[CCoE Notice] Thesis Announcement: Improving Reservoir Simulation Models by Incorporating Rock Types

[Grayson, Audrey A]

Improving Reservoir Simulation Models by Incorporating Rock Types



Ayush Raj Srivastava Masters’ Thesis Dissertation



Defense Date: Friday, August 3rd, 2018 Time: 10:00 am Location: Room 124, ERP Building 9

Committee Members: Dr. Ganesh Thakur, Dr. Guan Qin and Dr. Kyung Jae Lee



            Defining of rock types for a reservoir has been proven to be helpful when creating a geological model. Lab investigation helps in providing data and conclusions which when combined with petro-physical properties aids in planning for future design based on permeability, porosity and rock quality. Rock typing further helps in grouping similar rock types under one roof and helps in defining the flow unit; which have imprinted correlations and pressure profiles. Various methods were used to conclude the rock types, and efforts were made to validate those conclusions using other data. Mercury Injection Capillary Pressure (MICP) data was studied to classify rocks for further assessment of properties. This thesis work was further used in selection of good quality rock samples for which laboratory experiments were done to understand their properties. Concept of rock typing was applied to reservoir simulation and comparison was made to model with single rock type. Reservoir characterization techniques are very important as they provide a platform to describe the storage and flow capacities of a petroleum reservoir system. It further provides the basis to run and compare simulation models. Sandstone reservoirs can be highly heterogeneous based on the sedimentary depositional environment and undergoing the process of diagenesis, over a period of increased temperature & pressure.

The system in which the reservoir rock is categorized into distinct and discrete units is called rock typing; a typical rock type is imprinted by unique porosity-permeability correlation, capillary pressure profiles and set of relative permeability curves. Therefore, rock type determination becomes a crucial factor in reservoir characterization; which drives the accuracy of the simulation model predictions. The literature illustrates use of several quantitative rock-typing techniques such as the Hydraulic flow unit method and its extension using the cementation factor, the Winland’s method and the new approach associated with it. CT scan images are also used to give a brief categorization based on pore throat size. These methods help classify the rock flow unit which is defined as the representative volume of total reservoir rock within which geological properties that control fluid flow are internally consistent and predictably different from properties of other rocks. Use of mercury injection capillary pressure (MICP) data was made to create capillary pressure profiles, pore size distribution and J-function curves to define good rocks which were further considered for assessment.

The aim of this thesis is to present a collection of fundamental lab experiments and their result interpretation to provide rock typing and its comparison based on petrophysical data. This thesis’s work also includes the MICP data analysis for rock typing and quality estimation. Lastly, based on these regular core analysis and mercury injection capillary pressure analysis, conclusions are made for rock type and applied to reservoir simulation which highlights the importance of rock type and its parameters of selection.



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