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Carbonate Previous HitFlowNext Hit-Unit Definition for Previous HitReservoirNext Hit Simulation

Matthew J. Pranter1, Neil F. Hurley2
1University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado
2Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado

 

Previous HitFlowNext Hit Previous HitunitsNext Hit in carbonate reservoirs have been defined in many ways. Likewise, various techniques exist to identify or designate Previous HitflowNext Hit Previous HitunitsNext Hit within a Previous HitreservoirNext Hit. Among the many methods include the use of rock fabrics, porosity-permeability cutoffs, pore-throat radii (R35), plots of cumulative storage- and Previous HitflowNext Hit-capacity, and lithology, to name a few. Which technique to use is dependent on the abundance, type, and distribution of data that is available for Previous HitreservoirNext Hit Previous HitcharacterizationNext Hit and modeling. Ideally, Previous HitflowNext Hit Previous HitunitsNext Hit are established within a sequence stratigraphic and structural framework. The construction of a representative stratigraphic or structural framework with an appropriate number of layers or Previous HitflowNext Hit Previous HitunitsNext Hit is essential in Previous HitreservoirNext Hit modeling and simulation.

Facies-keyed, petrophysics-based methods to identify hydraulic Previous HitflowNext Hit Previous HitunitsNext Hit within a sequence-stratigraphic framework can be especially useful. For example, Previous HitflowNext Hit Previous HitunitsNext Hit can be characterized within high-frequency carbonate sequences through analyses of the vertical variation of Previous HitflowNext Hit capacity (kh), storage capacity (h), and pore-throat radius (R35) associated with vertical successions of carbonate rock fabrics (Figure 1). Cross-sectional Previous HitflowNext Hit profiles constructed from log and core petrophysical data are often used to correlate Previous HitflowNext Hit Previous HitunitsNext Hit associated with high-frequency cycles or commonly cycle sets. However, Previous HitreservoirNext Hit-scale lateral petrophysical variability within Previous HitflowNext Hit Previous HitunitsNext Hit is often not available from most subsurface data sets and must be estimated or inferred from outcrop analog information or other sources.

In some cases, the various methods for Previous HitflowNext Hit unit definition can reduce or eliminate the need for additional upscaling of the geologic model prior to Previous HitflowNext Hit simulation. The varied approaches to Previous HitflowNext Hit unit definition have been tested with two-dimensional Previous HitflowNext Hit simulation to evaluate their utility. 

 

Figure 1: Previous HitFlowNext Hit Previous HitunitsNext Hit based, in part, on plots of cumulative Previous HitflowNext Hit capacity versus cumulative storage capacity for a cyclic carbonate Previous HitreservoirTop (San Andres Formation, Vacuum field, New Mexico).