Reservoir Characterization

Integrated Reservoir Study

DATA
MANAGEMENT Data Flows

RESERVOIR STATIC DYNAMIC

CHARACTERIZATION MODEL MODEL

Work Flows
Scales of Investigation used in Reservoir Characterization

300 m Relative Volume

14
Gigascopic 50 m Well Test 10

300 m
Reservoir Model 12
Megascopic Grid Cell 2 x 10
5m 150 m

2m
Wireline Log 7
1m
Interval 3 x 10
Macroscopic cm 2
Core Plug 5 x 10

mm - mm Geological
Microscopic 1
(modified from Hurst, 1993)
Thin Section
3
Reservoir Characterization

RESERVOIR CHARACTERIZATION
Petrophysical Results - Interpreted Logs
& Marker Picks

Regional Pore
Structural Depositional
Geological Systems
Model Model
Model Model

Interpreted
Geophysical
Model Statistical Model of
Production &
Pressure Data
Objectives of Structural Assessment

• Determine the reservoir geometry and size

• Establish fluid contacts
• Assess trapping mechanisms
• Determine the timing of trap formation
• Determine height of oil/gas column
• Evaluate fracture controls on reservoir
•Permeability anisotropy
•Coning
•Enhanced recovery
• Assess in-situ stress
Regional Geological Model

RESERVOIR CHARACTERIZATION
Petrophysical Results - Interpreted Logs
& Marker Picks

Regional Pore
Structural Depositional
Geological Systems
Model Model
Model Model

Interpreted
Geophysical
Model Statistical Model of
Production &
Pressure Data
Cross Section Of A Petroleum System
(Foreland Basin Example)
Geographic Extent of Petroleum System (Sedimentary Basin)
Extent of Play
Extent of Prospect/Field
O
O O

Stratigraphic
Extent of
Petroleum
Overburden Rock
System Essential
Elements Seal Rock

Sedimentary
Basin Fill
of Reservoir Rock
Petroleum
Pod of Active System Source Rock
Source Rock
Underburden Rock
Petroleum Reservoir (O)
Basement Rock
Fold-and-Thrust Belt Top Oil Window
(arrows indicate relative fault motion)
Top Gas Window

(modified from Magoon and Dow, 1994)

 Structural Style and Stress Fields
Relative to Sedimentary Basin Type

1
2
3

Normal fault Rift Related Basin (Extension))

3

1 1
2

Thrust fault Foreland Basin (Compression))

2 1

3

Wrench fault Pull apart basin (Strike-Slip)

Tectonic Setting and Depositional Style
Structural Model
RESERVOIR CHARACTERIZATION
Petrophysical Results - Interpreted Logs
& Marker Picks

Regional Pore
Structural Depositional
Geological Systems
Model Model
Model Model

Interpreted
Geophysical
Model Statistical Model of
Production &
Pressure Data
Data Sources for Defining Structure
• Well Logs
- GR-Resistivity
- Imaging Logs (FMI, etc.)
- Dip Meter Logs
• Seismic Data
- 2D Surveys
- 3D Surveys
• Other Data
- Gravity and Magnetic Surveys
- Cores
- Outcrop Analogs
- Surface Mapping (Satellite Imagery)
- Well-Test Data
Resolution of Different Types of Data

• Cores
<1 mm to >1 m

• Logs
10 cm to 1.0 m

• Seismic
10 m to 50 m
Well-Log Correlation

Stratigraphic Cross Section

Reservoir Determination
Gross Thickness, Net Sand, and Net Pay
Net-to-Gross Determination
Picking Markers
SP Logs
Well-Log Correlation

SP Logs
Fault Gaps
Significance of Faults in Reservoirs

• Compartmentalization

• Barriers to Fluid Flow

• Conduits for Fluid Flow

• Juxtaposed Layers
Fault Definition with Dip Meter Logs

Dips are picked on the

image logs, and used to
identify fault from the
pattern

Structural dips
Fold Definition with Dip Meter Logs
Geophysical Model

RESERVOIR CHARACTERIZATION
Petrophysical Results - Interpreted Logs
& Marker Picks

Regional Pore
Structural Depositional
Geological Systems
Model Model
Model Model

Interpreted
Geophysical
Model Statistical Model of
Production &
Pressure Data
Evaluate Your Data
Before Reprocessing After Reprocessing

In this example, reprocessing improved fault definition and

event continuity at the targets
(modified from Alsos and others, 2002, SLB Oilfield Review)
 Seismic Section with Log Ties Well logs are tied to
seismic data to map
stratigraphic
horizons.

• Checkshots

• Vertical Seismic
Profiles (VSP)

Geophysical • Synthetic
Well Log
Seismograms

Modified from Weimer and Davis,1996

 Well Log – Seismic Tie
This shows a synthetic
generated using a zero
phase Ricker wavelet
centered on 30 hz.
The sonic log from the well
is shown in red and its
acoustic impedance log in
green.
The seismic data are on
the far right
Well Logs Correlated With Seismic Data
Integration of Seismic
and Dipmeter Data

Purple Lines = Geometric

reconstruction of near-
wellbore geometry

Blue and Green Lines =

well correlations taking
into account all data

• Structure = ramp anticline with

backthrusted fault at bottom and
syntectonic sedimentary drape
at top

(modified from Luthi, 2001)

Structural Cross Section
Structure Contour Map
(Depth-Converted from Seismic Time)
Map Produced From East-West Lines

(modified from Jones and others, 1986)

Map Produced From North-South Lines

(modified from Jones and others, 1986)

Think About What You Map

2D Seismic
Lines

Map made from well data and mis-tied 2D seismic lines

(modified from Jones and others, 1986)
Final Corrected Map

• Data merge applied – shows details from both previous

maps – no misties
(modified from Jones and others, 1986)
 Stochastic Modeling of Surfaces
• To assess uncertainty in pore volume or reservoir performance
predictions requires adding uncertainty to the gridded surface
elevations.
• Characteristics of the uncertainty
– essentially zero at the well locations
– varies smoothly away from the wells
– variance depends on the quality of the seismic and the distance
from the wells

Uncertainty at wells is 0

Uncertainty increases away from wells

Products of Structural Studies
• 2-Dimensional
- Structure-Contour Maps
- Structural Cross Sections
- Fault-Plane Maps

• 3-Dimensional
- Structural Models of Surfaces
(Fault Planes and Horizons)
- Volume Models
- Fracture Orientation and Distribution
Structural Cross Section
Structure Map and Cross Section
Net Pay Map Determination
A) C)

C)
Is there
structural
hetero-
geneity
in the
field?
 3D Structural Characterization

• Left - 3D Fault-Plane
Visualization

• Right - 3D Fault-Plane
and Layer Visualization
Fault-Plane and Layer Visualization

• Data derived
from a variety
of sources

- Seismic
- Well Logs
- Etc.
Reservoir Layers and Fault-Bound
Compartments

Fault
Compartment
Porosity Grid in a Structural Framework
Fluid Level Boundaries on 3-D Data

Not Interpreted Interpreted

Modified from Brown, 1996 Fault