We SP2 05

A Consistent Workflow to Re-evaluate the Hydrocarbon

Distribution in a Giant Carbonate Reservoir in the Middle
East
M. Albreiki* (Heriot-Watt University), S. Geiger (Heriot-Watt University), P.W.M. Corbett
(Heriot-Watt University)

Summary

We apply a new and geologically consistent workflow to re-evaluate the saturation distribution in a giant and
complex carbonate reservoir from the Middle East that comprises a thick transition zone. The workflow makes
use of all the available capillary pressure, porosity, and permeability, data, irreducible water saturations, Archie
exponents and cementation exponents. By using these data, the new workflow enables us to model hydrocarbon
distributions more robustly. Hence the resulting 3D saturation model honours saturation logs at the wells exactly
and allowed us to identify new reservoir compartments, leading to improved estimates of hydrocarbon reserves,
and an estimated change in reserves of over 20%. The workflow is embedded in the Geo2Flow software and can
be run conveniently from Petrel. The new saturation distribution needs to be considered as a new model
scenario for any subsequent dynamic reservoir simulations.

79th EAGE Conference & Exhibition 2017 Student Programme

Paris, France, 12-15 June 2017
Introduction

Carbonate reservoirs are estimated to contain more than 60% of the worlds hydrocarbon reserves and
significant reserves are located in the giant carbonate reservoirs of the Middle East. These reservoirs
are known for their complex geological heterogeneity, which renders reserve estimation challenging
because of the significant uncertainties associated with modelling the reservoir hydrocarbon
distribution. Modelling of initial hydrocarbon distributions is achieved using Reservoir Rock typing
and Capillary pressure data (e.g. Skalinski et al. 2015).

Here we apply a new workflow to a giant carbonate reservoir in the Middle East that comprises a thick
transition zone to estimate hydrocarbon distributions in a geologically consistent way. We make use of
the Geo2Flow software to model the hydrocarbon distribution and incorporate all the available data to
generate 3D saturation model that is physically realistic and honours the corresponding saturation logs
exactly. This workflow also enables us to analyse data quality issues, address outliers in the data, and
identify new reservoir compartments. The application of this workflow leads to a significantly revised
saturation model for the reservoir and subsequently impacts our estimation of hydrocarbon reserves,
especially because the reservoir has a thick transition zone and hence small changes in the saturation
model can exacerbate the estimated reserves.

Methods

The key steps of the workflow applied to the giant carbonate reservoir involve the following:
1. Gather porosity and permeability data for more than 100+ wells from the 3D geomodel.
2. Import more than 100+ Pc curves and build a catalogue of J-Functions.
3. Define permeability logs and cumulative distribution functions for the associated errors in
permeability, irreducible water saturation, Archie exponent, and cementation exponents. These
error parameters will be used to move the J-facies in step-6 vertically and horizontally to match
the J-function catalogue.
4. Describe the fluid properties (FVF, API, etc.).
5. Identify log-derived J-functions using the porosity and permeability data; mismatches indicate
possible compartimentalisation.
6. Calculate J-facies or synthetic saturation logs.
7. Upscale the J-facies to the grid-blocks of the 3D model.
8. Built a 3D model of saturations and fluid contacts.
9. Quantify the volumetrics and compare to other RRT approaches

This workflow is implemented in the Geo2Flow software and can be executed using Petrel.

Application to a Giant Carbonate Reservoir

We apply the above workflow to Field D, a complex limestone reservoir characterized by six
subzones of poor rock properties, with a gas cap and a thick transition zone. The six subzones were
divided based on five main stylolites which correlated across the field. Figure 1 depicts the log-derived
J-functions which was calculated using the permeability log; the outliers in the data (black dots in
Figure 1) represent three wells with deeper FWL than the rest of the field and indicate the presence of
a reservoir compartment, which was subsequently identified. Figure 2 compares the original saturation
model with the new, updated saturation model.

79th EAGE Conference & Exhibition 2017 Student Programme

Paris, France, 12-15 June 2017
 Figure 1 Log-derived J-functions with black dots showing oil saturations below the FWL which
indicates the presence of a reservoir compartment (left) that can be identified in the structure map
based on the updated saturation models for three wells (right).

Figure 2 Comparison of the existing and new saturation models with the available log data (red
curves). Note that the new model agrees much better with the saturation data and hence is expected to
provide a more robust 3D saturation model and reserves estimates.
Conclusions
We successfully applied a new and geologically consistent workflow, which is embedded in the
Geo2Flow software, to update the saturation distribution of a complex giant carbonate reservoir. The
application of this workflow enabled us to, firstly, identify a new reservoir compartment with a different
FWL (Figure 1) and, secondly, develop a new 3D saturation model that matches the saturation logs
significantly better (Figure 2). As a result, the volumetrics for this field change by more than 20%, but
we conjecture that these estimates are more robust as they are consistent with all existing data and
interpretation. The impact of the different saturation model on the dynamic behaviour of the reservoir
needs to be accounted for as a new scenario in subsequent reservoir simulations.
Acknowledgements
We thank Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) for providing the data and scholarship for
Mohamed. Sebastian acknowledges support from Foundation CMG for his Chair in Carbonate
Reservoir Simulation. We are also grateful to Vicky and Dan OMeara for access to the Geo2flow
software and their continuing support and input, and Schlumberger for access to Petrel.
References
Skalinski, M., & Kenter, J. A. (2015). Carbonate petrophysical rock typing: integrating geological
attributes and petrophysical properties while linking with dynamic behaviour. Geological Society,
London, Special Publications , 229-259.

79th EAGE Conference & Exhibition 2017 Student Programme

Paris, France, 12-15 June 2017