Abousayed Mohamed Salah¹ and Hani Arab²

¹Reservoir Characterization Research & Consulting, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
²Zakum Development Company,United Arab Emirates

ABSTRACT: Integrated Reservoir Modeling for Growing and Mature Asset Teams

The Arabian Gulf contains almost 65% of the world proven reserves. The structural configuration and the tectonic development of this basin played an important role in the timing of hydrocarbon generation, migration and entrapment in numerous super- giant oil and gas fields. Carbonates and sandstones, with variable depositional settings and diagenetic histories, ranging in age from Early Paleozoic to Tertiary, are the producing reservoirs in the basin. Structural, stratigraphic and combination traps are almost everywhere in the basin. With such complexities, the powerful integrated geostatistical technology, known as the most complete integrated reservoir management solutions, is needed to manage the reservoirs in the Arabian Gulf basin. The targets of this paper are to highlight the benefits of an integrated system for assisting in management of reservoir assets and demonstrate the latest appropriate technologies to increase productivity of any asset team. The oil industry has moved to an era in which competitiveness is not only measured by how much reserve in the ground, but also asset-related knowledge.

Advances in computer technologies have made it possible for geologists, geophysicists and engineers to develop increasingly more realistic and accurate models of subsurface geologic systems and processes. These models integrate expert interpretations, well logs, core descriptions, and seismic data into high-resolution reservoir descriptions and simulation. Such integrated solution has been used in all the major oil companies in the Arabian Gulf. This integrated reservoir management solution has enabled asset teams in these companies to tackle large and small reservoirs, reduce cycle time, manage investment risks and solve critical production problems.

A case study is one of the lower Cretaceous Thamama reservoirs in the super-giant Zakum Oil Field, offshore Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90906©2001 AAPG Annual Convention, Denver, Colorado