SPE The Characterisation of Effective and Efficient Development of Fractured Carbonate Reservoirs

    Carbonate reservoirs is one of the most important fields of oil-gas exploration and production as it accounts for 52% of the world's proven oil reserves and 60% of the world's oil production. Yet, we as an industry still do not understand the flow behavior and thus the expected ultimate recovery because of the intricate combination of pore, fracture-pore and fracture-cavity elements. Various field studies have demonstrated that such heterogeneous rock fabric defies Darcy and known flow behavior concepts and theories. It is well established that the characteristics of fracture-cavity reservoirs are very different from that of pore and fracture-pore reservoirs. Karst caves, fractures and dissolved pores make up the reservoir space with the feature of discontinuity in fracture cavity system. There are no efficient methods and techniques yet to identify and describe this kind of reservoir bodies so that one could eliminate the rapid decline in production associated with such reservoirs.

    The planned Workshop is to take a closer look as to how one can first characterize the heterogeneous fabric of these fractured carbonates including vugs and karsts. The Workshop will begin with sessions that brings the following disciplines together to understand the flow behavior: 3D Geophysics and Geology, Petrophysics, Geomechanics, Geochemistry, Well Logging, Core testing and Dynamic Well Testing including Tracers. Specifics requirements for oil and gas reservoirs individually will be addressed before building the 3D static and dynamic models. Such modeling will need to be combined with various seismic attributes, litho-facies and relevant data gathered to identify “sweet spots” for well placement. Well drilling and trajectory should be guided by the sweet spot locations as well as the required effective completion and stimulation tool placement. Completion and stimulation design to exploit the sweet spots will require formulation of an effective field development plan. As production ensues, present reservoir characterization understanding will then be focused towards field and well rejuvenation and long term production for enhanced recovery.