Petrophysical analysis of well logs and core samples for reservoir evaluation: a case study of southern Issaran Field, Gulf of Suez province, Egypt

Abstract

Understanding basic petrophysical properties may enhance the recovery of residual oil saturation and help in reservoir management. Reservoir oil saturation is the fraction of the porosity of a zone occupied by oil. The trapping may increase with the increase of porosity. Oil reservoirs represent a significant fraction of the reservoirs in the world-wide. We try to make a reservoir evaluation using petrophysical analysis of well logs and core samples at Issaran Field, South Gharib Formation, West of the Gulf of Suez, southeast Egypt. This area was heavily influenced by the structural setting of the Gulf of Suez’s central province, which is characterized by major SW dipping faults with a regional stratigraphic dip toward the NE. The high structural blocks are located in the center of the research area, and the low structural region is located in the southwest. South Gharib Formation is primarily composed of carbonates with few sulfates that grade upwards into sulfate-rich beds in the upper part. Laminated dolomitic limestone, with evaporites grades, changes downward into laminated dolomitic limestone and marly limestone, in the lower part. The anhydrite and dolomite units near the bottom have spotty oil stains. The structural setup is continued by the spread and deposition of this formation. We try to make analytical examination, of some reservoirs, accomplished by analyzing both well log data and core rock samples, vertically and laterally. According to the study of the horizontal permeability to vertical permeability ratio (Permeability anisotropy; lambda_{k}), the reservoir is laminated rock (lambda_{k} = 1.1 - 5), with a few data samples nearly isotropic (lambda_{k} = {1 mathord{left/ {vphantom {1 {1.1}}} right. kern-nulldelimiterspace} {1.1}}–1.1) and fractured (lambda_{k} = {1 mathord{left/ {vphantom {1 {2.5}}} right. kern-nulldelimiterspace} {2.5}}–1/1.1). Reservoir data histograms show that the most typical values of the data are 20–30% oil saturation and 7–10% porosity. The net-pay zone varies from four to 71 feet at different depths (897–1414 feet). Due to low shale content, water saturation, high effective porosity values, hydrocarbon saturation, may show higher net-pay thickness. These results may help to enhance the oil recovery. The area in the middle of the research area is suggested for future hydrocarbon development and using more petrophysical analysis.