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ABSTRACT
62 FALL 2013 SAUDI ARAMCO JOURNAL OF TECHNOLOGY SAUDI ARAMCO JOURNAL OF TECHNOLOGY SUMMER 2011 62
of feet1, 2. It is a common understanding for almost all petro-
physical measurements that the greater the depth of the investi-
gation, the poorer the vertical resolution. The WFT has much
better vertical resolution than conventional well tests.
There are basically two modes in WFT for estimating reser-
voir permeability: a pretest with probes and a vertical interfer-
ence test (VIT) with a combination of packers and probes, Fig.
1c. A pretest requires a drawdown volume of less than 20 cm3
of fluid, most likely mud filtrate. As a result, mobility esti-
mated from a WFT pretest is a near wellbore mobility indica-
tor; at remaining oil saturation (ROS) if water-based mud were
used across an oil interval. On the other hand, during a VIT,
hundreds of liters of reservoir fluid are pumped out (at a rate
of 1 to 30 barrels per day (BPD) for up to 1 hour), providing a
reservoir permeability estimation up to 50 ft into the reservoir,
which is certainly much more representative of reservoir per-
meability (at connate Sw if measured across a pay zone). In
addition, unlike other reservoir petrophysical properties men-
tioned above, permeability is directional. Currently, the only
techniques that are used routinely for directional reservoir per-
meability characterization are based on PTA, such as a VIT.
Details of a nonlinear regression analysis of VIT PTA data for
determining formation parameters are given by Onur and
Kuchuk (2000)3.
The main objective of this article is to introduce a method-
ology to integrate static and dynamic petrophysical data to
build a comprehensive reservoir model (RM) for reservoir
characterization, geological modeling and well performance Fig. 2. Methodology for reservoir characterization, reservoir modeling and well
performance prediction.
prediction. Results reported in this article are part of a larger
project, and some of the details of the project have been pub-
lished previously4, 5. gle well data integration, reservoir characterization, reservoir
modeling and well performance prediction are summarized
METHODOLOGY below and illustrated in Fig. 2.
1. Data Preparation and Integration:
Petrophysical properties derived from open hole logs and WFT Core data are reviewed and quality controlled for
are calibrated with core analysis data before being distributed geological features (such as depositional environments
in space to build a geological model. The established model and layering), lith, pore types, , k and grain density.
can be verified from borehole fluid flow profiles measured by a
production log, as shown in Eqn. 2, even though layers with Open hole logs are reviewed, quality controlled,
no flow or a low flow rate due to skin, low permeability or processed and interpreted for lith, , grain density, Sw,
low pressure may not be detectable by a production log: zoning and zone thickness (h).
WFT pretest data are reviewed, quality controlled and
( n
i=1 kihi) Core, OH Logs,WFT =( n
i=1 )
kihi PL (2) processed for estimating mobility, then for qualitatively
determining k.
The cumulative of the borehole flow profiles can be cali- Together with other geological information, the above
brated from the total kavgH determined from a well test: core data, open hole logs and WFT pretests are
integrated for a foot-by-foot formation evaluation and
( n
i=1 ki hi ) =(k H)
PL
avg WT (3) reservoir characterization.
2. Geological Model:
In Eqns. 2 and 3, H is the total reservoir thickness, h is the
A layered, single well geological model is generated
individual layer thickness, n is the total number of reservoir
from the above detailed formation evaluation and
layers, subscript avg is the average of all layers, and subscript i
reservoir characterization.
is the ith reservoir layer.
Details of the methodology introduced in this study for sin- WFT and VIT data are analyzed to quantify vertical and
By history matching downhole pressure and flow rate, The initial injection rate was 1,000 BPD. With an
the RM can be used in a single well reservoir simulation incremental of about 1,000 BPD, the final rate reached
for well performance prediction or in any other 8,200 BPD at the end of the eighth test.
reservoir characterization and management studies4, 5. A production log was run to obtain the injection profile
during each test.
TEST OF THE METHODOLOGY IN A STUDY WELL 5. Falloff test for KavgH at ROS.
The well was then shut-in for a falloff test to determine
The above methodology was developed in a joint research the total KavgH at ROS and skin.
project between Saudi Aramco and Schlumberger, and some 6. Final buildup test for KavgH at reduced Sw:
of the results of the project have been published4, 5. In this All of the injected water and some oil were produced
article, the focus will be on the methodology of integrating back to the surface with a nitrogen lift for 14 days.
static and dynamic data for reservoir characterization and
During this water and oil production period, a
modeling. In the process, it will be demonstrated that the VIT
production log was run frequently to monitor fluids
is an extremely powerful tool for characterizing reservoir
produced.
heterogeneity1, 6-8.
After the well stopped producing water, the well was
Data Acquisition
shut-in for a final pressure buildup test to estimate
KavgH at a reduced Sw close to, but usually larger than,
As previously reported4, 5, a research well, Well-A, was drilled the original Swc.
in 2001 across the Arab-D carbonate reservoir, and a complete
set of petrophysical data was acquired in the following order: Data Processing and Interpetation
1. Cores, open hole logs and WFT:
Conventional cores were taken from the top 250 ft of Core Data. Core description and petrographic analysis were
the target reservoir. Core description, petrographics, and conducted to extract information on reservoir depositional en-
routine and special core analyses were performed on vironment and rock typing, and to identify reservoir layers; an
selected core samples. example of this analysis is shown in Fig. 3. Conventional core
analysis under stress, Figs. 3a and 3b, on selected core samples
Open hole logs acquired included caliper, spectral
was performed to provide data for log calibration and reser-
gamma ray, bulk density, thermal neutron porosity,
voir layering(1). On a subset of cores, adjacent twin plugs were
sonic, array induction resistivity, micro resistivity,
taken, one horizontally and another vertically, for kh and kv
resistivity imaging, mineralogy and nuclear magnetic
resonance tests.
(1) In using core data to calibrate logs and/or well tests, it is noted that core data
A total of 25 WFT pretests and eight VITs were may not be representative in very high and very low permeability rocks9. For rocks
conducted. with very high permeabilities (such as measures in Darcies), cores may not be avail-
able or pluggable due to their weak mechanical integrity. On the other hand, con-
2. Baseline production log. Following completion, the well ventional laboratory measurements on very low permeability rocks (such as
was allowed to produce oil for one day to clean out mud measures in less than milli-Darcies) have large uncertainties.
F
Measured packer and probe pressures are matched or
Fig. 7. Use of VITs in reservoir fluid flow regime identification and reservoir
reproduced satisfactorily with the geological model.
heterogeneity characterization.
Fluid flow regimes are identified from features of
and kh determination as described in Fig. 5, VITs can also be buildup pressure derivatives. The identified flow regime
useful in reservoir fluid flow regime identification and detailed is consistent with the geological model.
reservoir heterogeneity characterization, as demonstrated in
Fig. 7, by examining the pressure and its derivative vs. buildup Final RM
time. From Figs. 6 and 7, the following can be summarized:
Probe pressure changes of 0.1 psi are clearly observed, re- By integrating geological information with data derived from
peatedly, with the high resolution crystal quartz gauges. core description and core analysis, open hole logs, WFT
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
REFERENCES
pretests and VITs, the RM in this study well was established,
following the methodology of Fig. 2, as shown in Table 1. This
1. Ayan, C., Hafez, H., Hurst, S., Kuchuk, F.J., OCallaghan,
model is considered accurate not only because it integrates all
A., Peffer, J., et al.: Characterizing Permeability with
relevant data, but more importantly because it is internally
Formation Testers, Oilfield Review, Vol. 13, No. 3,
consistent with VIT pressure and pressure derivatives.
October 2001, pp. 2-23.
The established RM, Table 1, is further validated in terms of
its production behaviors by comparing its data with the fluid 2. Kuchuk, F.J.: Radius of Investigation for Reserve
flow profile derived from production logs and the total KavgH Estimation from Pressure Transient Well Tests, SPE paper
derived from numerical analyses of well test pressure as well as 120515, presented at the SPE Middle East Oil and Gas
pressure derivative, Fig. 8. Results show that the model Show and Conference, Manama, Bahrain, March 15-18,
matches the well dynamic behavior very well, Fig. 8. 2009.
3. Onur, M. and Kuchuk, F.J.: Nonlinear Regression
Application of the Validated Geological Model Analysis of Well Test Pressure Data with Uncertain
Variance, SPE paper 62918, presented at the SPE Annual
The RM, Table 1, can be used in well performance studies, as Technical Conference and Exhibition, Dallas, Texas,
shown in Fig. 9, by matching and predicting the bottom-hole October 1-4, 2000.
pressure and flow rate. It has also been used in this study well 4. Kuchuk, F.J., Zhan, L., Ma, S.M., Al-Shahri, A.M.,
for identifying and characterizing reservoir heterogeneity, in- Ramakrishnan, T.S., Altundas, B., et al.: Determination of
verting reservoir scale and reservoir condition relative perme- In-Situ Two-Phase Flow Properties through Downhole
ability and capillary pressure, assessing oil recovery by water- Fluid Movement Monitoring, SPE paper 116068,
flooding, and monitoring water movement in situ in connection presented at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and
with measurements of a specially designed electrode resistivity Exhibition, Denver, Colorado, September 21-24, 2008.
array and permanent downhole pressure gauges4, 5.