2022 -2021 RESERVOIR CHARACTERIZATION

Overview of reservoir characterization

‫ السؤال الذي يحمل عالمة * يعتب سؤال مهم والذي ال يحمل عالمة * يعتب‬: ‫مالحظة‬
. ‫سؤال متوقع‬

A. Estimation of Volumes in Place, Reserves, and Rates of

Recovery
Q1: what are the general methods can be used to predict oil in place
volumes ? *

Sol :

1. Volumetric.
2. Material balance.

Q2: what are the five general forecasting methods can be used to
determine recoverable volumes (reserves) and production rates ? *

Sol :

1. Analogy,
2. Decline analysis,
3. Data mining,
4. Analytical,
5. Simulation.
B. Reservoir classification
Q1 : what is reservoir characterization ? *

Sol : Reservoir characterization is the construction of a mental or

mathematical model representation of the reservoir based on reservoir
data. This representation is used to capture the features that determine
the general fluid flow in the reservoir and affect production profiles and
hydrocarbon recovery.
Q2 : what are the four considerations To get an initial understanding of
the reservoir or mental model ? *
1. Fluid type (bitumen, heavy oil, conventional oil, volatile oil,
retrograde condensate, gas);

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 2022 -2021 RESERVOIR CHARACTERIZATION

2. Reservoir architecture (size and structure; porosity, permeability, and

saturation distributions);
3. Drive mechanism (expansion, solution gas, gas cap, water,
combination); and
4. Flow characterization

reservoir ‫ يمكنك دمج السؤال األول والثان لك يصبح تعريف واحد ل‬: ‫مالحظة‬
characterization

C. General Workflow for Reservoir Characterization

Q1 : Scheme view of workflow and explain it ? *

Sol :

Schematic view of workflow.

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 2022 -2021 RESERVOIR CHARACTERIZATION

The explanation : During initial stages of examining a reservoir, we

often are interested in pursuing exploratory analysis (Jensen et al., 2000)
Rather than imposing our preconceived notions or models, we want to
gain insight into the nature of the reservoir. To do this the required data
are:

1. The reservoir structure and elevation of the fluid contacts (structural

reservoir architecture “model”);
2. The porosity and permeability distribution of the reservoir (reservoir
architecture permeability “model”);
3. Fluid properties (density, viscosity, PVT relationships) productivity
indices and/or pressure transient data to determine effective large
scale permeability;
4. Production and injection rates versus time;
5. Reservoir pressure versus time.

The exact spatial distribution of these reservoir parameters (first two

items above) are never known exactly because of a lack of spatial
sampling (cores and logs sample one ten-billionth of reservoir is
sampled).

The need to integrate and iterate with the dynamic and static (well log)
data to populate the geological model is illustrated by the following
Figure :

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 2022 -2021 RESERVOIR CHARACTERIZATION

Cross-sectional view of reservoir architecture types and the inability to

differentiate base on initial core and openhole lag data alone )‫)رسم توضيحي‬

The success of infill drilling and fluid injection projects will be a strong
function of the reservoir architecture between wells, so it is critical that
we categorize the reservoir architecture type.

To achieve that objective, it is best to start out with approximate simple

methods, then move toward more complex methods when data ranges
are refined. In practice, there is a critical need to analyze initially the
dynamic data with simple decline, analytical and analogous reservoir
models. Although the simple models may not be as comprehensive as a
flow simulation, the presimulation checks have far fewer unknowns and
are great for developing good conceptual models and communicating to
non reservoir engineers about important concepts. In reservoir
performance, there are usually a large number of potential parameters
that may control the process. In our experience, only a few parameters
control the process. Analytical models and simpler models usually help
us determine those critical parameters (Dake, 1994).

The most complex and usually final stage of modeling is reservoir

simulation. It is sometimes argued that simulation flow models, now
widely available, can easily forecast reservoir behavior. While this
assertion is partially true, it misses the point. Simulation models
implicitly assume that we have captured all the relevant physical
phenomena and correctly know the spatial distribution of properties. In
practical reservoir engineering terms, especially early in the life of a
pool, this is a tenuous assumption. Because our log and core sampling is
so sparse, it is highly unlikely the initial estimates of parameters are
correct.

Even with history matching 30-50 years of dynamic data such as

production rates and reservoir pressure, most flow simulation models
will still have non-unique solutions. The exercise of history matching
individual wells and matching a multitude of variables will usually
narrow the range of parameters considerably. For example, by including
not only cumulative oil and water or oil and water rates but also the

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 2022 -2021 RESERVOIR CHARACTERIZATION

range of uncertainty substantially. With remote sensing such as four-

dimensional seismic, tilt meters, microseismic, and resistivity mapping, it
now is possible to narrow the uncertainly to a point at which business
decisions can be made.

However, “outside” factors, such as near wellbore phenomena (waxes,

particulates, and fractures) and/or unknown reservoir parameters away
from the wellbore, may significantly affect reserves from a pool.
Therefore it is critical to develop a conceptual model or do “brain
simulation” using analytical methods, analogous pools, material balance,
or empirical methods first.

Schematic view of high level matrix modeling workflow.

)‫)رسم توضيحي لإلطالع‬

‫ السؤال األول حاول تفهم الشرح المكتوب واكتب عل ضوء فهمك مو شرط تكتب‬: ‫مالحظة‬
. ‫حرفيا‬

Q2 : scheme workflow for developing conceptual model and mental

model ?

Sol :

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 2022 -2021 RESERVOIR CHARACTERIZATION

View of workflow for developing conceptual model part 1: initial

assessment.

View of workflow for developing mental model part 2: reservoir

characterization and analytical model.

View of workflow for developing mental model part 3: reservoir

simulation.
Misan University_Engineering college /Petroleum Department