A Virtual Field Laboratory for Data Integration and Characterizations in Unconventional Reservoirs

Abstract

Thanks to the significant heterogeneity in both rock properties and hydrocarbon content, an integrated characterization of the unconventional reservoir is essential to successful development and production. Data collected from various sources is rarely integrated for characterization and quantification in the field scale, and most models rely on single-sourced data for calibration and prediction.

In this study, we present a virtual field laboratory platform for extensive data acquisition, efficient data integration, advanced data visualization, and intelligent data analysis. The samples and data are collected from various sources and in various scales. The data integration combines different kinds of data, including geological (e.g., cuttings, core samples, mudlogs), geophysical (e.g., wireline logs, seismic), geochemical (e.g., carbon isotope, hydrocarbon compositions, rock-eval pyrolysis), and operational (e.g., well tests, production history) data. Data visualization is achieved by latest computer vision techniques.

With the platform, we incorporate (1) integration, visualization and analysis of field and laboratory data, (2)geochemical modeling based on kinetics theories and extensive laboratory experiments,(3)advanced modeling of fluid dynamics and isotope fractionation in tight reservoir rock,(4)prediction and evaluation of rock and fluid properties, and (5)intelligent identification of sweet spots. With the integrative characterization of the unconventional resource system, spatially distributed properties, such as total gas content, permeability, isotope ratio, and frackability, are used to smartly identify the sweet spots.

AAPG Datapages/Search and Discovery Article #90323 ©2018 AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition, Salt Lake City, Utah, May 20-23, 2018