Fault characterization and flow barrier detection using capacitance-resistance model and diagnostic plots

Abstract

Advantageous for its speed and far less data requirements, the Capacitance-Resistance Model has been successfully applied to waterflood performance prediction and optimization, gas flood optimization and reservoir characterization. In this study, a diagnostic plot and an iterative workflow that incorporates geological and well data with calibrated CRM results, were developed for depicting injector-producer communication, thereby characterizing a reservoir of interest. These were validated using three synfield cases. Thereafter, two selected faults in a Far East Oil Field (FEOF) were characterized and sealing baffles identified around these faults. Based on the results, one fault had several sections with varying degrees of communication and sealing baffles on either side of the fault. The second fault was mostly sealing with no sealing baffles on either side. The new diagnostic plot and workflow also quality-checked interwell connectivities from calibrated CRM, thereby substantially improving the fault characterization process. With far fewer and readily available data from oilfields, reduced physics models like CRM and the Diagnostic Plots are tools for cost-effective and speedy reservoir characterization, and to corroborate results of Interference and Tracer Tests, as well as 4D Seismic.