Integrated Carbonate Reservoir Characterization

Wireline Logs

Core and Thin Sections

Analogs

Geologic Modeling

Sequence
Stratigraphy

Sonic Velocity/K
Carbonate rocks
Compacted mud samples
6000

3-D Seismic 5000 5000 m/s

4000 12% 43%

3000

2400 m/s
2000

Grammer, 2010 1000

Time-average equation
Woods equation (f or suspension)
Theoretical maximum
Pore Architecture
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
An Introduction to Carbonate
Reservoir Characterization

The truth is in the rocks!

T/BR - Indiana, USA

 Basic
Log Analysis
Carbonates

Seismic

Integrated Carbonate
Reservoir Characterization
 Problem / Opportunity with Carbonates

• Reservoir heterogeneity at
Exploration and Production Scales
Variation and complexity of the reservoir rock/fluid system
over a 10 magnitude size range (Microns to 10’s of Kilometers)!

T/BR - Indiana, USA

 Why Should We Care?
 What is the payback for spending the time
and resources to better understand the mega
to micro character of a carbonate reservoir
rock?

 Exploration – Discuss

 Production - Discuss
 SED
Scale Evolution Distribution

• Scale: exploration vs. production

• Evolution: facies, cycles, diagenesis
• Distribution: of reservoir and seal facies
 Geologically-constrained
Reservoir Characterization – Is it worth the effort?

“The use of oversimplified geological

models based on data from a limited
number of widely spaced wells is probably
one of the most important reasons for the
failures in predicting field performance.”
Damsleth et al.
JPT (April 1992)

Especially true in carbonates, which are typically

very heterogeneous, both laterally and vertically!!!
Carbonate Depositional Systems Are Very Heterogeneous – Heterogeneity occurs at all
scales!
Ancient
Simulated Reservoir
~10 Acre System
(660’) Well Can
Pattern bethe
and Expected to be as Heterogeneous!
likely depositional facies encountered at the
surface.
Observe that even when 2 wells encounter the same facies they may not be interconnected in this depositional setting!

Reefal Material and Carbonate Sands Reefal Material Reefal Facies Reefal Facies

Burrowed Carbonate Sands Lagoon Muddy Facies Exposed Facies Reefal Facies

Burrowed Carbonate Sands Reefal Facies Reefal Facies Burrowed Muddy Carbonate Sands

230 m

Lighthouse Reef System - Belize, Central America

 Micro to Macro

What about the emerging importance of sub- Petroskills – Foundations of Petrophysics

micron pore systems in the new very fine grained
reservoir plays?
 Methodology
• Core (cuttings) Analysis
• Wireline Log Analysis
• Seismic Evaluation
• Incorporation of Analogs (Modern
and Outcrop)
 Over Half of the World's Oil Comes from
Carbonate Reservoirs

53%
47% Based on Data from 17 Giant Provinces
Accounting for 80% of World Oil Reserves

Middle East

Courtesy of P.M. Harris

 One Third of the World's Gas Comes from
Carbonate Reservoirs
33%
Middle East 67% Based on Data from 16 Giant Provinces
Accounting for 80% of World Gas Reserves

Courtesy of P.M. Harris

Distribution of oil in carbonate
reservoirs by area

Nurmi and Standen (1997)

 Better understanding of reservoirs increasingly important!

Lucas
Gusher Onshore
Drilling
($1-10MM
per well)

Spindletop, TX
(1901) Offshore
100,000 BOPD Drilling
$0.96 per barrel
($40-80 MM
plus per
well)
 Understanding Carbonate Reservoirs

• Lithofacies & depositional environment

• Original porosity & permeability
– modification potential
• Reservoir geometry (lateral & vertical distribution)
• Stacking patterns tied to wireline logs
• Petrophysical characterization
• Exploration (seismic) and production scale
1950’s – Petrography, Modern Environments,
Origin of Sediments
1960’s – Classification, Analogs, Dolomitization
Ball, 1965
What is a model?
A schematic description
Facies Models – 1970’s
of a system, theory, or
phenomenon that
accounts for its known
or inferred properties
and may be used for
further study of its
characteristics.
(American Heritage
Dictionary) Ahr, 1973

Wilson, 1975
1970’s Carbonate Exploration Models
Facies Associations
Stratigraphic Traps - Bahamas
Facies Models
1970-80’s

Dip and Strike

Facies Associations

Arid Humid

James, 1984
 70’s and 80’s – Integration, Outcrop Studies, Early
Diagenesis

Courtesy of P.M. Harris

1990’s - Dynamic**
Facies Models

Highstand
Downslope
Sediment from
Transgressive Facies Offbank Transport
from Margin and
Platform Facies

Transgressive

Dynamic = Characterized by
continuous change, activity, or
progress (American Heritage Dictonary)
Debris Flows Due to
Slope and Margin Wasting
Lowstand
Handford and Loucks, 1993
1990’s – Today
High-resolution
Outcrop analysis

Sequence Stratigraphy

Grammer et al., 1996, 2002

The San Andres Formation in the Guadalupe Mountains, TX/NM

Courtesy C. Kerans
 Heterogeneity at various scales
The San Andres Formation in the Guadalupe Mountains, TX/NM

Cycle 7

Courtesy
C. Kerans
Outcrop Reservoir Analogs for Modeling

Stratigraphic and Facies

Framework from Outcrops like
Algerita Escarpment

Kerans et al., 1991; Grant et al., 1994

Fluid Flow Models

of Outcrop Geometries

UT/BEG Courtesy C. Kerans

 Kerans, 1998

Importance
of Combining
Outcrop and
Modern Analogs
Florida

Bahamas
 Insight from Modern Analogs

• Facies Types and Distribution

• Primary Porosity and Permeability
• Potential for Diagenetic Modification
• 3-D Geometry of Potential Reservoir Facies
(aspect ratios)
 NOW - Petrophysical Modeling and Permeability
Prediction

Establishing the Link

Between Rock Type, Pore Type,
and Permeability

Courtesy of P.M. HarrisLucia, 1995 and 1999

 NOW - Integrated Reservoir Modeling

Seismic Surfaces and Well Data

Seismic Attributes

Attributes and Well Data

 SEISMIC FACIES PREDICTION
Parallel, Continuous High Amplitude =
Distal Slope

Dipping, Semi-Continuous Low Amplitude

= Mid-Slope

Discontinuous, Chaotic Variable

Amplitude= Boundstone

Parallel, Continuous Horizontal =

Platform

Roe, 2001
SEMI-TRANSPARENT TOP RESERVOIR
 NOW – Enhanced Log Prediction

Facies Prediction
from Logs
Calulated Permeability
usingGlobal Transform
Core Permeability

Permeability
Prediction
from Logs

Porosity RHOB 0.1 1 10 100

Pemeability (md)

Beeson, 1999 Lucia, 2000

 Stratigraphic and Flow
Simulation Modeling

Line of Injectors

Line of Producers

Vertical flow up reef tract

(high Kx, Kz in this model)

Water front moving away from

injectors (green). Note flow
constrained by vertical facies
boundaries.
Courtesy of P.M. Harris
 Reservoir Characterization –
An Integrated Approach

• Interpretation of lithofacies and

depositional environment
• Sequence stratigraphic framework
• Reservoir geometry & architecture
• Pore network characterization &
petrophysical effects
• Distribution of reservoir flow units
• Reservoir modeling
 Integrated Reservoir Characterization
Wireline Logs

Core and Thin Sections

Analogs

Geologic Modeling

Sequence
Stratigraphy

Sonic Velocity/K
Carbonate rocks
Compacted mud samples
6000

3-D Seismic 5000 5000 m/s

4000 12% 43%

3000

2400 m/s
2000

Grammer, 2010 1000

Time-average equation
Woods equation (f or suspension)
Theoretical maximum
Pore Architecture
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
 Introductory Exercise

Comparison of Carbonate vs.

Siliciclastic Sedimentary Rocks
Introduction to
Carbonates
 Carbonates are…
• The most common sedimentary rocks that form
by precipitation
– directly ppt from sea water - inorganic
– indirectly ppt - organic

• Calcite & Dolomite

– mineral names
Ooids

• Limestone & Dolostone Skeletal

– rock names

Carbonate Beach
 Carbonate Global Budgets

• <10% of modern sediments are carbonates (CO3)

• 10-30% for the Phanerozoic area CO3

• 20% HC in North America are in CO3

• 50% HC in World are in CO3 reservoirs

Warm, Shallow, Tropical Ocean Shelves w/ little Siliciclastic
Input are the Principle “Factories” for development of most
Ancient and Modern Carbonates

James, 1979
 Carbonate Production
Majority of carbonate sediments generated in the upper 100’ of the marine system

Tropical Marine Carbonates

Rate of production
calcium carbonate per unit area
0 1 2 3 4
Flourishing green
algae
10 w/ Maximum light &
circulation
Water Depth (m)

Lower limit of Halimeda in

Belize reef front
80

Red algal crusts below 100 m

100
& as deep as 250 m
 Carbonate Growth Rates
Can Commonly Exceed Sea Level Changes
 Accommodation
Space made available for potential sediment accumulation. In
marine basins, it is often a function of sea-level fluctuation and
subsidence, but in some cases wave base may be more
important than sea-level.

Eustasy
Wave Base
Accommodation

Subsidence

Subsidence

Discussion
So What?
Global SST

Courtesy NASA
 Modern Warm Water Carbonate
Depositional Systems

40° 40°

20° 20°

0° 0°

20° 20°

40° 40°

Reefs
Shelf-carbonate

Wilson, 1975
 Reefs

Great Barrier Reef

Australia

Holocene
Photo courtesy NASA
Phylloid Algal Mound Reefs, Paradox Basin, UT
Pennsylvanian (~290 Ma)
Fundamental differences
between Carbonates
and Siliciclastics
Siliciclastics Carbonates

Handford, 1998
 Comparison
CARBONATES SILICICLASTICS
•The thickest & most diverse •Climate is no constraint. Sediments
sediments originate in shallow-water, occur world wide and at all depths.
tropical environments
•Sediments are both terrestrial and
•The majority of sediments are marine
marine
•The grain size of sediments generally
reflects the size of organism skeletons •The grain size of sediments reflects the
and calcified hard parts hydraulic energy in the environment
•The presence of lime mud often
•The presence of mud indicates settling
indicates the prolific growth of
out from suspension
organisms whose calcified portions
are mud-sized crystallites

•Shallow water lime sand bodies result

primarily from localized physico- •Shallow water sand bodies result from
chemical or biological fixation of the interaction of currents and waves
carbonate

(James, 1971)
 Comparison
CARBONATES SILICICLASTICS
•Localized buildups of sediment •Changes in the sedimentary
without accompanying change in environments generally brought
hydraulic regime alter the character about by widespread change in the
of surrounding sedimentary hydraulic regime
environments

•Sediments are commonly •Sediments remain unconsolidated

cemented on the sea floor in the environment of deposition

•Periodic exposure of sediments

during deposition results in intense •Periodic exposure of sediments
diagenesis, especially cementation during deposition leaves deposits
and recrystallization relatively unaffected

•The signature of different

•The signature of sedimentary
sedimentary facies is obliterated
facies survive low-grade
during low-grade metamorphosis.
metamorphism

(James, 1971)
 Why is this important to oil
and gas exploration and
development?
Active Sand Bodies
Seaward
Margin
Carbonate Shoal

Channel

Spillover
lobe