Well Log Based Geomechanical and Petrophysical Analysis of the

Bakken Formation
Alan Alexeyev, Mehdi Ostadhassan, Rehan Ali Mohammed, Lingyun Kong, Chunxiao Li,
Seyedalireza Khatibi, Bailey Bubach
Department of Petroleum Engineering, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA

Abstract & Geomechanical Results &

Introduction
This paper discusses the derivation of reservoir and
geomechanical properties from well logs in the

Properties
We calculated common geomechanical properties such as Young, Shear, Bulk moduli, Poissons ratio, UCS,
pore pressure, tensile strength, friction angle. Shear wave velocity was calculated using Brocher equation: 1. Coates Conclusions
formula showed better results,
unconventional reservoir of Middle Bakken . It was applicable since Vp in our study was above 5km/s. and the Kc coefficient needs to be
formation in Williston Basin, North Dakota. The Eatons method was used for pore pressure determination: adjusted between 70 to 100 to get the
study was performed on the middle member of the The rest of the formulas are found in the ARMA 17-942 paper. right range of permeability, which for
Bakken Formation in the Blue Buttes Field. Reservoir the Bakken is between 0.001 mD and
analysis consisted of determining the lithology and lower to 0.01 md and higher.
petrophysical properties such as porosity, 2. Shale volume showed consistent
permeability, water saturation, and shale volume distribution between 10-20% throughout
calculations. We included the XRD analysis for more an analyzed field.
precise analysis of the reservoir lithology. 3. Water saturation was in the range of
Geomechanical properties were calculated using 40%
existing correlations and relation. Those properties 4. Calculated porosity was in the range of
included the Youngs modulus, Poissons ratio, 4-8%, which is close correlated to the
tensile strength, UCS, and pore pressure. This case core data.
study will help gathering an additional information Permeability comparing Wyllie-Rose and Coates methods. BVW Porosity Shale volume 5. The lithology of the middle Bakken is
Lithology and mineralogy
on the Bakken Formation and analyzing the mostly sandstone, with a sizable
Reservoir Properties
Core data

geomechanical properties in the Blue Buttes Field, Permeab Component, #2820 - #2820
in % 10592.5' -
#16433
-
#16433
-
#16652
-
#16653
-
presence of dolomite and feldspar, and
Porosit ility to
10598 10612' 10638' 10663' 10678'
To
which is athe
begin major producing
reservoir field in ND. basic rock
characterization, Depth, ft y, % air, mD ' minimal presence of limestone; both
10665.6 5.66 0.004 dolomite 33 13 40.5 13.3 11.1 15.3

properties need to be evaluated and understood. 10666.25 5.49 0.004

calcite 8.6 14.9 9 10.2 6.2 10.7
XRD and software analysis showed
10674.1 6.68 0.034 (limestone)
closely correlated results.
We analyzed permeability, porosity, effective 10675.2 6.18 0.014 quartz 31.3 60.8 50.5 41.6 45.45 50.9
10676 7.4 0.005 (sandstone) 6. Geomechanical properties showed close
porosity, shale volume, and water saturation using a
set of commercial software and well logs. Gamma
10676.9
10678.2
10679.1
6.58
6.09
6.18
0.004
0.008
0.004
Muscovite

Sanidine,
13.3

12.8
11.8

22.6
11.3

25.9
Main references
correlation to one other Bakken study,
ferrain thus ensuring that these formulas may
Ray, Compensated Neutron Density log, Borehole
10680.1 6.2 0.004
pyrite 1 10 0.5
Webster, R. L. 1984. Petroleum source
10681 6.27 0.004 be used
rocks andin geomechanical
stratigraphy of studies in the
the Bakken
10682 6.32 0.004 K 1.2
Compensated log, and Resistivity logs were used for 10683.2 6.82 0.006
(potassium)
absence of
Formation in core
Northdata.
Dakota.
Illite 23.1
this study. 10684.1 5.68 0.003 Saturation
Simenson, A. 2010. Depositional Facies and
10685.2 4.36 0.001 XRD
Permeability: two methods were tried and 10686.1 3.44 0.001 Petrophysical Analysis of the Bakken
10687.1 5.96 0.003 Formation, Parshall Field, Mountrail County,
compared Wyllie-Rose and Coates. 10688.1 3.33 0.021
North Dakota (Colorado School of Mines).
10689.1 5.89 0.002
and 10690 5.96 0.002 Geomechanical properties
LeFever, J. A. 1991. History of Oil
10691.1 6.81 0.032 Production from the Bakken Formation,
Porosity: neutron-density method was used to Pore pressure
North Dakota.
calculate the porosity; for effective porosity: Liu, K., M. Ostadhassan, B. Bubach, and H.
Jabbari. 2016, June. Bakken Formation
Shales Nano-Scale Analysis to Understand
Saturation: Archie and Simandoux methods were Mechanical Parameters. In 50th US Rock
tried, but the Simadoux one is used for further Mechanics/Geomechanics Symposium.
ARMA
studies: Meissner, F. F. 1991. Petroleum Geology of
& the Bakken Formation Williston Basin,
Shale Volume: Larionov non-linear method for North Dakota and Montana.
older rocks was used: Acknowledgements
Lithology: XRD was done on three samples; in the We would like to thank Aldjia Boualam,
Sofiane Djezzar, Kouqi Liu for software help
software, the minerals like illite, dolomite, quartz,
and the experiment setup.
K-feldspar, muscovite-mica, calcite were used to
calculate the mineralogy Corresponding author:
alan.alexeyev@und.edu