Petrel* Version 2011.

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Release Notes
Copyright Notice
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*Mark of Schlumberger. Certain other products and product names are trademarks or
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Petrel 2011.2 Release Notes 2

Contents
Petrel 2011.2 ................................................................................................. 4
Distribution and Licensing ......................................................................................4
System Requirements ................................................................................... 5
Petrel System Requirements ..................................................................................5
Studio Knowledge Database Server Requirements ................................................6
Whats New ................................................................................................... 7
General .................................................................................................................... 7
Geology ...................................................................................................................7
Well Section Window .............................................................................................. 8

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Reservoir Engineering...........................................................................................10
Studio Annotate ....................................................................................................10
Studio Knowledge Database .................................................................................11
Petroleum Systems Quick Look ............................................................................11
Known Issues .............................................................................................. 14

Petrel 2011.2 Release Notes 3

Petrel 2011.2
System requirements, short descriptors for enhancements and fixed issues, and known issues
are described in the following sections of this guide. The companion document, Petrel 2011.2
Whats New Guide, provides detailed descriptions of new features. For 2011.2, see also the Well
Section Window Migration Reference.

Distribution and Licensing

The Petrel 2011.2 release is delivered as a download only. Software downloads are available
through the Schlumberger Information Solutions (SIS) Support Portal to maintenance paying
customers. A user account is required on this portal. If you do not already have a user account,
you must register to access the portal at http://support.slb.com.

Petrel projects saved with Petrel 2011.2 are backward compatible with Petrel 2011.1.2 and
Petrel 2011.1.

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A Petrel dongle and a 2011.1 license are required to run this baseline. As Schlumberger controls
the licensing and hardware key shipments, all license inquiries should be made to your SIS
account manager.

Petrel 2011.2 Release Notes 4

System Requirements
Petrel 2011.2 and Studio Knowledge Database have minimum system requirements for
installation and use. Before installing the products, ensure that your system meets the
requirements described here. Refer to the Petrel 2011.2 Installation Guide for more details.

Petrel System Requirements

NOTE: Running the Petrel software with the Minimum Supported configuration is
not recommended. To use Studio, you must run the Petrel software with the
Minimum Recommended configuration.

Minimum Supported
Operating System Windows XP 32-bit Professional edition with SP3
Processor Multi-core processor (best with a fast clock speed and high cache)
Memory 4.0GB, DDR3 SDRAM

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Display No minimum requirement (quality of the viewing experience
increases with the size of the monitor)
Graphics NVIDIA mid-range graphics card
Primary storage SATA HDD 10K RPM
Secondary storage 500GB SATA HDD
(optional)
Minimum Recommended
Operating System Vista 64-bit Business or Ultimate editions
Windows XP 64-bit Professional edition with SP2
Processor Quad-core processor (best with a fast clock speed and high cache)
Memory 8.0GB, DDR3 SDRAM
Display Two 24-inch LCD monitors
Graphics NVIDIA Quadro 4000
Primary Storage Solid State Drive
Secondary storage 500GB SATA HDD
(optional)
Preferred
Operating System Windows 7 64-bit Enterprise or Ultimate editions
Processor Dual quad or hex-core processor (best with a fast clock speed and

Petrel 2011.2 Release Notes 5

 high cache)
Memory 48GB DDR3 SDRAM
Display Two 24-inch or 30-inch LCD Monitors
Graphics NVIDIA Quadro 6000
Primary Storage Solid State Drive
Secondary storage 500GB SATA HDD
(optional)
Other Required Software
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5, SP1
Flexera FlexNet Publisher (for details, see the Schlumberger
Licensing Tool section on page 4-8 of the Petrel Installation
Guide)
Oracle client 11.2.0.2 for certain Database manager workflows
and single sign-on

Studio Knowledge Database Server Requirements

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NOTE: To use Studio, you must run the Petrel software with at least the
Minimum Recommended configuration described in the preceding table.

Minimum
Processor AMD64 or Intel EM64T dual quad core
Memory 16GB
Operating System Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.2 (64-bit)
Other Software Oracle 10.2.0.5 (64-bit)
ArcSDE 10 Direct Connect
Preferred
Processor AMD64 or Intel EM64T dual six core
Memory 32GB or greater
Operating System Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.5 (64-bit)
Other Software Oracle 11.2.0.2 (64-bit)
ArcSDE 10 Direct Connect

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Whats New
The following tables briefly describe, by domain, the Petrel 2011.2 enhancements, including
fixed issues. The companion document, Petrel 2011.2 Whats New Guide, contains detailed
descriptions of any major functionality changes summarized here.

General
Feature Brief Description
Window You now have the choice of using Tabbed or Classic window modes:
Arrangement
Tabbed - (Default) Introduced in 2011.1 to support auto-scaling,
the 2011.2 version also allows you to save layouts, helping you to
organize your displays for a specific workflow.
Classic - Replaced in 2011.1, this mode was restored as an
alternative in 2011.2. As in earlier Petrel versions, it supports
cascading (overlapping) windows and fixed sizes.

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Log File Previously the default log file location was defined in the
Location Petrel.exe.config file to be in the Petrel.exe installation area. Normal
users without admin privileges were unable to write to the log files or
change the settings. This issue was corrected by changing the log file
location in the current and upcoming Petrel releases:
For Petrel 2011.2 %appdata%\Schlumberger\Petrel\2011.1\
For Petrel 2012.1 %appdata%\Schlumberger\Petrel\2012\

Geology
Geology Brief Description
Feature
Co-kriging In the Co-kriging tab for the Kriging algorithm, if the default No
Secondary transform setting is selected for the secondary data transformation, the
Property result is incorrect in Petrel 2011.1. This is due to an incorrect shift-scale
Transformation
transformation having been applied to the secondary variable. In Petrel
2011.2, the secondary variable will be transformed according to the
mean and standard deviation of the secondary property, as in Petrel
2010.

Petrel 2011.2 Release Notes 7

 Geology Brief Description
Feature
Property Petrel 2010.x and 2011.1 could crash while executing modeling
Modeling processes on some of the newest mobile workstations (Dell M4600,
M6600 and HP8760). This was because the affected processes
Gaussian Random function simulation (GRFS), Structural uncertainty,
Make/Edit surface uncertainty with GRFS and Adaptive channelsused a
specific Intel random number generator. The issue is solved by
upgrading to Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) where the Intel bug has
been fixed or by installing Petrel 2011.2 where the fixed Intel library is
now integrated.

Positive In 2011.1, very low volume cells (typically very thin pinched-out cells)
Volume Cells can be incorrectly reported as having negative volumes. This is due to
the limited numerical resolution of the common cell volume calculation
algorithm adopted in Petrel 2011.1 for all volume computations (Volume
calculation process, Geometrical modeling\Cell volume, Volume()
function in the property calculator, pick cell volume in status bar). When

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large UTM coordinates are present, this can lead to minor inaccuracies
in the computation of the cell-by-cell volume. In Petrel 2011.2, the
algorithm has been fixed to work in relative coordinates, and all cell
volumes are computed accurately regardless of the model spatial
location.

Well Section Window

Well Section Brief Description
Feature
Discrete Log Discrete log editing is now available in all domains except for non-
Editing horizontal or recumbent wells. These types of wells still require the
domain to be in Measured Depth (MD) for editing.

Display Well Section window display was corrected for errors during the
following tasks:
When removing wells or changing domain in a flattened Well
Section
During X-Section reordering when a project is reopened
When at a high vertical scale (poor performance)
When upgrading (duplicated logs)

Petrel 2011.2 Release Notes 8

 Well Section Brief Description
Feature
Bitmap Logs .sif displays are now updated when the scale is changed.
.sif files that worked in 2010 can now be used in 2011.2.
There is now better handling of bitmap logs in the upgrade process.
There is now support of control points for multi-segment bitmap
logs.
There is improved performance when working with control points.
Editing bitmap logs beyond TD no longer causes an exception.
You can now edit the first and last control points.
An exception that occurred when editing control points has been
fixed.
There is now improved usability for deleting control points.
Comment Log There is better handling when working with multiple comment logs.
Comments no longer disappear when zooming in or scrolling
through the wells.

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The Comment log editor now has an Apply button.
Comment logs can now be depth shifted while the editor dialog is
open.
There is improved usability when in the Edit Existing Comment
mode and the ability to create a comment at a single depth.
Comments now fit better in the tracks.
Reservoir There is improved handling of simulation logs for horizontal wells.
Engineering Updates to completions are now automatically applied in the Well
section window.

Various Discrete log interpretation is now supported in all domains, except

when the domain leads to a recumbent well.
The ability to use the SHIFT key to keep one end fixed when
rescaling a well has been restored.
Flattened well sections in the TST and TVT domains now reference
to 0.
A watermark is now available to inform users that the background
data is only displayed in SSTVD and TWT domains.
The following 2011 defects were corrected:
- Issues handling invalid data and spatially unaware data from
RPT
- Functional tools unavailable after magnify zoom

Petrel 2011.2 Release Notes 9

 Well Section Brief Description
Feature
- Slow performance when scrolling in a flattened well section
- Active window not retained after upgrade
- Well Section Windows not upgraded to the correct folder in the
windows tab

Reservoir Engineering
Feature Brief Description
Reservoir Several issues have been addressed following the 2011.1 release,
Engineering most significantly:
Truncation of property precision Petrel uses the template
precision to control the number of decimal places for the values
in exported properties keywords in simulation export. An error is
reported on export if values are truncated to zero.

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Editable relative permeability curves in a function
window This functionality has been restored following
removal, to prevent accidentally changing data in 2011.1
EPS probe You can pick cells in a 2D window as well as in a
3D window.

Well Section: RE Errors in the time/dates at which simulated RFT data is

Workflows displayed have been corrected.
The Well section window adds a completion track automatically
when this process is selected.
Coloring of tubing is corrected, and individual display control
improved.
Discrete simulation results and calculated simulation results (for
global grids only) can be displayed.

Studio Annotate
Feature Brief Description
URLs URLs requiring authentication can now be opened from Petrel.

Petrel 2011.2 Release Notes 10

Studio Knowledge Database
Feature Brief Description
Seismic The following issue was corrected: memory leaks that sometimes
Interpretation caused the application to allocate unreasonably large amounts of
Transfer memory when transferring regional scale seismic interpretations.

Petroleum Systems Quick Look

PSQL Feature Brief Description

Make Generation New functionality allows you to save created output and the settings
Properties, that lead to it simply by adding another suffix to the surface
Charge Modeling attributes of a newer process run (Make generation properties) or
Processes creating a new output folder (Charge modeling).

Generation This is new functionality in the Make generation properties

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Property Output process. With each calculation an additional surface attribute is
generated: source rock temperature. It is listed as an attribute
below the source surface on the Input pane.

Accumulation This is new functionality related to the Charge modeling process.

Picker It enables you to open the accumulation info box quickly by picking
directly any accumulation in the 3D or Map View windows.

Lithologies You can now access nine extra lithologies on the Input tabs of the
Make reservoir properties and Make seal properties
processes. The lithologies are all varieties of shale/sandstone
mixtures.

Audit Trail You can now trail the history of calculations by opening the Settings
window of a Petroleum Systems Quick Look output item on the
Input pane.

Overpressure In 2009 and 2010 versions of Petroleum Systems Quick Look there
Scaling Factor was an option for Scaling factor for overpressure in the Make
generation properties process, for temperature and pressure
attributes for a reservoir surface, using the same thermal scenario
as for generation (in 2011.1 only hydrostatic pressured reservoir
pressure was output). This functionality has been restored.

Petrel 2011.2 Release Notes 11

 PSQL Feature Brief Description

Output when When using Pepper adsorption as the expulsion method (on the
Using Pepper Expert tab of the Make generation properties process), you
Adsorption gain additional output: Oil expulsion mass and Gas expulsion
mass (in addition to Oil generation mass and Gas generation
mass), since generation and expulsion are different!

Petrel Input You can now search for any input item which has been placed into
Search Function Petroleum Systems Quick Look via the blue selection arrow by right-
clicking that item in the process dialog and choosing Find in Petrel
input tree. The item will then be highlighted on the Input pane.

Capillary Entry The default value for capillary entry pressure on the Input tab of the
Pressure Charge modeling process has been changed to 20 bar (in 2011.1
it is 1000 bar).

Default Thermal For the Make generation properties process, on the Input tab,
Properties Process the thermal default has been changed from Heat flow (Basal heat
flow and Thermal conductivity) to Thermal gradient.

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Accumulation It is now possible to copy data from the table in the Accumulation
Settings Box Settings box and paste it into Excel or another spreadsheet.

Accumulation The following issues were corrected:

Settings box Column height gas and oil was reported incorrectly. For
example in 2011.1, if no oil was in the accumulation but there
was some gas, the output was incorrectly reporting 0m.
In the Accumulation Settings box, IES gas and oil has been
replaced by PetroMod gas and oil.
In the Accumulation Settings box, the values of IES gas and IES
oil appeared under the wrong heading (gas below oil, oil below
gas). This was corrected so that the value for PetroMod oil is
now below Oil, and PetroMod gas is now below Gas.
The Accumulation Settings box now fully expands to show all
information without having to use the scroll bars.

Negative Burial There is now a warning message when seabed/topography

Depth surfaces/surface attributes or values and top source, top reservoir,
or base seal surfaces/surface attributes cross-cut and thus result in
negative burial depth.

Petrel 2011.2 Release Notes 12

 PSQL Feature Brief Description

Charge Modeling The following issues were corrected:

Process
Sometimes the results of charge runs with PVT using
temperature/pressure maps showed subsurface (gas) volumes
flashed to surface (oil and gas) volumes for some accumulations
but not for others.
Sometimes the results of charge runs when using either a map
or a constant resulted in different accumulation sizes.
Area-only charge simulation without PVT did not result in any
calculations.
A zero thickness value entered for the base reservoir still
produced accumulations. This has been fixed so that no
accumulations are produced when the reservoir thickness is set
to zero.

Make Reservoir When the general discrete template was used for lithology

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Properties, Make surfaces, the resulting calculated porosity had a value of 0.01
Seal Properties regardless of input. This issue was corrected.
Processes
Lithology surfaces with discrete templates which had missing
input for each row in the Petrel facies column of the table (on
the Input tab) resulted in output of porosity of 0.01 regardless
of input. This issue was corrected.

Make Seal There were issues with multiple data scenario output (that is, you
Properties Process had one scenario with different inputs and different results). Now
the Options tab is no longer editable when editing an existing case.

Expanding Minor issues with expanding windows and correspondingly adjusting

Windows layout in the windows were fixed.

Petrel 2011.2 Release Notes 13

Known Issues
The following table summarizes known issues for the Petrel 2011.2 release.

Domain Issue Description

General: Classic window mode, supported in Petrel 2011.2, is not compatible
Window with Petrel 2011.1.x releases: Opening a Petrel 2011.2 project that was
Layouts saved with Classic window mode switched on will, in Petrel 2011.1.x,
cause the windows to appear without borders.
Workaround: Re-start the project in Petrel 2011.2 and switch to
Tabbed window mode rather than Classic window mode before
opening in an earlier version.
Window layouts defined in Petrel 2011.2 are lost if your project is
opened and saved by an earlier version of Petrel.

General: If a PDF file is created when the option Limit size of seismic bitmaps to

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Printing printers/metafiles is toggled off (Tools>>System settings>>
Troubleshooting), a Seismic line will remain in the correct position within
an interpretation window but be flipped in the created file.

Geophysics When doing a time-to-depth conversion (TWT to Z), the use of a seismic
velocity cube indexed in depth will not produce adequate results. Instead it
is always recommended to have the seismic velocity cube indexed in the
domain where the transformation is initiated (not the resulting domain).

Well Section The Well section window does not allow you to perform any action
interactively when using the log editor functionality.
Right click context menus are not available in the Well section window.
Unlike Petrel 2010, well data tracks without data are visible rather than
hidden.
The Well section does not recognize font changes applied in System
Settings.
In Petrel 2011.x, the template keeps the details for the display
template, including details for data tracks, displayed data types, and
style settings. The Well Section Window keeps details for which wells
are displayed: layout, horizontal spacing, flattening, plot size, and the
well tops display status.

Petrel 2011.2 Release Notes 14

 Domain Issue Description

The Reference Project Tool (RPT) does not support transfer of Well
Section windows.
The RPT only supports the transfer of 2011 Well section templates. To
transfer templates from older projects first upgrade them to 2011.
Well section windows cannot be copied.
The Well section window vertical scale settings are not preserved on
upgrade.
Curve fill cannot be specified for a depth interval.
Marker display cant be controlled by user-created well top filters, that
is, based on the interpreter.
Bitmap logs have a refresh issue. Occasionally it may be necessary to
toggle the log off and on to correct the display, and to delete internal
control lines, first click on the line to be deleted and then use the DEL
key.

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Reservoir When exporting 3D properties from the Models tree, we have found that
Engineering Petrel will crash if the property name is SIGMA or SIGMAV. Exporting these
properties from the Define Simulation Case Process works as expected.

Studio If you add attachments to your project using the annotate workflows,
Collaborate then save the project (or use a previously saved project with
embedded attachments), and then use the File: Save as option to
create a new project, all attachments are lost when you open the new
project.
This issue is fixed in Petrel 2012.
This issue does not occur if attachments are added as links into a
project using the annotate workflows. There are two possibilities to re-
import these files as copies into your project:
- Delete the file and re-add it. The history for each file can first be
checked to see where the file came from. The file should not be
relinked, as this will result in a linked file which appears like a copy
inside of Petrel.
- Use RPT to bring in all the embedded attachments from the old
project to the new project.

Petrel 2011.2 Release Notes 15

 Domain Issue Description

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Petroleum Drainage area polygons are sometimes not complete or show strange
Systems defects for surfaces with very high resolution.
Quick Look
When using the reference project tool (RPT) to move accumulations
from source project to target project, the geo reference is not
considered.
Charge modeling: To ensure the right position of polylines (faults,
injection polygons), the user should not use rotated maps.
Workaround: Re-grid a rotated map into a north-south aligned map
grid.
Charge modeling/Input Generation tab There might be an issue
when using injection area polygons (Point/area injection) with rotated
surfaces: the rotation of the surfaces may not be taken into account in
the simulation run. The resulting charge modeling output may appear
in the wrong position. Workaround: Use the Make/edit surface utility in
Petrel to create unrotated surfaces for use in Petroleum Systems Quick
Look Charge modeling.

Petrel 2011.2 Release Notes 16

 Domain Issue Description

Make generation maps, Base source artifacts:

- When the base source rock map is shallower than the top
(intersections, negative thicknesses), Petroleum Systems Quick
Look shows immature vitrinite reflectance.
- When the base source rock map is not defined (e.g. holes due to
fault displacement), Petroleum Systems Quick Look calculates with
a very high undefined number instead. This results in extremely
high maturities and generation / expulsion masses. Workaround:
Set undefined values to XXX (for example, fill hole with depth
values from fault).
When the results of more than three Petroleum Systems Quick Look
Charge modeling processes are saved in a project, it can take
considerable time to open the project.
Workaround for some projects: When you open a project from 2011.1
or earlier for the first time in 2011.2, save it. This may take some time,

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because superfluous data is removed, but the next time it will open
much quicker.
When opening old projects of Petroleum Systems Quick Look from
2009 and 2010, accumulations cannot be viewed with the intersection
plane. Workaround: Re-run the Charge process with the 2011 version.
You need admin rights to install the module.

Petrel 2011.2 Release Notes 17