GEOMODELLING FOR DUMMIES

1 INVENTORYING DATA
Before starting to the project, knowing the available data is a must. The data then to be classified based
on its format for examples seismic data and well data. After that the data is classified again in a more
detailed classification, for example:
(-) Seismic Data is classified into 2d seismic data and 3d seismic data that should be put in the different
folders
(-)Well data can be classified based on different purposes, for example:
- ) The availability of all data in the well (wireline, core, biostratigraphy, checkshot, etc.)
WELL

CAL

DT

GR

RES(RXO)

NPHI

RHOB

SP

CHKS

DPTM

CORE

BIOSTRATIGRAPHY

WELL A

WELL B

WELL C

WELL D

WELL E

WELL F

- ) Determining the well heads which consists of wells name, coordinates of the well (X,Y), EKB
(Elevation of Kelly Bushing), and MD (Measured Depth)
Well
Well A
Well B
Well C
Well D

X
xxxx.xxx
xxxx.xx
xxxx.xxx
xxxxx.xxxx

Y
yyyyy.yyyy
yyyyy.yyyy
yyyyy.yyyy
yyyy.yyyy

EKB
x
x
x
x

End Depth
y
y
y
y

2 IMPORTING DATA
After all data are inventoried properly, the next thing that must be done is to start the software to process
all the needed data to perform geomodelling where in this tutorial, the software that is used is Petrel
2008. In Petrel, the first thing to be done is to open the project settings in the project tab. The purposes
is to set the project according to our target and the available data. Care must be taken in determining the
unit and coordinates since it will affect all of the will-be-imported data. Units encompass every unit that
will be used in the project where the determination of it is according to the data ergo it must be fit with
the data. Coordinates are the location in this world (preferably UTM) where the project is undergone.
Once the data has been imported and subsequently there is a change in the project settings, it will not
affect the data whatsoever.

After the unit and coordinates have been set properly, the next step to be done is to import all the needed
data into petrel. The imported data depends on the purpose of the project where in this tutorial the
purpose is to calculate the hydrocarbon reserve by using two primary data which are 3D seismic data and
several well data.
-) Seismic data either it is 2D or 3D is mostly in the form of SGY or SEG-Y, a basic seismic format which can
be directly imported. The section of seismic of data can be viewed in the interpretation window under
window tab. In here, both section of the seismic data (xline and inline can be viewed). In the picture below
can be seen that the section is the part of xline in line 400 where the red circle points out that the seismic
unit is in ms (millisecond).

-) Well data also can be imported to Petrel but before inserting all of the wireline data, well heads must
first be inserted with the well heads as the type of file. The well heads are the data that has been stated
in table 2. After the well heads has been imported the next step is to import the wireline data by simply
importing the LAS (Log ASCII Standard) file as the common file that has wire line data in it in each well
that its well heads has already been defined before.

After the well heads have been properly imported the next step is to insert the wireline data of each well
that is needed in the project either in the form of LAS file or DLIS file. In this point also, the wireline data

that is needed can be filtered after the data has been imported. After the needed wireline data has been
imported, it can be seen by opening the well section in the window tab. Care must be taken in order to
determine the type of depth either it is TVD, TVSDD, or MD.

The imported data then should be viewed in the form of basemap. The basemap itself will provide us with
the image of the exact location of seismic data or the well data or even both of them in the specific grid
and scale which should be viewed to explain data limitation in both quantity and coverage.

If core or cutting description is available, it can be imported to the Petrel manually by using the comment
log. Comment log will create a separate logs column beside the electric log to give additional information
either about the description of core or cutting and any other additional data that are recognized important
to be showed.

Picture above explains the use of comment log to show cutting description beside electric log where the
top and base of the description should be defined first.

3 WELL TO WELL CORRELATION

After the data has been all properly imported the next step will vary which depends on the purpose of the
modelling. However, in this tutorial the next step is to perform well to well correlation. To start performing
well to well correlation, choose the well correlation option under stratigraphy modelling under process
tab on the down left corner. There are several steps that can be done even inconsecutively:
1. Determining the direction of the cross section. This depends on the results that the correlators
want to see from the correlation. The direction can cut and be perpendicular with the regional
trend of the structures, for example, to see the faults offset or faults occurrence from the
correlation, this may be referred as the structural cross section. It also can be performed in the
regional sedimentation direction if the available well data that are to be correlated are abundant
so the rough picture of the lateral distribution of facies and the reservoir continuity could be
interpreted albeit the accuracy is still low, supposedly, this is may be referred to stratigraphic
cross section. Defining the direction of a cross section can also be having a zigzag/ random

direction whereas it may affect the dips value. The value will no longer be a true dip but it will
change into apparent dip (having a lesser value than the true dip).

2. Determining the wireline data that will be used for correlation. The most used wireline data for
correlation is gamma ray (GR) since it shows a good distinction between lithology comparing with
other wireline data and if sequence stratigraphy is to be used as the main concept in performing
correlation, GR may give a good explanation in defining the fluctuation of relative sea level

(system tracts, parasequence, sequence) and yielding a good distinctive pattern that relative easy
to be geologically interpreted albeit it must still be accompanied by other data.
3. Determining the horizon that will be correlated. The horizon that will be correlated varies which
depends on the purpose of the project and also the availability of the data. Several example of
the horizons are:
a. Top sand; a horizon that is commonly found either in marked log or mud log where it
defines the top of sand reservoir interval. Correlating the top of sand from geologic
aspects may be similar with correlating the transgressive surface (TS) albeit some other
boundaries may also be applied (flooding surface for example).
b. SRM (shale resistivity marker); a horizon that is rarely used, presumably, but it is
explained by Bischke, 1991 that this horizon is good to be correlated. The reasons are
stated below:

Sand sometimes has a poor continuity where it is bad in correlating wells

Deposition of clays or muds are commonly in quiet water/ environment where
the coverage is extremely vast and consistent
Rapid changes in stratigraphic thickness in shale are not common

From geological aspects, SRM is more or less similar with maximum flooding surface
(MFS).
c. Top Formation; Formation is tantamount with lithostratigraphy where the top horizon
represents the top of a certain lithostratigraphy. Its basically similar with top sand (based
on lithology also) but it has a bigger coverage where top sand is limited to only sand
reservoir.
d. Sequence stratigraphy boundaries; basically this horizons are easier to be explained since
it applies directly the geological principles, sequence stratigraphy. The horizon is a
boundaries with each boundary gives an explanation of the start or the end of such
geologic events. Some of those boundaries are:

Sequence Boundary (SB). Usually representing the start of the deposition of

lowstand system tract where there the rate of sedimentation is higher than the
rate of the rise of relative sea level which is causing regression/ forced regression
(shoreline moving seaward) to happen. It is basically an erosional surface that is
caused by relative sea level fall which is also defined as unconformity. In GR log,
it is commonly marked as a horizon where there is a shifting from high GR pattern
to low GR pattern.
Maximum Flooding Surface (MFS). Usually representing the end of the
deposition of transgressive system tract and the start of the deposition of
highstand system tract. It is basically a surface boundary where the highest
relative sea level is achieved in a sequence. The end of retrogradation (shoreline
moving landward) where the rate of sedimentation is lower than the rate of the

rise of relative sea level which is causing transgression. it is commonly marked as

a horizon where there is a maximum value of GR.
Transgressive Surface (TS). Usually representing the start of the deposition of
transgressive system tract and the end of the deposition of lowstand system tract
where it marks the initiation of relative sea level rise. In GR log, it is commonly
marked as a horizon where there is a shifting from low GR pattern to high GR
pattern.

4. Correlating the horizon. Applying geological concepts in correlating the horizon is a must which
is to depict real subsurface conditions. Correlating horizon means that correlating horizons based
on the same chronostratigraphic framework which can be well explained by applying sequence
stratigraphy boundaries in correlating the wells. Correlation also is done by interpreting the
similar electric log pattern between one well with the others either below or above the horizon.
The electric log pattern is well-explained in Kendall, 2003. However, if the horizon has been
determined before such as top sand, correlation can also be done but it lacks of geological
explanation since correlating sandstone only may lead to mistakes if its not accompanied by the
same chronostratigraphic framework. Several questions might arise when correlating wells, for
example:

Inconsistency of bed thickness in the same interval. This may occurs because of several
reasons which are stated below:

 Wrong horizon to horizon correlation where for example the MFS is correlated
with SB hence the interval is not in the same chronostratigraphic framework, this
is why the division of horizon, using geological principles, is very important to
avoid such mistakes.
Facies change also may explain the occurrence of bed thicknesss inconsistency
but commonly it occurs when the change of thickness is not rapid for example
the change from coastal facies (sandstone dominated) into central basin facies
(mudstone facies) in estuary depositional environment.
The occurrence of geological structures. Geological structures, for example,
anticline has two different strata; the flat one (crest) and the dipping one (flank)
that notwithstanding the true stratigraphic thickness (TST) has the same value in
every strata but when the wells were drilled vertically means that the thickness
that is derived is true vertical thickness (TVT). The apparent value of TVT in the
flat one (TST=TVT) the dipping one (TST<TVT) will be different where the dipping
one will have a higher value since the value of TST is basically TVT x cos teta.

Inconsistency of top intervals depth. This may occurs because of several reasons which
are stated below:
Kelly Bushing and type of the well. If the height of the Kelly bushing is not taken
into account, it will affect the top intervals depth of a specific interval where it
will appear deeper than other wells. The type of the well is also affecting the top
intervals depth where the top of interval in vertical well will be different with in
directionally drilled well hence depth correction in diagonal well must be
performed to avoid such mistakes.
Facies change. Facies change could also affect the inconsistency of top intervals
depth since facies may be deposited in a different environment under the sea
level (shelf, slope, abyssal plain).
The occurrence of geological structures. For example in normal fault, the hanging
wall strata will have a deeper top depth whereas the foot wall strata will have a
swallower top depth. In the symmetrical anticline also where the crest part will
have a swallower top depth comparing with the flank part.
Dipping strata. Strata that is dipping will have a different top depth as the strata
goes deeper in the subsurface.

5. Restoring the section. Restoring the section may be optional but it helps correlator in knowing
the condition of the subsurface prior to such tectonic activities. The horizon that is to be restored
should be the youngest horizon hence it may restores to the condition in the subsurface before
the latest tectonic activities therefore the lateral distribution of the facies could be interpreted.

Practical corner