Estimating Geophysical Parameters Using Petrophysical Algorithm to Enhance Hydrocarbon Recovery in Lokaka Field, Niger Delta, Nigeria

Abstract

Adoption of Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) to boost the hydrocarbon saturation (Sh) of reservoirs has caught the interests of many researchers in Geosciences. Evidence from literature shows that both primary and secondary recovery methods have failed to account for about 60% hydrocarbon (HC) that is trapped in the reservoirs and getting to discover large productive new fields has become a herculean task. This study identified the fluid nature and boundaries of reservoirs using some relevant geophysical (petrophysical) parameters and reservoir rocks physical features such as shale volume (Vsh), permeability (K), water and hydrocarbon saturation (Sw& Sh). Petrophysical data were sourced from the data bank of the Department of Geology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Analysis of data was done using the PETREL 2010 and OpendTect 4.6.0 versions for quality checking, delineation of identified reservoirs, fluid contacts demarcation and fluid types’ determination. The interpreted data were thereafter loaded into Microsoft Excel environment in order to adopt suitable statistical relations for the estimation of Vsh, K, Sw and Sh. Exploration of about 59.4% HC with NaOH, 64.5% HC with KOH, 69.5% HC with NH4OH and 78.5% HC with LiOH were discovered after the (EOR) flooding process. Comparison of the Vsh, K, Sw and Sh values before EOR with the values after EOR further showed that the reservoirs produced more HC with EOR. This study concluded that more hydrocarbon saturation can be achieved from reservoirs when EOR is carried out.