Unlocking flow pathways in complex carbonate reservoirs: Benefits of an integrated subsurface study from the Cretaceous Mauddud Formation, North Kuwait

Dewever, Ben; Richard, Pascal; Al-Otaibi, Basel; Al-Sultan, Nuha; Zwart, B.-R. de; Essen, Gijs van; Schutjens, Peter; Glasbergen, Gerard; Deinum, Geurt; Ibrahim, Hassan Ahmed; Abboud, N.E. Al; Zampetti, Valentina; Winterfeld, Claus von

doi:10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2020.104892

Cited by 15 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…Collaboration of carbonate and structural geologists at the early stage of such a study is essential to decipher the sedimentological and lithological controls on the mechanical behaviour of the stratigraphic series and, therefore, on fracture development. This integrated geological approach is also critical to elaborate a sound conceptual geological model (Dewever et al 2020). The spatial distribution of natural fractures and their static properties (aperture, permeability and connectivity) are often tightly controlled by the coupled effects of parameters belonging to the sedimentological (e.g.…”

Section: A1 Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…permeability tensor, spacing, shape factor, porosity) that can be used to constrain flow simulation during the dynamic modelling phase. Static models range from simple box models of various scales to more complex wellbore scale models, sector models and full field models capturing typical fracture properties such as porosity (fracture volume), permeability, connectivity and information about the variability of their spatial distribution in 3D (Ozkaya & Richard, 2005;Ozkaya et al 2006;Warrlich et al 2009;Richard et al 2015;Nelson, 2019;Dewever et al 2020;Torrieri et al 2021). Based on the learnings gathered from iterations with dynamic simulation, the appropriate, scaled-up fracture properties can progressively be adjusted to honour the constraints from available dynamic data and fluid production history.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Based on the learnings gathered from iterations with dynamic simulation, the appropriate, scaled-up fracture properties can progressively be adjusted to honour the constraints from available dynamic data and fluid production history. The calibration with the dynamic data is an essential part of the workflow (Wei et al 1998;Dershowitz et al 2000;Wei, 2000;Lamine et al 2017;Richard et al 2017;Dewever et al 2020;Torrieri et al 2021). Although 3D fracture properties represent a mathematical homogenization at coarse scale, the common foundation of all the models is the detailed geological work done at the scale of the cores, thin-sections and logs (Fig.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Scale discrepancy paradox between observation and modelling in fractured reservoir models in oil and gas industry

et al. 2022

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The appraisal and development of fractured reservoirs are challenging tasks because of the combined variations in reservoir quality and natural fracture distribution. Fracture models are built routinely to support both appraisal and development decisions for such reservoirs. One of the key objectives of these models is to generate three-dimensional (3D) fracture properties for dynamic flow simulations. In this paper, we illustrate the discrepancy between the scale of observation required to build a thorough geological understanding of the subsurface and the simplification imposed by modelling. We use a case study carried out in the context of an exploration campaign of a Cretaceous carbonate reservoir in Egypt. After describing the regional geological setting of the area, we share a series of detailed observations on open-hole logs, cores, thin-sections and borehole images. These observations are focused on reservoir architecture, fracture typology and fracture connectivity. Observations are then integrated with the regional geological context to build a conceptual fracture model and to characterize the uncertainty affecting the essential parameters of this model. The conceptual model, combined with 3D seismic data, is used to define a fracture modelling strategy. This strategy includes a drastic simplification of the conceptual model to generate 3D discrete fracture network scenarios that are calibrated using pressure communication data from the exploration wells. Another extreme simplification is then necessary to populate 3D simulation grids. In the case study presented, the key tuning parameters to obtain a dynamic match are the grid cell orientation and the width of the modelled fault damage zone.

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Section: A1 Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Scale discrepancy paradox between observation and modelling in fractured reservoir models in oil and gas industry

et al. 2022

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“…Water injection is a vital method for improving oil recovery in carbonate reservoirs in the Middle East (Bisweswar G et al, 2020; Barros E G D et al, 2023;Ghalib H B et al, 2023;Farnetano R P et al, 2023;Wu Y and Hu D et al, 2023). However, challenges such as premature water breakthrough pose significant obstacles to achieving optimal oil recovery (Li Y et al, 2020;AL-Otaibi B et al, 2021;Dewever B et al, 2021;Yang C and Yang S et al, 2022;Wei C et al, 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The reasons behind premature water breakthrough and poor vertical sweep have been extensively discussed, with highpermeability streaks identified as a primary cause (Ghedan, S.,2010;Feng, Q. et al, 2011;Zhang, Q et al, 2016;Liu, L. et al, 2016;Feng D. et al, 2022a). These streaks, often resulting from dissolution processes, can exhibit permeability one or two orders of magnitude higher than the rest of the formation (Balaky S M et al, 2023;Mogensen K et al, 2020;Dewever B et al, 2021;Jun, W et al, 2016;Liu, H et al, 2021). Although the volume of high permeability streak is usually a few percent or less of the total formation, they contribute the majority portion of the fluid flow in the reservoir and may lead to pre-matured water breakthrough of injected water.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Research on water-out mode and differential perforation in thick carbonate reservoir

Junshuai,

Peiyuan,

Jian

et al. 2024

Front. Energy Res.

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The development of anti-rhythmic carbonate reservoirs in the Middle East often encounters challenges such as water hold-up and reverse coning during the water injection process, leading to premature water breakthrough and various water-out issues. The unclear understanding of these phenomena, attributed to strong reservoir heterogeneity, results in a relatively low recovery degree in water injection development. This paper investigates the mechanisms behind water hold-up and reverse coning phenomena, offering detailed solutions. Numerical models of the oil reservoirs were developed, and an extensive study of influencing factors, including reservoir types, Kv/Kh, water injection pressure differential, wettability, and perforation position, was conducted to unveil the underlying mechanisms. Key findings indicate that the water hold-up phenomenon is influenced by capillary force barriers due to wettability and high-perm streaks, while the reverse coning phenomenon depends on the combined forces of gravity, capillary force and downward production differential among which downward production differential is the dominant factor compared to capillary force and gravity. The study also proposes a differential perforation principle tailored to different water-out types to enhance vertical sweep efficiency. The differential perforation principle is as follows: the optimal perforation position is at top layer and the optimal perforation length approximately accounts for 1/4 of the total oil layer thickness for water-out in bottom; the avoidance perforation height in top accounts for 1/6 of the total oil layer thickness and the optimal perforation length approximately accounts for 1/2 of the total oil layer thickness for water-out in top; the avoidance perforation height in top and bottom accounts for 1/5 and 2/5 of the total oil layer thickness respectively for water-out in both top and bottom.

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Fine structure exploration and 3D quantitative evaluation model

Dong,

Yin,

Cheng

et al. 2024

Bull Eng Geol Environ

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Unlocking flow pathways in complex carbonate reservoirs: Benefits of an integrated subsurface study from the Cretaceous Mauddud Formation, North Kuwait

Cited by 15 publications

References 41 publications

Scale discrepancy paradox between observation and modelling in fractured reservoir models in oil and gas industry

Scale discrepancy paradox between observation and modelling in fractured reservoir models in oil and gas industry

Research on water-out mode and differential perforation in thick carbonate reservoir

Fine structure exploration and 3D quantitative evaluation model

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