Construction of Fractured Reservoir Models for Flow Simulation Incorporating Geology, Geophysics and Geomechanics
By: Reinaldo Michelena, Chris Zahm, James Gilman
Reinaldo Michelena
(SeisPetro Geoconsulting),
Chris Zahm
(UT Austin),
James Gilman
(iReservoir)
9–12 November 2021:
4:00PM-8:00PM CET
4 hours/day
Geology – Geological Modelling
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Flow models have the purpose of explaining and forecasting reservoir performance that can help plan the development and exploitation of the resource. This class explains the steps needed to build fractured reservoir models using sound stratigraphic and structural frameworks, calibrated 3D seismic attributes, and geomechanical information. Models and concepts are examined in the context of how they impact fluid flow, reservoir simulation results, field production, and forecast in conventional and unconventional reservoirs. This 2-day course presents workflows along with conceptual and spreadsheet-based exercises to solidify concepts. The course provides in-depth presentations and discussions of the models presented.
• Highlight geologic concepts that control natural fracture development in conventional and unconventional reservoirs.
• Value characterization methods that incorporate the use of 3D
seismic data for improved mapping of mechanical facies and fracture properties.
• Discuss workflows that combine geologic and geomechanics
concepts, petrophysical properties, and seismic attributes within
geological models in preparation for reservoir simulation.
• Quantify the combined effect of fracture properties and geomechanical properties in effective flow properties of simple fracture
scenarios.
• Understand the need of combining multiple disciplines and data
sources to develop an adequate flow model.
• Understand that fracture models are not platform- or software-specific, but utilize and blend all available data and relevant analogs.
• Understand that consistently developed continuum and discrete
fracture models can yield very similar results.
• Model effective fracture permeabilities in a cell of a geologic model
and understand the parameters that control such permeability.
Session 1
• Natural fractured reservoirs: overview and concepts
• Impact of natural fractures on reservoir performance: overview
• Tight unconventional reservoirs: mechanical stratigraphy in core,
well logs, and seismic
• Tight unconventional reservoirs: use and value of outcrop analogs
• Tight carbonate mechanical stratigraphy interpretation
• Reservoir engineering data for of naturally fractured reservoirs
Session 2
• Tight unconventional reservoirs: seismic properties for fracture
characterization
• Discrete vs continuum natural fracture descriptions for simulation
in fractured reservoirs
• Tight unconventional reservoirs: geomechanics review
• Effective fracture permeability
Session 3
• Tight unconventional reservoirs: modeling perm of reactivated
fractures
• Pressure transient response time
• Conventional fractured reservoirs: overview and concepts
• Conceptual integrated fault damage zone model
• Value of outcrop analogs in fracture modeling
• Conventional fractured reservoirs: facies, rock properties in core
and well logs
Session 4
• Conventional fractured reservoirs: rock properties from 3D seismic
• Calibration of effective fracture permeabilities
• Special considerations for flow simulation in fractured reservoirs
• Putting it all together: Integration of outcrop, core, well logs, and
seismic for improved reservoir models
Due to its multidisciplinary nature, this class is designed for all levels from entry to advanced.
Reinaldo J Michelena is reservoir characterization and geophysical advisor. He has a Ph.D. in geophysics from Stanford University and a B.S. in physics from Universidad Simón Bolívar (Venezuela). He has over 35 years of experience in research, development, and application of seismic methods to help reservoir delineation and characterization, from prototyping, programming and testing of algorithms to integrated interpretation of field data results. He worked 18 years for PDVSA-Intevep, the research and technical services affiliate of PDVSA. His last position in PDVSA in 2003 was Manager of Reservoir Delineation and Characterization. Between 2003 and 2017 he was Director of Geophysical Technologies at iReservoir, where worked in a variety of problems and geological settings where seismic data analysis results are used to constrain geological and flow simulation models, in conventional, unconventional, and naturally fractured reservoirs. He has introduced the seismic component in numerous fracture characterization projects around the world by using conventional and multicomponent data. In 2017, he continued his collaboration with iReservoir as Geophysical Advisor and started SeisPetro Geosoftware and SeisPetro Geoconsulting to continue the application and development of advanced seismic, petrophysics, and geological modeling techniques to help in the solution of complex reservoir problems. He has collaborated with the Society of Exploration Geophysicists in a variety of roles that include Associate Editor of the journal Geophysics, Chairman of the Board of The Leading Edge, and Chairman of the SEG Translations Committee.
Chris Zahm is a Research Geologist at the Bureau of Economic Geology at the University of Texas at Austin. He received his Ph.D. in 2002 from the Colorado School of Mines as a structural geologist and has M.Sc. degree from the University of Texas at Austin in Hydrogeology and B.S. in Geology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. With more than 25 years of experience working fractured reservoir systems in both industry and academia, Chris has focused on characterizing and modeling natural fracture systems in subsurface reservoirs from around the world including onshore US, Norwegian North Sea, Indonesia, offshore Brazil, Bolivia, and the Middle East. Chris is a principal researcher within the Reservoir Characterization Research Group (RCRL), which is an industrial associates' program at the University of Texas at Austin Bureau of Economic Geology.
James Gilman provides reservoir engineering and flow simulation consultation with more than 40 years of experience. He is also part-time advisor to a consulting company (iReservoir) and a simulation software company (Stone Ridge Technology). His expertise includes specialization in the area of application and development of numerical simulators for fluid flow in petroleum reservoirs. He has been involved in development of 3-phase simulators for naturally fractured reservoirs. He is actively involved consultation in the areas of reservoir engineering, reservoir simulation, naturally fractured reservoirs, and unconventional reservoirs. He has extensive training experience in these areas through Marathon, iReservoir and Nautilus. He previously was Manager of Reservoir and Well Performance, a multidisciplinary organization at Marathon Oil Company’s Technology Center. The organization provided 3-D geologic modeling, laboratory special core analysis, reservoir simulation, training and general reservoir engineering services. Jim has authored or co-authored over 50 articles primarily dealing with naturally fractured reservoirs, horizontal wells and unconventional reservoirs. He co-authored the book “Reservoir Simulation: History Matching and Forecasting” (SPE, 2013). He was a member of the SPE Editorial Review Committee from 1987-2000 and served as an Executive Editor for SPE Reservoir Evaluation and Engineering. He served as Chairman of the Twelfth SPE Symposium on Reservoir Simulation (1993) and on the program committees for the 1991 and 1997 symposiums. He has served as Chairman of the following committees: Symbols (1996), Monograph (2004), NFR Forum (2006), Books (2010-2012,2017-18). Jim is a registered PE in Colorado, and a member of SPE. He currently offers training in reservoir simulation through Nautilus, iReservoir, Society of Exploration Geophysicists and the Petroleum Technology Transfer Council. Jim holds a MS degree in Chemical and Petroleum Refining from Colorado School of Mines and a BS degree in Chemical Engineering from Montana State University-Bozeman.