Title:
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Reservoir characterisation of a laminated sediment : the Rannoch Formation, Middle Jurassic, North Sea
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The probe permeameter is a recently developed device providing a small scale
measurement of permeability. About 15,000 probe permeameter measurements were
acquired for analysis during this study. These data were acquired by Statoil from cores
in two North Sea wells. These cores are from the Middle Iurassic Rannoch Formation
of the Brent Group. This reservoir unit was selected for this study because of its
laminated nature and challenge to conventional description and simulation practice.
All aspects of probe permearnetry are investigated in this study; the volume of
investigation, the compatibility with measurements at larger scales, the measurement
statistics. the optimum sample spacing. the relationship of the measurements to the
geological description and the scale-up of data for two-phase numerical reservoir
simulation.
Careful analysis of probe and traditional plug data shows that the measurements are
compatible. Systematic differences could be accounted for by different treatment
effects of the material. The probe measurements show that the permeability distribution
in the Rannoch Formation is closely related to the primary depositional structure of the
sediment at a hierarchy of scales. This observation is used in combination with
conventional simulation techniques to build a more geologically-realistic numerical
model of the Rannoch Formation. The scale-up of the small scale measurements is
achieved by generation of effective properties for geologically representative elements
at various scales and is called the "geopseudo" method. The scale of the natural
building blocks within the sediment were determined with the aid of an appropriate
outcrop analogue. The model results compare favourably with field production data.
This work demonstrates. for the first time. a systematic method for the scale-up of small
scale petrophysical properties associated with lamination in sedimentary rocks. as
measured by the probe permeameter. Laminated reservoirs are widely encountered and
this work. therefore. makes a significant contribution to reservoir engineering practice.
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