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range from medium-coarse to fine grained while the Plug Sample Selection
thinly bedded turbidite sands are medium to finer Traditionally, plug samples are selected for elevated
grained, interbedded with siltstones and hemipelagic stress measurements or special core analysis (SCAL)
shales. These facie packages commonly stack in a based on geological controls of litho-facies, porosity
predicable manner and help to predict reservoir net- and permeability variations. While this approach
to-gross. remains the fundamental choice for reservoir quality
sands delineation, it may not provide enough
Ventura porosity and permeability values are low and representative samples necessary to characterize the
variable. Typically, porosity ranges from 0.05 0.27 entire reservoir or field.
while permeability ranges from less than 0.1 to
approximately 500 mD across the field. Permeability Figure 2, shows a classical plot of core permeability
variation (Dykstra Parsons) is about 0.8. versus porosity of wells used in the model
Figure 1 shows a montage of a typical well bore development. The variability in permeability for any
image, core photo and dip meter logs. The images given porosity is an evidence of the existence of
show a structurally complex turbidite sand sequence microscopic-pore level heterogeneity. As evidenced
that is highly dipping, thick, and thinly bedded. from Figure 2, for a given porosity, permeability varies
up to three orders of magnitude. Therefore, choosing
Flow Unit Concept samples based on this cross plot for any reservoir
Flow unit is defined by Ebanks (Ebanks, W.J,) as the development may be prone to some error.
mappable portion of the total reservoir rock within
which geological and petrophysical properties that In order to capture heterogeneity at microscopic pore
effect fluid flows are internally consistent and throat level, FZI was derived for all routine core data
predictably different from properties of other rock and used to distinguish existing flow units. A plot of
volumes. Arguably, flow units and lithofacies are not the reservoir quality index (RQI) versus porosity
the same. Lithofacies are characterized by group (z) is shown in Figure 3. There are nine flow
macroscopic attributes of lithology such as texture, units in this reservoir. Samples within a given cluster
nature of bedding contacts and sedimentary or straight line belong to the same flow unit and
structures while flow units are subsets of the facies posses similar pore throat attributes and fluid flow
and according to Amaefule, et. al, (1993) is defined characteristics. Sand quality increases with increase
as zones with similar pore throat sizes and in RQI. Flow unit 9 (FU_9) depicts the best sand
distributions. It is not uncommon for multiple flow quality while FU_1 is the worst.
units to exist within a lithofacie or a flow unit existing
or re-occurring in various lithofacies. Porosity Vs Permeability Plot
1000
The flow zone indicator, FZI (m) is defined
mathematically as: K=181 - 6.8722
R2=0.25
RQI 100
FZI = ..............(1)
Permeability. mD
z
Reservoir Quality Index RQI (m) is expressed as:
10
K
R Q I = 0 .0 3 1 4 .2
where K = Permeability, mD
1
and = Porosity, frac
= 0.2707X-0.0577
FU_9
0.19 R2 = 0.996 0.190
FU_8
Original , frac
1.00 FU_7 0.185 0.185
RQI, microns
Predicted , frac
FU_6
FU_4
0.10
0.175 0.175
FU_3
FU_2
0.17 0.170
FU_1 = 0.271X-0.0581
0.01 R2 = 0.998
0.165 0.165
0.01000 0.10000 1.00000
0 2000 4000 6000
PHIZ
Net Confining Stress (X), psi
Figure 3-Plot showing Flow Units Figure 4- Curve Fitting Original Porosity Decay
Permeability Vs Net Confining Stress
To properly characterize the reservoir, it is essential
to pick test samples from each flow unit. Ten plug 30.0 30.0
samples were selected based on the nine flow units K= 72.86X-0.1825
identified. An extra sample came from the best FZI 25.0
R2 = 0.9779
25.0
(FU_9).
Predicted KL , mD
20.0 20.0
Original K, mD
Jones (1988) developed an empirical model that can Porosity group at stress is expressed as:
be used to fit such porosity and permeability versus
stress decay relationship. These empirical relations
are shown as Equations 4 through 6 Exp b2 1 exp( / 2 ( )
z = zo ........4
1+ C
where:
zo = ......................5
(1 )
4 SPE 132110
Permeability at stress is expressed as: The Porosity and Permeability stress factor model
equations are shown as equations 7 and 8.
exp b1 (1 exp( / 1 *)
K = K0 ........6 b 2 = 0 .0 0 5 z 2 .1 9 1 ...7
1+ C
0 .4 4 0
Model Development b1 = 0 .2 8 7 R Q I .....8
The idea is to determine the fitting parameters for
porosity (2, C, b2, zo) and permeability (1, C, b1, K0)
that approximates the true curves of a historical Table 2: Porosity & Permeability Model Parameters
porosity and permeability measured at multiple stress
Z b2 2 RQI b1 1*
points and use these parameters to build a field-wide
or reservoir specific stress conversion model. To psi microns
achieve this, a proprietary non-linear regression
400 0.192 0.178 1269 0.110 0.699 1988
program was developed and used to fit porosity and
permeability decay curves defined by equations 4 and 400 0.163 0.263 1333 0.120 0.850 1965
6. The initial input requires a tolerance and initial
guess of each input parameter. Results of each 400 0.174 0.229 1330 0.147 0.730 1476
sample are shown as Figures 4 and 5. A poor overlay
of the predicted curves will require further 400 0.199 0.191 1149 0.182 0.632 1628
optimization by running a sensitivity of the parameters
until a near zero tolerance factor is achieved. Table 1 400 0.199 0.179 1160 0.216 0.609 1562
shows fitting parameters for a sample measured at
400 0.245 0.109 1120 0.269 0.425 1208
five stress points. If the fitting parameters are plugged
back into Equation 1, 2 and 3 as the case may be, a 400 0.309 0.068 913 0.418 0.400 1000
predicted porosity and permeability is obtained.
However, the use of these fitting parameters for a 400 0.220 0.132 1198 0.390 0.440 1000
field-wide or reservoir specific application which had
before now remained a challenge is the central focus 400 0.148 0.340 1400 0.167 0.630 1766
and fully demonstrated in this paper.
400 0.232 0.120 1060 0.889 0.330 655
Table 1: Fitting Parameters The reservoir quality index (RQI) correlates with
1*=988 psi b1=0.63 C=3x10-6) K=30.7 Tol=0.0001 permeability stress index 1* while porosity group (Z)
2*=1269psi b2=0.18 C=3x10-6) Z=0.2015 Tol=0.0001
correlates with porosity stress index 2* as shown in
Figures 8 and 9.
Stress original Porosity Perm Porosity Perm
psi porosity Group original predicted predicted
Z K Z K
1400
0.20 1200
1000
0.15
800
0.10
600
0.05 400
200
0.00
0
0.00 0.10 0.20 0.30 0.40
0.00 0.10 0.20 0.30 0.40
Porosity Group, z
porosity group , z
1.40 3000
b1 = 0.29RQI-0.44 1*=621.8RQI0.5349
1.20 R = 0.86 2500 R2 =0.87
Permeability Stress factor, b1
1.00 2000
1*
0.80 1500
0.60
1000
0.40
500
0.20
0
RQI, microns
Figure 9: Permeability Stress Index
Exp b2 1exp((400) / 2 ( )
2 * = 4 8 0 .9 2 z z (400) =zo
0 .5 6 5
........9 .........14
1+C(400)
Also, Porosity at 3500 psi can be written as:
1 * = 6 2 1 .7 R Q I 0 .5 3 4 9
......10
Exp b2 1exp((3500) / 2
( )
z (3500) =zo .......15
A field-wide modelling of permeability and porosity at 1+C(3500)
zero stress was not necessary as it stands out as the
most trivial parameter to eliminate. To circumvent the Zero stress porosity (zo) can be eliminated by
zero stress modelling approach we invoked a simple dividing the porosity group at 3500 psi with ambient at
and sound mathematical concept that eliminated the 400psi. This will result to equation 16.
zero stress values as shown below:
If we consider a core plug sample measured at 400 (1+ C400 ) exp b2 1 exp 3500
psi. We can convert permeability and porosity 2 * .16
z (3500) = z (400)
measured at 400 psi to 3500psi as demonstrated 1+ C exp b 1 exp 400
below: ( ) 2
2 *
3500
Permeability at 400 psi (K400) can be written as:
10.0
divided by the bulk modulus of the matrix when the
pore pressure is equal to the vertical stress. Darling
Toby, (2005).
1 1 + v
1.0 NOB = * ( V ( * p P )) ..18
3 1 v
down dip the reservoir used in developing the Results from this approach depend strongly on the
model due to different Net overburden pressures. right evaluation of bulk compressibility. Prediction
using this model on dataset 2 shows an error margin
The application of the classical regression model of 0.10 (Figure 16) compared to the stress model
on dataset1 (back prediction) overestimated the
method showing an error margin of 0.01 5.
predicted permeability with a maximum error
margin of +0.15 as shown in Figures 12 and
It is therefore noteworthy that the stress model
underestimated porosity with a an error margin of -
technique presented in this paper is a better
0.15 as shown in Figure 13, compared to the
prediction tool and offers a wider applicability than the
stress model porosity and permeability predictions
regression, bulk compressibility or log density
with error margins of 0.05 . method.
B. Log Density Regression Method .
(Data Set 2)
The regression of the density log versus core Permeability prediction at 3500 psi
(Classical Regression method Data set 1)
porosity is another way of converting unstressed
core porosity to reservoir conditions. The log 1000.00
regression model derived from the plot of core
porosity versus log density porosity is expressed
as:
100.00
stressed=0.8019400+0.0133 .20
The fact that the density porosity is measured at K, predicted, mD
10.00
insitu conditions makes it a desirable choice.
However, results from this method are masked by
the following factors.
1.00
The use of the density regression model is
constrained to correct environmental corrections
for the effects of mud chemicals such as barite 0.10
and generally, invasion or washouts.
0.10 1.00 10.00 100.00 1000.00
Super-imposition of the predictions from the density Porosity prediction at 3500 psi
log model on a 45 degrees line with a unit slope, (Classical Regression method-Data set 1)
show porosity with an error margin of 0.10 (Figure 0.30
15), compared to the stress model method showing
an error margin of 0.01 (Figure 14).
0.25
0.20
,predicted,md
0.200
0.200
Porosity @ insitu-predicted
0.150
0.150
0.100
0.100
0.050
0.050
0.000
0.050 0.050 0.150 0.250
atNOB,frac 0.000
0.000 0.100 0.200
Porosity @ NOB
Figure 14: Porosity Prediction at NOB
(Stress Model Method- Data Set 2) Figure16: Porosity predicted at NOB
( Bulk Compressibility Method- Data Set 2)
0.05
3. Results from model predictions show that the
porosity and permeability fitting parameters can
be used to develop a field wide or reservoir
specific models that can be used to convert
0.00
porosity and permeability data from one pressure
0.00 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 point to another or from laboratory hydrostatic to
atNOB uniaxial conditions.
Figure 15: Porosity Prediction at NOB 4. Predictions of porosity and permeability for
(Log Density Methodl - Data Set 2) Ventura wells using the stress models were very
good and show to be more accurate than other
existing methods for a clastic non-homogenous
or homogenous reservoir.
10 SPE 132110
Nomenclature References
C = Limiting compressibility constant, 310-6 psi-1 1. Amaefule, J.O. et. al.: Enhanced Reservoir
Description: Using Core and Log data to
1* = Permeability stress index, psi Identify Hydraulic (Flow) Units and Predict
Permeability in Uncored Intervals/Wells. SPE
2* = Porosity stress index, psi Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition,
SPE 26436, Houston, Texas 1993.
z = Porosity group at stress
z0 = Porosity group at zero stress 2. Andersen, M. A: Predicting Reservoir
Condition PV Compressibility from
K = Permeability at zero stress, mD Hydrostatic Stress Laboratory Data. SPE
Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition,
Ko = Permeability at ambient, mD SPE 14213, Las Vegas, Sept. 22-25, 1985.
b1 = Permeability stress factor
3. Ebanks, W.J., Jr.: Integrated Approach to
b2 = Porosity stress factor Reservoir Description for Engineering
Projects, (Abstract only) AAPG abstract flow
= Poisson's ratio unit concept.
NOB= Net Overburden Pressure
4. Keelan,D.K.: Automated Core Measurement
Z =Uniaxial Compaction System for Enhanced Core Data at
Overburden Conditions. Rocky Mountain
H = Hydrostatic Compaction Regional Meeting of the Society of Petroleum
v = Vertical principal stress Engineers held in MT, May19-21, 1986.
VBinsitu =Bulk Volume, insitu 7. Vassilellis, G.D et. al: Application of Stress-
Dependent Rock Properties in Reservoir
Vg = Grain Volume, cc Studies. SPE International Thermal
POB =Overburden pressure =z, (psi/ft x depth) Operations and Heavy oil Symposium, SPE
86979, Bakersfield, California, March 2004
insitu =Insitu Porosity, frac
8. Teeuw, D: Prediction of Formation
Lab =Lab Porosity, Frac Compaction from Laboratory Compressibility
Data, SPE September 1971.
APPENDIX A
Rock Compressibility Method
If we assume that the grain density is much less than
the bulk compressibility, this implies that the
grains can be compressed though without changing
their volume and they pack more closely
Then:
1 - L ab
= V g L ab ........................................i
V B Lab
R e-arran g in g
1 - Lab
V B Lab = .........................,............ii
V
g Lab
R e-arran g in g eq .3
V B in situ (1 - Lab )= V B L ab (1 - in situ )...................v
su bstitutin g eq.4 in to 5 a n d re-arran g in g
-K r z
in situ = L ab .....................................vi
1-K r z
800 0.184 46.13 0.4967 0.226 3500 0.175 40.3 904 1114 0.390 0.130 0.23 0.188 50.28 0.175 0.21 0.174 40.29 38.99
800 0.151 1.38 0.0949 0.178 3500 0.138 0.51 2191 1277 0.809 0.220 0.18 0.156 1.54 0.138 0.16 0.136 0.51 0.52
800 0.159 8.63 0.2317 0.188 3500 0.148 6.40 1359 1235 0.546 0.193 0.20 0.163 9.54 0.148 0.17 0.145 6.40 6.55
800 0.181 11.88 0.2541 0.222 3500 0.171 9.61 1294 1127 0.524 0.136 0.23 0.185 13.11 0.171 0.21 0.170 9.61 9.14
800 0.198 77.35 0.6205 0.247 3500 0.189 69.6 803 1060 0.354 0.107 0.25 0.201 83.87 0.189 0.23 0.188 69.58 67.15
800 0.207 774.52 1.9207 0.261 3500 0.196 562.2 439 1027 0.215 0.095 0.27 0.210 812.73 0.196 0.25 0.198 562.16 736.81
800 0.191 27.25 0.3752 0.236 3500 0.181 22.4 1050 1088 0.442 0.118 0.24 0.194 29.88 0.181 0.22 0.181 22.38 22.18
800 0.159 2.95 0.1354 0.188 3500 0.149 1.97 1812 1235 0.692 0.193 0.20 0.163 3.28 0.149 0.17 0.145 1.97 2.06
800 0.176 20.31 0.3376 0.213 3500 0.165 16.39 1111 1152 0.463 0.148 0.22 0.180 22.31 0.165 0.20 0.164 16.39 16.29
800 0.124 3.13 0.1578 0.141 3500 0.115 2.55 1669 1452 0.647 0.363 0.15 0.131 3.48 0.115 0.12 0.115 2.55 2.24
800 0.196 37.22 0.4327 0.244 3500 0.182 24.18 973 1068 0.415 0.110 0.25 0.199 40.69 0.182 0.23 0.186 24.18 30.90
800 0.204 49.51 0.4897 0.255 3500 0.185 25.50 911 1040 0.393 0.099 0.26 0.206 53.97 0.185 0.24 0.194 25.50 28.10
800 0.187 14.44 0.2760 0.230 3500 0.176 12.25 1238 1104 0.506 0.125 0.24 0.190 15.91 0.176 0.21 0.176 12.25 11.24
800 0.159 6.92 0.2074 0.188 3500 0.148 4.07 1442 1235 0.573 0.193 0.20 0.163 7.66 0.148 0.17 0.145 4.07 5.16
13 SPE 132110
TABLE5:POROSITYPREDICTIONCOMPARISONSCoreDataset2
bulk com, method STRESS MODEL
DEPTH NOB CORE_K CORE DPHI Core/DPHI 1 2 b1 b2 Z @ NOB @ NOB
psi 400 psi 400psi NOB insitu predictions RQI PHIZ frac frac
predictions
8314 3233 13.0 0.172 0.152 0.145 0.151 0.273 0.208 1245.2 1168.7 0.519 0.156 0.186 0.151
8315 3234 22.0 0.166 0.161 0.139 0.146 0.361 0.199 1071.6 1197.2 0.456 0.172 0.176 0.161
8317 3234 4.9 0.132 0.123 0.104 0.119 0.191 0.152 1506.0 1393.8 0.612 0.310 0.123 0.109
8318 3235 8.3 0.126 0.107 0.097 0.114 0.255 0.144 1291.9 1436.5 0.536 0.348 0.114 0.102
8320 3236 18.0 0.198 0.158 0.172 0.172 0.299 0.247 1185.2 1060.0 0.497 0.107 0.228 0.160
8323 3237 21.0 0.195 0.138 0.169 0.170 0.326 0.242 1132.7 1071.5 0.478 0.112 0.223 0.140
8358 3250 26.8 0.229 0.170 0.204 0.197 0.340 0.297 1107.8 954.9 0.469 0.071 0.281 0.181
8365 3253 8.5 0.177 0.170 0.150 0.155 0.218 0.215 1405.8 1146.0 0.577 0.145 0.194 0.162
8368 3254 5.9 0.178 0.172 0.151 0.156 0.181 0.217 1552.3 1141.5 0.629 0.143 0.195 0.163
8376 3257 5.3 0.173 0.160 0.146 0.152 0.174 0.209 1585.4 1164.0 0.640 0.154 0.187 0.158
8381 3259 4.5 0.16 0.160 0.132 0.142 0.167 0.190 1622.1 1227.3 0.653 0.189 0.167 0.143
8382 3260 4.9 0.164 0.164 0.136 0.145 0.172 0.196 1596.0 1207.1 0.644 0.177 0.173 0.147
8388 3262 4.3 0.155 0.127 0.127 0.138 0.165 0.183 1628.0 1253.7 0.655 0.205 0.159 0.137
8396 3265 13.0 0.195 0.169 0.168 0.170 0.256 0.242 1287.7 1071.5 0.534 0.112 0.223 0.182
8397 3266 11.0 0.18 0.165 0.153 0.158 0.245 0.220 1318.0 1132.8 0.545 0.139 0.199 0.166
8398 3266 6.2 0.168 0.167 0.141 0.148 0.191 0.202 1508.4 1187.5 0.613 0.166 0.179 0.160
8403 3268 6.1 0.152 0.151 0.124 0.135 0.199 0.179 1474.9 1270.2 0.601 0.216 0.154 0.150
8451 3287 2.2 0.179 0.126 0.152 0.157 0.110 0.218 2024.1 1137.1 0.791 0.141 0.197 0.140
8472 3294 47.0 0.207 0.172 0.181 0.179 0.473 0.261 927.9 1027.2 0.402 0.095 0.243 0.150
8473 3295 33.0 0.157 0.144 0.129 0.139 0.455 0.186 947.2 1243.0 0.409 0.199 0.162 0.140
8503 3307 11.0 0.202 0.199 0.175 0.175 0.232 0.253 1359.3 1045.2 0.560 0.101 0.235 0.200
8505 3308 18.0 0.198 0.180 0.171 0.172 0.299 0.247 1185.2 1060.0 0.497 0.107 0.228 0.180
8506 3308 15.0 0.193 0.177 0.166 0.168 0.277 0.239 1236.0 1079.2 0.516 0.115 0.220 0.180
8507 3308 13.0 0.176 0.175 0.148 0.154 0.270 0.214 1252.9 1150.4 0.522 0.147 0.192 0.175
8509 3309 23.0 0.196 0.185 0.169 0.170 0.340 0.244 1107.0 1067.6 0.469 0.110 0.225 0.183
8518 3313 37.0 0.201 0.183 0.174 0.174 0.426 0.252 981.4 1048.8 0.422 0.103 0.233 0.183
8519 3313 23.0 0.189 0.178 0.162 0.165 0.346 0.233 1096.3 1095.1 0.465 0.122 0.213 0.176
8520 3313 73.0 0.186 0.167 0.159 0.162 0.622 0.229 801.5 1107.4 0.354 0.127 0.208 0.172
8521 3314 59.0 0.166 0.157 0.138 0.146 0.592 0.199 823.1 1197.2 0.362 0.172 0.176 0.157
8522 3314 54.0 0.16 0.151 0.132 0.142 0.577 0.190 834.5 1227.3 0.367 0.189 0.166 0.143
8523 3315 33.0 0.153 0.145 0.125 0.136 0.461 0.181 940.7 1264.7 0.407 0.212 0.155 0.135
8536 3320 40.0 0.2 0.181 0.173 0.174 0.444 0.250 959.9 1052.5 0.414 0.104 0.231 0.180
8549 3325 51.0 0.164 0.122 0.136 0.145 0.554 0.196 853.0 1207.1 0.374 0.177 0.173 0.130
8551 3325 64.0 0.169 0.134 0.141 0.149 0.611 0.203 809.2 1182.7 0.357 0.164 0.181 0.142
8553 3326 19.0 0.141 0.102 0.112 0.126 0.364 0.164 1066.8 1335.0 0.454 0.262 0.137 0.110
8558 3328 0.1 0.061 0.050 0.029 0.062 0.046 0.065 3234.0 2253.8 1.189 1.995 0.019 0.050
8564 3330 67.0 0.198 0.177 0.171 0.172 0.578 0.247 833.9 1060.0 0.366 0.107 0.228 0.177
8565 3331 85.0 0.189 0.162 0.162 0.165 0.666 0.233 772.9 1095.1 0.343 0.122 0.213 0.176
8566 3331 52.0 0.169 0.128 0.141 0.149 0.551 0.203 855.4 1182.7 0.375 0.164 0.181 0.132
8568 3332 27.0 0.152 0.137 0.123 0.135 0.418 0.179 990.8 1270.2 0.426 0.216 0.154 0.133
8570 3333 24.0 0.19 0.166 0.163 0.166 0.353 0.235 1085.4 1091.1 0.461 0.120 0.215 0.177