Methods of Determining Initial Fluid Contacts

( OWC , GOC , GWC)

Abbas Radhi Abbas

Missan Oil Company ( MOC)
10-jan 2022

Methods of Determining Initial Fluid Contacts ----------------------------- by : Abbas Radhi -2022

What Fluid Contact ??

Fluid Contacts
In the volumetric estimation of a field’s reserve, the initial location of the fluid
contacts and also for the field development, the current fluid contacts are very
critical factor for adequate evaluation of the hydrocarbon prospect. Typically, the
position of fluid contacts are first determined within control wells and then
extrapolated to other parts of the field. Once initial fluid contact elevations in
control wells are determined, the contacts in other parts of the reservoir can be
estimated. Initial fluid contacts within most reservoirs having a high degree of
continuity are almost horizontal, so the reservoir fluid contact elevations are those
of the control wells.

Estimation of the depths of the fluid contacts, gas/water contact (GWC), oil/water
contact (OWC), and gas/oil contact (GOC) can be made by equating the pressures of
the fluids at the said contact. Such that at GOC, the pressure of the gas is equal to
the pressure of the oil and the same concept holds for OWC.

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Methods of Determining Initial Fluid Contacts ----------------------------- by : Abbas Radhi -2022
Methods of Determining Initial Fluid Contacts :

Methods of Determining Initial Fluid Contacts :

1. Fluid Sampling Methods
2. Saturation Estimation from Wireline Logs
3. Estimation from Conventional and Sidewall Cores
4. Pressure Methods
5. Pressure Profiles from Repeat Formation Tester
6. Pressure Profiles from Reservoir Tests, Production Tests and DST

Methods of Determining Initial Fluid Contacts ----------------------------- by : Abbas Radhi -2022

1. Fluid Sampling Methods

This is a direct measurement of fluid contact such as:

• Production tests
• drill stem tests ( DST )
• repeat formation tester (RFT) tests (Schlumberger, 1989).

These methods have some limitation which are:

• Rarely closely spaced, so contacts must be interpolated

• Problems with filtrate recovery on DST and RFT
• Coring, degassing, etc. may lead to anomalous recoveries

Methods of Determining Initial Fluid Contacts ----------------------------- by : Abbas Radhi -2022

1. Fluid Sampling Methods

Fluid Sampling

Methods of Determining Initial Fluid Contacts ----------------------------- by : Abbas Radhi -2022

3. Estimation from Conventional and Sidewall Cores

Estimates fluid contacts from the changes in

fluid saturation with depth which can be
related to petrophysical properties. It can
estimates saturation for complex lithologies
(Core Laboratories, 2002). The limitations are:
Conventional Core
• Usually not continuously cored, so
saturation profile is not as complete
• Saturation measurements may not be
accurate

Sidewall Core

Methods of Determining Initial Fluid Contacts ----------------------------- by : Abbas Radhi -2022

4.Pressure Methods

There are basically two types of pressure methods:

1. the pressure profiles from repeat formation tester ( RFT , MDT )

2. and pressure profiles from reservoir tests, production tests and
drill stem tests ( DST )

Methods of Determining Initial Fluid Contacts ----------------------------- by : Abbas Radhi -2022

5. Pressure Profiles from Repeat Formation Tester

Pressure Profiles from Repeat Formation Tester

It estimates free water surface from inflections in pressure versus depth curve.

Methods of Determining Initial Fluid Contacts ----------------------------- by : Abbas Radhi -2022

6. Pressure Profiles from Reservoir Tests, Production Tests and DST

It estimates free water surface from pressures and fluid density

measurements which makes use of widely available pressure data.

Both pressure techniques are pose with limitations such as:

• Data usually require correction

• Only useful for thick hydrocarbon columns
• Most reliable for gas contacts, Requires many pressure measurements
for profile, Requires accurate pressures

Methods of Determining Initial Fluid Contacts ----------------------------- by : Abbas Radhi -2022

Reference

Methods of Determining Initial Fluid Contacts ----------------------------- by : Abbas Radhi -2022

About Authorized

Name: Abbas Radhi Abbas

Position: Chief Engineer / petroleum Engineer

Nationality: Iraq- Missan

Date of Birth: 1978

Gender: Male

Education Background:

Period Education description

1996-2001 University of Bagdad – college of Engineering – petroleum engineering department- (BSc)

Certificates of Appreciation
• 15 Certificates of Appreciation from different international companies such as (Schlumberger-
Halliburton Weatherford , CNOOC , COSL , BHDC )
• 16 online webinar during 2020-2021
Work Experience : in Missan Oil Company ( MOC)

Period Work description

(2004-2006) reservoir engineer

(2006-2010 ) water injection engineer
during (2011) drilling and workover engineer

(2011 to 2022 ) petrophysics manager in Reservoir Dep.

Language:

Mother language: Arabic

Second
language/level: English/Fluent oral and written in English.
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Methods of Determining Initial Fluid Contacts ----------------------------- by : Abbas Radhi -2022
 Thanks

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Methods of Determining Initial Fluid Contacts ----------------------------- by : Abbas Radhi -2022