Characterizing a Mississippian carbonate reservoir for CO₂-EOR and carbon sequestration: Applicability of existing rock physics models and implications to feasibility of time lapse monitoring programs in the Wellington Oil Field, Sumner County Kansas

Abstract

This study will characterize subsurface rock formations of the Wellington Field, in Sumner County, Kansas for both geosequestration of CO₂ in the saline Arbuckle formation and enhanced oil recovery of a Mississippian oil reservoir. Multiscale data including lithofacies core samples, digital rock physics scans, well log data and 3D seismic techniques will be integrated to establish or validate a new or existing rock physics model that best represents our reservoir rock characteristics. We will acquire P-wave and S-wave velocity data from core samples by running ultrasonic tests and compare them to sonic and dipole sonic log data from the Wellington 1–32 well. The elastic constants Young's Modulus, Bulk Modulus, Shear Modulus and Poisson's Ratio will also be extracted. These data will be integrated to validate a lithofacies classification statistical model which will be applied to the largely unknown Arbuckle formation with hopes for a connection, perhaps through Poisson's Ratio, allowing a time-lapse seismic feasibility assessment and potentially developing a transformation of P-wave sonic velocities to S-wave dipole sonic for all wells. We will also be testing our rock physics model by predicting effects of changing effective fluid composition on seismic properties and the implications on feasibility of seismic monitoring. Lessons learned from characterizing the Mississippian are essential to understanding the potential of utilizing similar workflows for the Arbuckle aquifer.

AAPG Datapages/Search and Discovery Article #90221 © 2015 Mid-Continent Section, Tulsa, Oklahoma, October 4-6, 2015