ABSTRACT: Reservoir Heterogeneity and Fractal Conditional Simulation: Keys to a Successful Waterflood Project (Schneider Field, Wood County, Texas)

PREZBINDOWSKI, DENNIS R., International Petrology Research, Noblesville, IN, TOM MAIRS, Consulting Geologist, Dallas, TX, and ROBERT RAVNAAS, Cawley, Gillespie and Associates, Fort Worth, TX

Schneider field was discovered 4 March 1988 by the Energy Production Corp. Peacock Well No. 1, which flowed 1008 BOPD from perforations at 9400 ft. Additional highly productive wells have since been completed. The reservoir is an (Upper Cretaceous) reef complex located beneath the overhang of the Hainesville Salt Dome in the East Texas basin. Downdip and fault-related tar mats define a depletion drive reservoir necessitating a secondary recovery program to efficiently drain the reservoir. Schneider field reef development was localized on the south flank of a salt generated paleohigh and bounded by active faults. The reef complex consists of a well-developed coral/stromatoporoid reef core, reef debris, and associated carbonate shoal sand facies. Major lithofacies changes and resultant eservoir quality variations make the understanding of facies geometry critical to a successful development program. Initially, a three-dimensional, conditional simulation of the fluid flow properties of the reservoir was generated using only well control points. This did not provide a realistic geological characterization of the reservoir. Integration of detailed reservoir geology from the analysis of 445 ft of core established reservoir macro and micro heterogeneities

and allowed the development of a second, three-dimensional fractal conditional simulation model that better defined the reservoir flow characteristics. A water injection project was initiated in October 1990 based on this model. Initial performance of the secondary recovery project has met expectations, indicating that the geological/engineering study has closely characterized the reservoir. Successful reservoir development continues based on this model.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91012©1992 AAPG Annual Meeting, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, June 22-25, 1992 (2009)