Conceptual advances in petrophysical inversion techniques: The synergy of machine learning and traditional inversion models

Abstract

Petrophysical inversion techniques are essential for estimating reservoir properties such as porosity, permeability, and fluid saturation, which are critical for optimizing hydrocarbon recovery and reservoir management. Traditionally, deterministic and stochastic inversion methods have relied on well log data, core samples, and seismic information to generate models of subsurface properties. However, these techniques face limitations in handling large datasets, nonlinear relationships, and uncertainties in complex reservoir environments. Recent advances in machine learning (ML) offer an opportunity to enhance these traditional methods by providing a data-driven approach capable of learning patterns and refining inversion models. This review explores the potential synergy between traditional petrophysical inversion techniques and machine learning algorithms to create a new paradigm for reservoir parameter estimation and analysis. Machine learning’s ability to process large volumes of diverse data and capture nonlinear relationships complements the physics-based constraints of traditional inversion methods. By combining these two approaches, hybrid models can provide improved accuracy in predicting reservoir properties and handling data gaps or uncertainties. The review discusses specific case studies where machine learning-assisted inversion models have been successfully applied, such as the estimation of porosity and permeability, seismic inversion for lithology identification, and fluid saturation modeling. These hybrid models demonstrate enhanced predictive accuracy, faster computational efficiency, and real-time adaptability, transforming reservoir characterization and management. The integration of machine learning with traditional inversion techniques represents a major advancement in petrophysical analysis. This synergy holds the potential to revolutionize reservoir parameter estimation, making it more accurate, robust, and responsive to real-time data, ultimately improving decision-making in reservoir engineering and maximizing hydrocarbon recovery. Keywords: Petrophysical Inversion, Machine Learning, Traditional Inversion, Models.