A Complete Petrophysical-Evaluation Method for Tight Formations From Drill Cuttings Only in the Absence of Well Logs

SPE Journal ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 19 (04) ◽  
pp. 636-647 ◽  
Author(s):  
Camilo Ortega ◽  
Roberto Aguilera
Keyword(s):  
Evaluation Method ◽  
Water Saturation ◽  
Horizontal Wells ◽  
Well Logs ◽  
Tight Gas ◽  
Drill Cuttings ◽  
Irreducible Water Saturation ◽  
Tight Formations ◽  
Porosity And Permeability ◽  
Petrophysical Evaluation

Summary The amount of tight-formation petrophysical work conducted at present in horizontal wells and the examples available in the literature are limited to only those wells that have complete data sets. This is very important. But the reality is that in the vast majority of horizontal wells, the data required for detailed analyses are quite scarce. Petrophysical evaluation in the absence of well logs and cores can now be considered owing to the possibility of measuring both the permeability and porosity of drill cuttings. This is essential because the application of the successive correlations used throughout the paper is based on porosity and permeability data. To try to alleviate the data-scarcity problem, a new method is presented for complete petrophysical evaluation derived from information that can be extracted from drill cuttings in the absence of well logs. The cuttings data include porosity and permeability. The gamma ray and any other logs, if available, can help support the interpretation. However, the methodology is built strictly on data extracted from cuttings and can be used for horizontal, slanted, and vertical wells. The method is illustrated with the use of a tight gas formation in the Deep basin of the western Canada sedimentary basin (WCSB). However, it also has direct application in the case of liquids. The method is shown to be a powerful petrophysical tool because it allows quantitative evaluation of water saturation, pore-throat aperture, capillary pressure, flow units, porosity (or cementation) exponent m, true-formation resistivity, and distance to a water table (if present). Also, the method allows one to distinguish the contributions from viscous and diffusion-like flow in tight gas formations. The method further allows the construction of Pickett plots without previous availability of well logs, and it assumes the existence of intervals at irreducible water saturation, which is the case of many tight formations currently under exploitation. It is concluded that drill cuttings are a powerful direct source of information that allows complete and practical evaluation of tight reservoirs in which well logs are scarce. The uniqueness and practicality of this quantitative procedure originate from the fact that it starts only from the laboratory analysis of drill cuttings—something that has not been performed in the past.

scholarly journals Permeability Estimation of Khasib Formation in Amara Oil Field from Well logs Data Using Multilinear Regression Technique and Empirical

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Buraq Adnan. Al-Baldawi
Keyword(s):  
Water Saturation ◽  
Statistical Correlation ◽  
Oil Field ◽  
Regression Technique ◽  
Well Logs ◽  
Multilinear Regression ◽  
Irreducible Water Saturation ◽  
Porosity And Permeability ◽  
Empirical Approaches ◽  
Interconnected Pores

Permeability is the property that permits the passage of fluids through the interconnected pores of a rock. It is one of the most important, most spatially variable, most uncertain, and  hence  least  predictable transport properties of porous formations. This paper represents a method to predict permeability of Khasib Formation in two wells (Am-1,Am-2) of Amara field using Multilinear regression (MLR) technique and various empirical models, such as Tixier’s, Timur’s and Coates and Dumanoir equations, are used to quantify permeability from well log calculations of porosity and irreducible water saturation. Measured porosity and permeability data from plugs of the available core intervals were used for validation of the predicated data from the logs. The calculated permeability values were compared with the laboratory measurements of core samples to those estimated from different empirical approaches, such as Tixier, Timur, Coates and Dumanoir models, as well as multilinear regression technique by using the statistical correlation coefficient (R2). The present study indicates that Multilinear regression (MLR) technique is the best method and the most validity to estimate permeability from well logs data.

Petrophysical Type Curves for Identifying the Electrical Character of Petroleum Reservoirs

2007 ◽  
Vol 10 (06) ◽  
pp. 711-729 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Francis Worthington
Keyword(s):  
Water Saturation ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Well Logs ◽  
Log Analysis ◽  
Well Log ◽  
Formation Water ◽  
Water Conductivity ◽  
Core Data ◽  
Water Saturated ◽  
Petrophysical Evaluation

Summary A user-friendly type chart has been constructed as an aid to the evaluation of water saturation from well logs. It provides a basis for the inter-reservoir comparison of electrical character in terms of adherence to, or departures from, Archie conditions in the presence of significant shaliness and/or low formation-water salinity. Therefore, it constitutes an analog facility. The deliverables include reservoir classification to guide well-log analysis, a protocol for optimizing the acquisition of special core data in support of log analysis, and reservoir characterization in terms of an (analog) porosity exponent and saturation exponent. The type chart describes a continuum of electrical behavior for both water and hydrocarbon zones. This is important because some reservoir rocks can conform to Archie conditions in the fully water-saturated state, but show pronounced departures from Archie conditions in the partially water-saturated state. In this respect, the chart is an extension of earlier approaches that were restricted to the water zone. This extension is achieved by adopting a generalized geometric factor—the ratio of water conductivity to formation conductivity—regardless of the degree of hydrocarbon saturation. The type chart relates a normalized form of this geometric factor to formation-water conductivity, a "shale" conductivity term, and (irreducible) water saturation. The chart has been validated using core data from comprehensively studied reservoirs. A workflow details the application of the type chart to core and/or log data. The analog role of the chart is illustrated for reservoir units that show different levels of non-Archie effects. The application of the method should take rock types, scale effects, the degree of core sampling, and net reservoir criteria into account. The principal benefit is a reduced uncertainty in the choice of a procedure for the petrophysical evaluation of water saturation, especially at an early stage in the appraisal/development process, when adequate characterizing data may not be available. Introduction One of the ever-present problems in petrophysics is how to carry out a meaningful evaluation of well logs in situations where characterizing information from quality-assured core analysis is either unavailable or is insufficient to satisfactorily support the log interpretation. This problem is especially pertinent at an early stage in the life of a field, when reservoir data are relatively sparse. Data shortfalls could be mitigated if there was a means of identifying petrophysical analogs of reservoir character, so that the broader experience of the hydrocarbon industry could be utilized in constructing reservoir models and thence be brought to bear on current appraisal and development decisions. Here, a principal requirement calls for type charts of petrophysical character, on which data from different reservoirs can be plotted and compared, as a basis for aligning approaches to future data acquisition and interpretation. This need manifests itself strongly in the petrophysical evaluation of water saturation, a process that traditionally uses the electrical properties of a reservoir rock to deliver key building blocks for an integrated reservoir model. The solution to this problem calls for an analog facility through which the electrical character of a subject reservoir can be compared with others that have been more comprehensively studied. In this way, the degree of confidence in log-derived water saturation might be reinforced. At the limit, the log analyst needs a reference basis for recourse to capillary pressure data in cases where the well-log evaluation of water saturation turns out to be prohibitively uncertain.

scholarly journals An Integrated Microfacies and Well Logs-Based Reservoir Characterization of Yamama Formation, Southern Iraq

2021 ◽  
pp. 3570-3586
Author(s):  
Mohanad M. Al-Ghuribawi ◽  
Rasha F. Faisal
Keyword(s):  
Reservoir Characterization ◽  
Water Saturation ◽  
Effective Porosity ◽  
Well Logs ◽  
Petrophysical Properties ◽  
Reservoir Properties ◽  
Thin Sections ◽  
Porosity And Permeability ◽  
South Of Iraq ◽  
Southern Iraq

     The Yamama Formation includes important carbonates reservoir that belongs to the Lower Cretaceous sequence in Southern Iraq. This study covers two oil fields (Sindbad and Siba) that are distributed Southeastern Basrah Governorate, South of Iraq. Yamama reservoir units were determined based on the study of cores, well logs, and petrographic examination of thin sections that required a detailed integration of geological data and petrophysical properties. These parameters were integrated in order to divide the Yamama Formation into six reservoir units (YA0, YA1, YA2, YB1, YB2 and YC), located between five cap rock units. The best facies association and petrophysical properties were found in the shoal environment, where the most common porosity types were the primary (interparticle) and secondary (moldic and vugs) . The main diagenetic process that occurred in YA0, YA2, and YB1 is cementation, which led to the filling of pore spaces by cement and subsequently decreased the reservoir quality (porosity and permeability). Based on the results of the final digital  computer interpretation and processing (CPI) performed by using the Techlog software, the units YA1 and YB2 have the best reservoir properties. The unit YB2 is characterized by a good effective porosity average, low water saturation, good permeability, and large thickness that distinguish it from other reservoir units.

scholarly journals Petrophysical Properties of Nahr Umar Formation in Nasiriya Oil Field

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 9-18
Author(s):  
Ahmed Abdulwahhab Suhail ◽  
Mohammed H. Hafiz ◽  
Fadhil S. Kadhim
Keyword(s):  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Water Saturation ◽  
Oil Field ◽  
Well Logs ◽  
High Porosity ◽  
Reservoir Properties ◽  
Petrophysical Parameters ◽  
Resistivity Logs ◽  
Lithology Prediction ◽  
Porosity And Permeability

   Petrophysical characterization is the most important stage in reservoir management. The main purpose of this study is to evaluate reservoir properties and lithological identification of Nahr Umar Formation in Nasiriya oil field. The available well logs are (sonic, density, neutron, gamma-ray, SP, and resistivity logs). The petrophysical parameters such as the volume of clay, porosity, permeability, water saturation, were computed and interpreted using IP4.4 software. The lithology prediction of Nahr Umar formation was carried out by sonic -density cross plot technique. Nahr Umar Formation was divided into five units based on well logs interpretation and petrophysical Analysis: Nu-1 to Nu-5. The formation lithology is mainly composed of sandstone interlaminated with shale according to the interpretation of density, sonic, and gamma-ray logs. Interpretation of formation lithology and petrophysical parameters shows that Nu-1 is characterized by low shale content with high porosity and low water saturation whereas Nu-2 and Nu-4 consist mainly of high laminated shale with low porosity and permeability. Nu-3 is high porosity and water saturation and Nu-5 consists mainly of limestone layer that represents the water zone.

AN INTEGRATED PETROPHYSICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF A SILICICLASTIC TIGHT GAS RESERVOIRS IN NEUQUÉN BASIN, WESTERN ARGENTINA

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolas Carrizo ◽  
◽  
Emiliano Santiago ◽  
Pablo Saldungaray ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Saturation ◽  
Seismic Inversion ◽  
Tight Gas ◽  
Analysis Model ◽  
Drilling Rig ◽  
Irreducible Water Saturation ◽  
Neuquen Basin ◽  
Open Hole ◽  
Neuquén Basin ◽  
Pulsed Neutron

The Río Neuquén field is located thirteen miles north west of Neuquén city, between Neuquén and Río Negro provinces, Argentina. Historically it has been a conventional oil producer, but some years ago it was converted to a tight gas producer targeting deeper reservoirs. The targeted geological formations are Lajas, which is already a known tight gas producer in the Neuquén basin, and the less known overlaying Punta Rosada formation, which is the main objective of the current work. Punta Rosada presents a diverse lithology, including shaly intervals separating multiple stacked reservoirs that grade from fine-grained sandstones to conglomerates. The reservoir pressure can change from the normal hydrostatic gradient to up to 50% of overpressure, there is little evidence of movable water. The key well in this study has a comprehensive set of open hole logs, including NMR and pulsed-neutron spectroscopy data, and it is supported by a full core study over a 597ft section in Punta Rosada. Additionally, data from several offset wells were used, containing sidewall cores and complete sets of electrical logs. This allowed to develop rock-calibrated mineral models, adjusting the clay volume with X-ray diffraction data, porosity and permeability with confined core measurements, and link the logs interpretation to dominant pore throat radius models from MICP Purcell tests at 60,000 psi. Several water saturation models were tested attempting to adjust the irreducible water saturation with NMR and Purcell tests at reservoir conditions. As a result, three hydraulic units were defined and characterized, identifying a strong correlation with lithofacies observed in cores and image logs. A cluster analysis model allowed the propagation of the facies to the rest of the wells (50). Finally, lithofacies were distributed in a full-field 3D model, guided by an elastic seismic inversion. In the main key well, in addition to the open hole logs and core data, a cased hole pulsed neutron log (PNL) was also acquired , which was used to develop algorithms to generate synthetic pseudo open hole logs such as bulk density and resistivity, integrated with the spectroscopy mineralogical information and other PNL data to perform the petrophysical evaluation. This enables the option to evaluate wells in contingency situations where open hole logs are not possible or are too risky, and also in planned situations to replace the open hole data in infill wells, saving considerable drilling rig time to reduce costs during this field development phase. Additionally, the calibrated cased hole model can be used in old wells already drilled and cased in the Punta Rosada formation. This paper explores the integration of different core and log measurements and explains the development of rock-calibrated petrophysical and rock types models for open and cased hole logs addressing the characterization challenges found in tight gas sand reservoirs. The results of this study will be crucial to optimize the development of a new producing horizon in a mature field.

scholarly journals A new model for predicting irreducible water saturation in tight gas reservoirs

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 1087-1100
Author(s):  
Yu-Liang Su ◽  
Jin-Gang Fu ◽  
Lei Li ◽  
Wen-Dong Wang ◽  
Atif Zafar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Saturation ◽  
Tight Gas ◽  
Gas Reservoirs ◽  
Tight Gas Reservoirs ◽  
New Model ◽  
Irreducible Water Saturation

scholarly journals The Effect of Fracturing Fluid Saturation on Natural Gas Flow Behavior in Tight Reservoirs

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (20) ◽  
pp. 5278
Author(s):  
Mianmo Meng ◽  
Yinghao Shen ◽  
Hongkui Ge ◽  
Xiaosong Xu ◽  
Yang Wu
Keyword(s):  
Gas Flow ◽  
Water Saturation ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Tight Gas ◽  
Fracturing Fluid ◽  
Taiyuan Formation ◽  
Irreducible Water Saturation ◽  
Tight Reservoirs ◽  
The One ◽  
Median Pore

Hydraulic fracturing becomes an essential method to develop tight gas. Under high injection pressure, fracturing fluid entering into the formation will reduce the flow channel. To investigate the influence of water saturation on gas flow behavior, this study conducted the gas relative permeability with water saturation and the flow rate with the pressure gradient at different water saturations. As the two dominant tight gas-bearing intervals, the Upper Paleozoic Taiyuan and Shihezi Formations deposited in Ordos Basin were selected because they are the target layers for holding vast tight gas. Median pore radius in the Taiyuan Formation is higher than the one in the Shihezi Formation, while the most probable seepage pore radius in the Taiyuan Formation is lower than the one in the Shihezi Formation. The average irreducible water saturation is 54.4% in the Taiyuan Formation and 61.6% in the Shihezi Formation, which indicates that the Taiyuan Formation has more movable water. The average critical gas saturation is 80.4% and 69.9% in these two formations, respectively, which indicates that the Shihezi Formation has more movable gas. Both critical gas saturation and irreducible water saturation have a negative relationship with porosity as well as permeability. At the same water saturation, the threshold gradient pressure of the Taiyuan Formation is higher than the one in the Shihezi Formation, which means that water saturation has a great influence on the Taiyuan Formation. Overall, compared with the Shihezi Formation, the Taiyuan Formation has a higher median pore size and movable water saturation, but water saturation has more influence on its gas flow capacity. Our research is conducive to understanding the effect of fracturing fluid filtration on the production of natural gas from tight reservoirs.

Lowering the phase-trap damage in tight-gas reservoirs by using interfacial tension (IFT) reducers

2013 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 363
Author(s):  
Yangfan Lu ◽  
Hassan Bahrami ◽  
Mofazzal Hossain ◽  
Ahmad Jamili ◽  
Arshad Ahmed ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Relative Permeability ◽  
Reservoir Simulation ◽  
Water Saturation ◽  
Tight Gas ◽  
Gas Reservoirs ◽  
Tight Gas Reservoirs ◽  
Water Based ◽  
Tight Formations ◽  
Tight Reservoirs ◽  
Relative Permeability Curves

Tight-gas reservoirs have low permeability and significant damage. When drilling the tight formations, wellbore liquid invades the formation and increases water saturation of the near wellbore area and significantly deceases permeability of this area. Because of the invasion, the permeability of the invasion zone near the wellbore in tight-gas formations significantly decreases. This damage is mainly controlled by wettability and capillary pressure (Pc). One of the methods to improve productivity of tight-gas reservoirs is to reduce IFT between formation gas and invaded water to remove phase trapping. The invasion of wellbore liquid into tight formations can damage permeability controlled by Pc and relative permeability curves. In the case of drilling by using a water-based mud, tight formations are sensitive to the invasion damage due to the high-critical water saturation and capillary pressures. Reducing the Pc is an effective way to increase the well productivity. Using the IFT reducers, Pc effect is reduced and trapped phase can be recovered; therefore, productivity of the TGS reservoirs can be increased significantly. This study focuses on reducing phase-trapping damage in tight reservoirs by using reservoir simulation to examine the methods, such use of IFT reducers in water-based-drilled tight formations that can reduce Pc effect. The Pc and relative permeability curves are corrected based on the reduced IFT; they are then input to the reservoir simulation model to quantitatively understand how IFT reducers can help improve productivity of tight reservoirs.

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