--> ABSTRACT: Integrated Geomechanical Reservoir Characterization Approach to Study Migration and Accumulation of Hydrocarbons within Llanos Basin, Colombia, by Baranova, Valentina; Mustaqeem, Azer; Brouwer, Friso; Connolly, David; #90135 (2011)

Datapages, Inc.Print this page

Integrated Geomechanical Reservoir Characterization Approach to Study Migration and Accumulation of Hydrocarbons within Llanos Basin, Colombia

Baranova, Valentina 1; Mustaqeem, Azer 1; Brouwer, Friso 2; Connolly, David 2
(1)Petro-Explorers Inc., Calgary, AB, Canada. (2) dGB Earth Sciences, Sugar Land, TX.

Llanos basin of Colombia has recently became focus of extensive exploration due to its high resource potential. The basin itself has experienced multiple stages of trap development and failures as well as re-migration of fluids which makes it quite unpredictable. Many areas such as Rubiales field need long migration pathways to trap commercial quantities of hydrocarbons (HCs). Stress directions and high porosity systems provide permeability conduits for these migrations and accumulations to happen.


The study investigates relationship between stress field and hydrocarbon migration and entrapment. HC migration has always been difficult to understand due to geological gaps in stratigraphic column and multiple stages of consequent tectonic events which are responsible for HC expulsion. To improve our understanding various new methods are used in the study including gas chimney analysis, paleo-stress effects and trap seal analysis.

Geomechanical reservoir characterization is a relatively new field. More recently, geomechanics is being used to find the best way to frac the subsurface to produce oil and gas (shales, CBM, tight sand, etc.). While the geomechanical correlation to permeability and porosity is established through above studies, it can also be applied to a more regional model to establish the migration pathways and movement of fluids through permeable systems within the sediments.


Neural network based chimney cube and fault seal analysis are application of supervised Neural Networks. These technologies are applied to various seismic data sets in the Llanos Basin to better understand the regional stress field and impacts for lateral and vertical HC migration through carrier beds, fracture systems and gas chimneys.


In this study we have integrated the geo-tectonics, in-situ stress analysis, analysis of hydrocarbon chimneys, and seismic fault-seal analysis. The data included in the analysis is the geology/geophysics of the region, earthquake data, seismic and gravity.

This study provides a non-conventional to focus exploration to portion of a basin with highest possibility of finding hydrocarbons.

 

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90135©2011 AAPG International Conference and Exhibition, Milan, Italy, 23-26 October 2011.