established as a proven and efficient technology to obtain information on well-to-well communication, heterogeneities, and fluid dynamics. During such tests, chemical or radioactive tracers are used to label water or gas from specific wells. The tracers then are used to trace the fluids as they move through the reservoir together with the injection phase.

At first tracer breakthrough, IWTT yields immediate and unambiguous information on injector/producer communication. Nevertheless, IWTT is still underused in the petroleum industry, and data may not be used to their full capacity—most tracer data are used in a qualitative manner (Du and Guan 2005). To improve this situation, we combine tracer-data evaluation, 4D seismic, and available production data in an integrated process. The integration is demonstrated using data from the Snorre field in the North Sea. In addition to production data, extensive tracer data (dating back to 1993) and results from three seismic surveys acquired in 1983, 1997, and 2001 were considered.

Briefly this study shows that

• Seismic and tracer data applied in combination can reduce the uncertainties in interpretations of the drainage patterns.
• Waterfronts interpreted independently by tracer response and seismic dimming compare well.
• Seismic brightening interpreted as gas accumulation is supported by the gas-tracer responses.