Verification of Synthetic Core and Facies Templates with Seismic Properties and Rock Properties for Geo-cellular Modeling in Reservoir Characterization of a Producing Field
Abstract
The objective of this thesis is to utilize synthetic core and customized facies templates to predict sub-seismic geological facies between wells using seismic data and rock physics measurements. This is a complex multi-scale data integration workflow with various data resolutions from the reservoir properties scale (micrometer level) to the seismic properties scale (meters to kilometer level). A new method of interpretation with synthetic core and predefined high definition facies templates was developed in reservoir characterization of a producing oil field. Implementation of this unique technique in reservoir evaluation will help to achieve maximum extraction of the existing resources, reduce uncertainties, and establish a higher level of confidence when dealing with new exploration projects.
Predicting the sub-seismic scale facies was essentially needed to rely on well log data and core data with the underlying interpretation of the depositional processes that controlled the facies distribution. Well data and core data provided high resolution (centimeter level) vertical information of the reservoir properties, and seismic data became the most vital source of information in obtaining the spatial distribution of the reservoir properties in terms of the facies between the wells. Seismic attributes represented the rock physics properties of the related facies and hence demonstrated the relationships with the observed properties in the wells and their lateral distributions. Synthetic core incorporated reservoir attributes by creating artificial core data for those wells that have no core for reservoir properties, but which have gamma, neutron, and density logs. Rock physics, such as rock’s bulk modulus and shear modulus, were used to establish the facies-by-facies links between reservoir properties and their elastic responses.
A case study was taken from the McMurray Formation in northern Alberta. A new approach to facies template-based rock elastic property values was developed to predict and map reservoir properties between the wells from a seismic volume. This improved method allows for the geological, geophysical, petrophysical, and geomechanical data to provide facies information to a geo-cellular model which enables quantitative analysis of reservoir properties and helps production evaluation.
Description
Keywords
Geology, Geophysics
Citation
Alam, M. (2016). Verification of Synthetic Core and Facies Templates with Seismic Properties and Rock Properties for Geo-cellular Modeling in Reservoir Characterization of a Producing Field (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/28640