Rock physics model for fluid identification and saturation estimation in subsurface reservoirs

Abstract

A method for fluid identification (water, oil, gas or CO.sub.2) and saturation estimation in subsurface rock formations using the prestack inverted Seismic by calculating the target fluid saturation (S.sub.fl) (114) in a reservoir given the magnitude obtained from the P- to S-wave velocity ratio (Vp/Vs) (103), and acoustic impedance (AI) (102) extracted from the seismic data inversion, comprising the following steps: a) obtaining wireline log data within a zone of interest in a nearby well (101) and determining the suitable cementation and mineralogy factors by calibrating the background water-bearing sand trend with the reference 0% (or 0 fraction) S.sub.fl curve onto the acoustic impedance-Vp/Vs ratio plane (110), b) calibrating S.sub.fl computed from the acoustic impedance-Vp/Vs ratio curves with S.sub.fl obtained from a conventional method by iterating P-wave velocity (Vp.sub.f) and density (ρ.sub.fl) of the target fluid (111), c) obtaining inverted seismic data in the form of Acoustic Impedance (AI) (102) and Vp/Vs ratio (103) cubes, and d) calculating the target fluid saturation using the calibrated rock physics model inputting the obtained parameters from model calibration (cementation factor, mineralogy factor, density and P-wave velocity of the target fluid) along with inverted Vp/Vs ratio and acoustic impedance cubes data (113), resulting in a S.sub.fl cube (114).

Claims

1. An analytical method to predict fluid saturation in a subsurface reservoir comprising the following steps: using data provided by acoustic impedance (102) and P- to S-wave velocity ratio (103) inverted from seismic, and at least one nearest well providing preferably three well-logging probes measuring three different parameters (101), selected so that a) the product of the P-wave velocity of sound obtained from one logging-tool with the density data obtained from the second logging-tool, hereby called acoustic impedance (107) develop in the same direction in response to a volumetric change of the water, and target fluid in the said sedimentary rocks, b) the third probe measuring the S-wave velocity produces measurement signals hereby modified to a P- to S-wave velocity ratio (107) developing in opposite directions to each other due to the target fluid variation, on the one hand, and the water content, on the other, in the same sedimentary rocks, and c) the three well-logging probes being further selected so that the resulting pairs within the acoustic impedance and P- to S-wave velocity ratio plane correspond to an equal fluid saturation, associated respectively with the said rocks comprising a given percentage of rock matrix or water, are equal represented by one pair of values of the representative parameters of the 100% fluid saturation, creating a system of sets of pairs of values of the acquired parameters, to obtain a continuous representation of the fluid saturation of the formations penetrated by the well, characterised by d) calibrating the brine saturated rock trend within the formation of interest (110), simultaneously obtaining the cementation factor ‘n’ and mineralogy factor ‘G’ to further use in calculations, and e) calibrating the fluid saturation computed from the acoustic impedance and P- to S-wave ratio curves with S.sub.fl obtained from a conventional method by iterating P-wave velocity ‘Vp.sub.fl’ and density ‘ρ.sub.fl’ of the target fluid obtaining their values (111) to further use in calculations, f) obtaining inverted seismic data in the forms of acoustic impedance (102) and P- to S-wave velocity ratio (103), g) estimating a fluid saturation S.sub.fl (114) using the calibrated rock physics model by inputting the said data (113), whereby S.sub.fl=1-S.sub.w.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurements made by preferably three well probes are employed, adapted for measuring the density of the formation penetrated, the compressional and shear wave transit time of sound through the same ground.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the measurements made by the P- and S-wave sonic tool are converted to P- and S-wave velocity (105), whereby product of the sound velocity values with the density readings obtained by the density tool is used, calling which as acoustic impedance values and the P-wave velocity divided by the S-wave velocity yielding the P- to S-wave velocity ratio (107).

4. The method of claim 2, wherein measurements made by a well probe measuring the S-wave transit time of the zone in the sub-surface and two other well probes measuring the P-wave transit time of sound and the density through this same zone, a representation diagram is chosen as a function of the P- to S-wave velocity ratio and of the acoustic impedance where said system of sets of pairs of values of the parameters acquired, each associated with the same saturation, may be likened to a set of parallel iso-fluid saturation curves (108), the fluid saturation associated with each pair of values of the acoustic impedance and of the P- to S-wave ratio measured in the well then being determined by identifying the saturation curve passing through the point representative of said pair (109) in the chosen representation diagram.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the slope of iso-volumetric content curves is controlled by the factor ‘n’ that is selected for a formation zone considering the cementation or stress level at the corresponding depth/temperature.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the static shift of the iso-volumetric content curves is controlled by the factor ‘G’ that is controlled by the mineralogy of the matrix grains and clay content.

7. The method of claim 2. Wherein the magnitude of curvature of the iso-volumetric content lines depends on the P-wave velocity and density of the target fluid.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the cementation ‘n’, and mineralogical factor ‘G’ are determined by iterating these factors, first aligning the 100% water-saturated borehole data onto the acoustic impedance vs. P- to S-wave ratio plane with the 100% water saturation (brine trend) reference curved line (110), whereas iterating the P-wave velocity and density of the target fluid yield their values, setting the 100% fluid line, while calibrating with the saturation logs calculated by traditional petrophysical methods (111)

9. The method as claimed in claim 2, in case the S-wave data was not acquired in a well, a synthetic S-wave data can be used properly fluid substituted within the zone of interest (106).

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the reference set is established by selecting, from all the pairs of values acquired from the acoustic impedance and P- to S-wave velocity ratio inverted from seismic data, at least one specific pair of quantities for which a given fluid saturation in fraction or equivalent percentage may be associated.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein quantities from each pair of the parameters acquired in the acoustic impedance vs. P- to S-wave ratio is demonstrated in a diagram as a function of coordinates, one measuring acoustic impedance in the rock and the other the P- to S-wave velocity ratio, where the collection of pairs of values equivalent to a corresponding content are manifested by a system of curved lines parallel to a reference curved line representing a zero fluid saturation in fraction or equivalent percentage, to which a given fluid saturation may be allocated, the position of the latter being ascertained by at least two representative points, one being associated with a rock which contains only the matrix and said given fluid saturation, the other with a pair of values acquired by the input data with which this same fluid saturation may be associated.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the positions of the iso-fluid saturation curved lines are determined between an axis with the 100% rock matrix member on one end and the 100% fluid saturation on the other end, both represented by the values taken by the two parameters.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the pairs of values typical of the target fluids and of the matrix are obtained from the existing literature.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Other features and advantages of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description and the attached drawings in which:

[0026] FIG. 1. illustrates typical wireline log data acquisition for subsurface P- and S-sonic transit time, rock bulk density and other physical properties determination;

[0027] FIG. 2 is an illustration for seismic data acquisition in a marine set up in this case;

[0028] FIG. 3 shows a set of iso-saturation of target fluid curved lines in a three-pole diagram onto AI-Vp/Vs plane;

[0029] FIG. 4 illustrates the plotting of the set of pairs on the same diagram of values of the parameters acquired in a well by three well-logging probes before the S.sub.fl calibration;

[0030] FIG. 5 illustrates the plotting of the set of pairs on the same diagram of values of the parameters acquired in a well by three well-logging probes after the S.sub.fl calibration;

[0031] FIG. 6 is an Acoustic impedance (AI) profile inverted from the seismic data. The profile is in time domain plotted against spatial distance. The darker the grey shade, higher is AI;

[0032] FIG. 7 is a Vp/Vs profile inverted from the seismic data. The profile is in time domain plotted against spatial distance. The darker the grey shade, higher is Vp/Vs;

[0033] FIG. 8 is the fluid saturation (S.sub.fl) output obtained after using equation 2, represented by grey shades. The lighter the grey shade, higher is the target fluid saturation;

[0034] FIG.9 shows the Vp/Vs plotted against the AI, both obtained from the inverted seismic. The fluid saturation (S.sub.fl) calculated using the present method of the invention is represented by grey shades. The lighter the grey shade, higher is the target fluid saturation;

[0035] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing elementary steps in one embodiment of the present inventive method.

DETAILED EXAMPLE

[0036] The method of the invention comprises the use of AI and Vp/Vs inverted from seismic data, calibrated by well-logging tools making it possible to separate the influence of fluids (oil, gas or CO.sub.2) other than in-situ saline water and, thus, to estimate the fluid saturation within sedimentary rocks. Subsurface clean reservoirs may generally consist of two components: (1) the rock matrix (e.g., quartz grains), and (2) the fluid(s) within the pore space (water, oil/gas or CO.sub.2).

[0037] Data obtained from the wellbore may include so-called “well log” data. Such data are typically recorded and presented against depth in the subsurface of various physical parameters measured by probes lowered into the wellbore. Such probes may include, for example, electrical resistivity, compressional and shear wave sonic interval time, bulk density, neutron slowing down length, neutron capture cross-section, natural gamma radiation, and nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation time distribution, among others. The well logging procedure comprises recording of magnitudes of various above mentioned physical properties within a bore-hole using an array of logging probes (FIG. 1, 11), attached with a logging cable (12) connected on the other end to a data recording cabin (13).

[0038] Seismic data acquisition is routinely performed both on land and at sea. At sea, seismic vessels deploy one or more cables (“streamers”) behind the vessel as the vessel moves forward. Each streamer includes multiple receivers in a configuration generally as shown in FIG. 2. Streamer comprising of receivers (24) trails behind a vessel (25), which moves forward as the survey progresses. As shown in FIG. 2, source (22) is also towed behind vessel (25). Source (22) and receivers (24) typically deploy below the surface of the ocean. Data is transmitted to the ship (25) through the cables that is recorded and processed. Source (22) emits seismic waves which reflect from boundaries (such as, e.g., formation boundary 21). The reflected waves are detected by receivers (24) and recorded as a function of time by determining the time it takes for seismic waves to propagate from source, reflected at a boundary (21) and back to receivers (24). The recorded signal may yield the information of the position, topography of boundary (21), rock, and in-situ fluid properties. The receivers used in marine seismology are commonly referred to as hydrophones, or marine pressure phones. Inversion of seismic data, depending on the procedure, may yield acoustic impedance, shear impedance, P-wave velocity, S-wave velocity, P- to S-wave velocity ratio, and bulk density.

[0039] One embodiment of a method according to the invention, will be explained with reference to the flow chart in FIG. 10. The method of the invention makes use, in some embodiments, of data acquired from at least one wellbore (Well A in this case, FIGS. 6, 7 & 8 ) drilled through subsurface rock formations in an area of interest. The method of the invention contains first of all the calibration of model using three well-logging probes data appropriate for predicting the magnitude of pore fluid. The response of well-logging tools is dependent on the properties related to the components as well as their respective percentage in the rocks investigated. The tool measuring the compressional sonic transit time through the formations is sensitive to the rock porosity and the fluids it contains. The tool that measures the shear sonic is not sensitive to the fluids; however, it makes discrimination between various lithologies. The method involves converting both the compressional and shear sonic interval time to P- and S-wave velocities (Vp and Vs, respectively (105)). In the Absence of Shear Log, using e.g., Greenberg and Castagna (1992) method is possible with fluid replacement in the relevant zone to compute a synthetic Vs curve (106). The probe measuring the density is sensitive to water, other fluids and the void spaces/porosity between the matrix grains. The product of density with sonic derived velocity is called acoustic impedance. We used acoustic impedance values as a combined augmented response of the sonic and density probes', whereas the Vp/Vs ratio as the contrast in the P-wave and S-wave velocity response within the method of invention (107). The Vp/Vs ratio decreases with an increase in fluid saturation (hydrocarbon or CO.sub.2 in the pore spaces) or organic matter, whereas the Vp/Vs increases with increase in porosity or volume of shale.

[0040] Acoustic impedance (102) and Vp/Vs ratio (103) are standard outcome of prestack inversion of seismic data. The seismic procedure yields independent measurements within a wide areal extent.

[0041] In a salt water-wet porous rocks, the two curves, i.e. acoustic impedance and Vp/Vs ratio respond to porosity. But in case of rock pores filled with hydrocarbon, or CO.sub.2 both the acoustic impedance and Vp/Vs measurements respond due to two main effects: 1) the acoustic impedance responds to the presence of porosity and low-density, low-velocity fluids, and 2) the Vp/Vs ratio measurements respond to the rock matrix and pore fluids (gas/oil, CO.sub.2). In a rock comprised of 100% matrix content with zero porosity (FIG. 3, 31), the Vp/Vs ratio will be equal to the velocity ratio of the matrix mineral. On the other hand, at water pole (32) the Vs becomes zero, resulting in an infinite Vp/Vs ratio.

[0042] The two properties obtained from the well log data are chosen also so that the collection of pairs of values of acquired parameters (namely the acoustic impedance on the one hand and the Vp/Vs ratio on the other) at least partly correspond to the equal fluid saturation volume (S.sub.fl) for sedimentary rocks comprising a given proportion of matrix or water are substantially identical.

[0043] This selection of parameters substantially simplifies the operation for estimating the fluid saturation. In a cross-plot of the two chosen properties, the collection of pairs of values of the said parameters are spread over iso-fluid-saturation curves. A diagram may be drawn where the iso-saturation curved lines converge at the 100% mineral matrix pole (31). A reference curved line (34) representing 0% (or 0 fraction) S.sub.fl which joins a perceived water pole (32) with the 100% (or 1 fraction) mineral matrix pole (31).

[0044] If we assume the rock consists of a mineral matrix, target fluid (Oil/gas, or CO.sub.2 for instance) and water-filled matrix porosity then collection of pairs of values of the parameters serving as reference which is represented by the iso-saturation curved line equivalent to a given fluid percentage within a rock obtained experimentally from values of the two chosen parameters acquired from the data.

[0045] This method of determining the G (mineralogy/shaliness coefficient) and n (stress/cementation coefficient) to align the 0% (or 0 fraction) S.sub.fl zone data along the 0% (or 0 fraction) fluid reference line implies that, among the zones crossed by the well, some are water-bearing. This is possible if we assume the data pairs with high Vp/Vs ratio values occasionally showing a trend partly parallel to the 0% (or 0 fraction) S.sub.fl reference line (34). It is possible to verify the existence of such zones by comparison with other fluid saturation calculation techniques within a basin. The pairs of values are represented by the set of iso-saturation curved lines, from the line with 0% fluid saturation to the line representing 100% fluid saturation volume within the rock pores. The Vp/Vs which corresponds to that is then obtained by applying the following relation (Lee, 2003):

[00001]$\begin{array}{cc}\frac{V_P}{Vs}=\frac{1}{\left[G{\alpha \left(1-\varnothing \right)}^n\right]}& \left(1\right)\end{array}$

where Vp is P-wave velocity, Vs is S-wave velocity, G is mineralogy/shaliness coefficient, α is Vs/Vp ratio of the rock matrix, n is stress/cementation coefficient, and we derived ϕ as:

[00002]$\begin{array}{cc}\varnothing =\frac{\left({\rho }_{ma}-\frac{\mathrm{AI}}{V_{P_{ma}}}\right)}{\left\{\begin{array}{c}\mathrm{AI}[S_{\mathrm{fl}}\left(\frac{1}{V_{\mathrm{Pfl}}}-\frac{1}{V_{\mathrm{Pw}}}\right)+\\ \left(\frac{1}{V_{\mathrm{Pw}}}-\frac{1}{V_{\mathrm{Pma}}}\right)]-\left[S_{\mathrm{fl}}\left({\rho }_{\mathrm{fl}}-{\rho }_w\right)+\left({\rho }_w-{\rho }_{\mathrm{ma}}\right)\right]\end{array}\right\}}& \left(2\right)\end{array}$

where V.sub.Pma, V.sub.Pfl and V.sub.Pw are the P-wave velocities of the mineral matrix, target fluid and water respectively, ρ.sub.ma is density of mineral grains, ρ.sub.fl is density of target fluid, ρ.sub.w is density of water, AI is acoustic impedance and S.sub.fl is the target fluid saturation (in fraction). Changing the mineralogy/shaliness coefficient ‘G’ results in a vertical static shift in the curved iso- saturation lines. The stress/cementation coefficient ‘n’ controls the slope of the iso-saturation curved lines and may be selected in a formation zone depending on level of stress, compaction, or cementation. The matrix and fluid related constants may be taken from Mavko et al (2009) and vendors' logging chart books.

[0046] From this function (equation 1) we are able to define a set of lines representing different fluid saturations converging at the 100% matrix pole onto the Acoustic impedance- Vp/Vs ratio function plane (FIG. 3 & FIG. 10, step 108).

[0047] Rearranging the equation the fluid saturation can be calculated (in fraction) using the following equation:

[00003]$\begin{array}{cc}{S}_{\mathrm{fl}}=\frac{\left\{\begin{array}{c}{\rho }_{\mathrm{ma}}+\left[1-{\left(\frac{V_S}{V_{P}G\propto }\right)}^{\frac{1}{n}}\right]\left({\rho }_w-{\rho }_{\mathrm{ma}}\right)-\\ \mathrm{AI}\left[\frac{1}{V_{\mathrm{Pma}}}+\left(1-{\left(\frac{V_S}{V_{P}G\propto }\right)}^{\frac{1}{n}}\right)\left(\frac{1}{V_{\mathrm{Pw}}}-\frac{1}{V_{\mathrm{Pma}}}\right)\right]\end{array}\right\}}{\left\{\left[1-{\left(\frac{V_S}{V_{P}G\propto }\right)}^{\frac{1}{n}}\right]\left[\mathrm{AI}\left(\frac{1}{V_{\mathrm{Pfl}}}-\frac{1}{V_{\mathrm{Pw}}}\right)-\left({\rho }_{\mathrm{fl}}-{\rho }_w\right)\right]\right\}}& \left(3\right)\end{array}$

[0048] Until now the G, n, Vp.sub.fl, and ρ.sub.fl are unknown. Plotting the well data (41) onto AI-Vp/Vs plane (FIG. 4) with some initial G and n values, and iterating the values of G and n making the perceived part of the data representing the 100% water-saturated matrix to align with the 0% (or 0 fraction) fluid saturation line. The difference of S.sub.fl calculated using equation 3 (42) with S.sub.fl obtained from traditional petrophysical method (43) shows that the model is still not calibrated (FIG. 4). Iterating the Vp.sub.fl and ρ.sub.fl values so that the Sif calculated using equation 3 calibrates with S.sub.fl obtained from traditional petrophysical method (FIG. 5). The obtained G, n, Vp.sub.fl and ρ.sub.fl values (FIG. 10, 112) are employed to insert in the step (113).

[0049] Putting both the AI (FIG. 6 & FIG. 10, step 102) and Vp/Vs (FIG. 7 & FIG. 10, step 103) data from inverted seismic with the G, n, Vp.sub.fl, and ρ.sub.fl in equation 3 and calculate (113) to obtain the fluid saturation (S.sub.fl)(114). The obtained S.sub.fl profile in this embodiment is shown in FIG. 8, and the computed points from selected data plotted onto an AI versus Vp/Vs plane are illustrated in FIG. 9.

[0050] The technical solution is only one embodiment of the present invention, to those skilled in the art, the present invention discloses a fundamental principle of the method and applications, straightforward to make various types of modifications or variations, the method is not limited to the specific embodiments of the present invention described above, and therefore the manner described above are only 355 preferred and is not in a limiting sense.

REFERENCES CITED

[0051]

TABLE-US-00001 PATENT DOCUMENTS NO NO20191431 September 2021 Manzar Fawad, MD Nazmul Haque Mondol US U.S. Pat. No. 5,583,825A December 1996 James Carrazzone, David Chang, Catherine Lewis, Pravin Shah, David Wang US U.S. Pat. No. 6,269,311B1 July 2001 James Berryman US 20090306899A1 December 2009 Peter Harris, Joel Walls US 2010142323A1 June 2010 Dez Chu, Grant A. Gist US U.S. Pat. No. 6,421,611B1 July 2002 Michael Kelly, Charles Skidmore, Raymond Cotton, William May, Richard Lindsay, Davis Ratcliff US U.S. Pat. No. 7,373,251B2 May 2008 Jeffry Hamman, Donald Caldwell, Fabien Allo, Raphael Bornard, Thierry Coleou, Thierry Crozat, Bernard Deschizeaux, Yves Lafet, Pierre Lanfranchi, Amelie Molle

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

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