Integrated Workflows for Tight Gas Reservoirs

A Montney case study/ Petrel 2010

Agenda

• Seismic methods can be utilized in reservoir characterization studies to achieve an

improved understanding of the reservoir structure, stress orientation, heterogeneity
and better identification of the sweet spots.

• Full integration of geological, seismic and micro seismic data is key to better reservoir
characterization, better well planning and better frac design.
Introduction:
This case study represents an integrated workflow for reservoir characterization in tight sand gas and shale gas
plays. The integration of micro seismic information with geophysical and geological reservoir characterization is key
to understanding the hydraulic fractures behavior, identify reservoir sweet spots and plan wells and completions.

The treatment well displayed in the picture was stimulated in five

stages. The treatments were monitored in a vertical well close to
the centre.

In the picture you can see 5 red discs representing 5 perforations.

Microseismic events recorder for each stage are color coded:
1st stage – orange color
2nd stage - yellow color – this stage didn’t manage to fracture new
rock and microseismic events superimposed over first stage.
3rd stage - (third red disc with no events) failed to initiate.
4th and 5th stages – blue and green

We will try to understand why 2nd stage didn't manage to

fracture new rock and why 3rd stage didn’t initiate at all.
Well type
We use this well to demonstrate that the Vp/Vs is correlated to quartz-clay ratios in log data. The case study
utilizes petrophysical data processed to produce mineral volume logs over the Doig and Montney Formations.

There is clear correlation between VP/Vs and Quartz amount

calculated based on well logs. The ratio of the compressional and
shear wave velocities(Vp/Vs) is a useful indicator of quartz-clay ratios
in log data, and by extension suggest that Vp/Vs data from AVO
inversion provide a means of characterizing, at least qualitatively,
reservoir properties. Qualitatively and empirically, an increased sand-
shale ratio correlates to increased porosity, lower breakdown
pressures for stimulation, and enhanced relative production (David Close,
Simon Stirling, David Cho, and Frederik Horn, 2010).
 Microseismic Events Display and Manipulation

Petrel microseismic utility helps to

manipulate the microseimsic events and
play through them according to the time
stamp. The pumping window at the bottom
is interactive and tied to the 3D window
display. Microseismic attribute values can
be represented through color codes or
different sizes and advanced filters help
users make event selections based on
different criteria.

Fig. Pumping window displaying various

attributes like: BH pressure, Slur Rate, Proppant
Concentration. All 5 stages can be identified. To
the right you can see full list of available event
attributes.
Surface Dip Angle & Azimuth calculation
Regional dipping direction is NE-SW
Regional stresses orientation is NE-SW (David Close, Simon Stirling, David Cho, and Frederik Horn, 2010)

Fig. Lower Doig structural surface display with indicators of the surface
dipping direction. The alignment of events from stages 4 and 5 is much
closer to the expected orientation based on knowledge of regional stresses
Ant Tracking is a Schlumberger patented algorithm used
to identify faults, major fractures or fracture corridors

Fig. Use a stereo net filter before running the Ant

Tracking to avoid tracking acquisition noise Fig. Ant Tracking time slice display together with the
micro seismic events.
 Correlation between Vp/Vs logs and Vp/Vs inversion
volume
Fig. Variation in Vp/Vs volume are very important for reservoir understanding
Fig. Vp/Vs logs together with Vp/Vs
extraction from inversion volumes proving
a good correlation.
Seismic inversion results help to understand the
induced fractures behavior
Fig. Micro-seismic monitoring data overlain with Vp/Vs ratio map,
Poisson Ration map and seismic amplitudes map. Fracture stimulation
ports are located as green disks along the lateral.

The increased Vp/Vs ratio indicated by the AVO results

around the stage 3 frac port suggests that a higher
breakdown pressure would be expected due to increased
clay mineral content, and this may explain the failure to
initiate a fracture for this stage. Stages 4 and 5 are located
in a more extensive area of lower Vp/Vs ratio, typically
representative of higher relative quartz content, which
explains, at least in part, the improved stimulation results.
(David Close,* Simon Stirling, David Cho, and Frederik Horn, 2010).
 Double Volume Rendering: Acoustic Impedance and
Poisson Ratio

Fig. With help from the attributes histogram

display you can filter out high values of
Poisson Ratio and high value of Acoustic
Impedance.
Fig. 3D window displaying rendered seismic volume based
on the selection of specific values of Poisson Ratio and
Acoustic Impedance. Colors in this case represent the
Acoustic Impedance
 Geobody Interpretation and Classification

We used the seismic volume cross plot

functionality to identify and extract sweet spots
and other important information. In this
classification, green represents the sweet spots
(low PR and low AI) and the red represents a
tighter rock in comparison with the green area/
facies (higher PR values).
Seismic classification to Facies 3D model

The classification we got from seismic

geobody interpretation is used as a
deterministic facies model.

If the reservoir is not thick, an

average facies map can be used for the model,
where the facies is not varying vertically.

This technique will solve the problem

associated with the vertical resolution problem.
Reservoir properties modeling

Porosity, volume of quarts and

TOC were modeling as follow:
1. Input data: Logs from 15 wells
2. Facies: deterministic seismic
classification
3. Trends: VpVs use as trend for Porosity
and Quartz, Porosity used as tend for
TOC.
4. Method: Sequential Gaussian
Simulation
5. For decision making models are
smoothed.
Reservoir characterization

Porosity and Quartz cube showed

the same interpretation result as seismic: 1 2
3
4 5

1. Area around stages one, four and five

showed high good values fir porosity and
quarts.
2. Area around stage three showed low values
for porosity and quartz but very close to high
area around stage one.
3. Stage three showed a big area with very low
reservoir quality.
Reservoir quality properly

Based on multi filter reservoir quality

is defined as follow:
Cut Off
1. Porosity: 1.5%
2. Quartz: 50%
3. TOC: 1%
Seismic interpretation:
1. The best facies assign quality of 2
2. Second best facies assigned quality of 1

Quality map is generated by vertical

summation of quality property
Reservoir quality map and well section
Poro Quarts Quality

Clearly the quality property can be used for well completion design and
for future well planning
References:

CSEG Recorder May 2010: Tight Gas Geophysics: AVO

inversion for Reservoir Characterization

SPE 122934: A workflow for integrated Barnett Shale Gas

Reservoir Modeling and Simulation