Subsurface reservoir model with 3D natural fractures prediction
AssigneeSaudi Arabian Oil Company
InventorsOtto E. Meza Camargo, Tariq Mahmood, Khalid Hawas
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In reservoir hydrocarbon exploration, fracture characteristics of subsurface reservoir formations are analyzed based on measures obtained about the subsurface formations and rock. Models of subsurface reservoirs are developed with predictions of natural fracture networks within the subject subsurface reservoirs. The mechanical properties of the formation rock in the reservoirs serve as a main controller to model the natural fractures distribution and their properties. The models so formed are important in the location and completion of wells for hydrocarbon exploration and production.
Claims14
A method of drilling a well in a subsurface geological structure to a location in a subsurface hydrocarbon reservoir indicated by a natural fracture network model validated against production measures from the reservoir, comprising the steps of:
- (a) obtaining reservoir parameters (102) representing properties of the subsurface reservoir for processing in a data processing system, the reservoir parameters comprising:
- (1) rock mechanical properties (106) from geological models of the subsurface geological structure;
- and
- (2) reservoir engineering measures (112) obtained from production from the subsurface hydrocarbon reservoir,
- (b) forming a predicted natural fracture network model (132) by processing the obtained reservoir parameters in the data processing system to by performing computer implemented processing steps of:
- (1) forming a geomechanics forward model (144) to estimate in situ stress conditions in the reservoir;
- (2) forming a 3D geomechanics model (160) of rock mechanical properties distribution in the reservoir;
- (3) forming indications (162) of fractures in the reservoir based on the rock mechanical properties;
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- (4) identifying natural fracture locations (166) in the reservoir;
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- (c) quantifying natural fractures density of the predicted natural fracture model of the reservoir to characterize the intensity (172) of fractures in the reservoir;
- (d) validating the quantified natural fracture network model (174) with the reservoir engineering production measures from production in the reservoir;
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- (e) drilling the well (122) in the subsurface geological structure to a location in the subsurface hydrocarbon reservoir based on the identified presence and extent of natural fractures in the validated natural fracture network model of the subsurface geological structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.