Deep Reservoir Research Articles

Seismic reflection interpretation and structural characterization of a strategic deep aquifer reservoir in a semi-arid region: a case study of the Oued Gueniche plain, Northern Tunisia

Seismic reflection interpretation and structural characterization of a strategic deep aquifer reservoir in a semi-arid region: a case study of the Oued Gueniche plain, Northern Tunisia

Numerical experiment on data assimilation for geothermal doublets using production data and electromagnetic observations

The data assimilation process for geothermal reservoirs often relies on well data, which primarily offer insights into the immediate vicinity of the borehole. However, integrating geophysical methods can provide valuable information beyond well proximity, possibly enhancing reservoir predictions. Current methods of monitoring geothermal reservoirs struggle to maintain a good signal-to-noise ratio for deep reservoirs. Diffusive electromagnetic (EM) methods can be sensitive to the decreasing conductivity from heat extraction in geothermal reservoirs and offer promising additional value. To test their potential effectiveness, numerical examples are simulated. A scheme to incorporate diffusive EM observations into a data assimilation process for geothermal reservoirs is presented and implemented in this study. First, an ensemble of prior models representing the reservoir uncertainty is used to determine the moments of the resulting temperature field using a forward geothermal simulation. Subsequently, a conductivity model is calculated from the temperature field using an empirical relationship. The expected electric field response can then be simulated using an EM forward model. EM sources are placed on the surface around the expected cold plume location. The receiver is placed at reservoir depth. To assimilate the data, the ensemble smoother with multiple data assimilation method is used. The findings demonstrate that the incorporation of EM data provides valuable information regarding the temperature field. This improves the accuracy of the temperature forecast of the entire reservoir when combined with the localized data from the production well and, therefore, helps to resolve the complex migration of the cold front. These results highlight the monitoring potential of EM observations for geothermal reservoirs.

Digital rock modeling of deformed multi-scale media in deep hydrocarbon reservoirs based on in-situ stress-loading CT imaging and U-Net deep learning

Deep and ultra-deep hydrocarbon reservoirs are regarded as an attractive target for onshore oil and gas exploration and development in China. The multi-scale fractures are widely distributed in this type of reservoir. The fluid-solid coupling effect is strong, which can greatly affect the fluid flow, resulting in a low hydrocarbon recovery with the average value less than 15%. To explore the underlying flow dynamics during efficient development of deep and ultra-deep hydrocarbon reservoirs, it is of great importance to characterize the multi-scale fracture-pore structure evolution of rock affected by strong geo-stress field variation. To tackle the above issues, an actual rock drilled from a typical ultra-deep reservoir in Tarim Basin are selected to conduct in-situ stress-loading computed tomography (CT) scanning experiments, and the CT gray images of rock microstructure under different dynamic loading conditions are obtained. A fully convolutional neural network (U-Net) deep learning segmentation algorithm is introduced to accurately distinguish the rock skeleton, pore space and fractures in deep rock. The three-dimensional (3-D) digital rock model of deformed multi-scale fracture-porous media under different dynamic loading conditions is ultimately established to investigate the evolution of fracture morphology and deep rock microstructure as the in-situ stress is gradually loaded. It indicates that, the U-Net deep learning semantic segmentation algorithm can accurately segment CT images of deep rocks, and the established 3D digital rock model of fractured porous media can accurately represent the pore-throat distribution, fracture morphology, and pore-scale topological connectivity. At the initial stage of stress loading, there are few micro-fractures inside the rock, and the fracture connectivity is poor. Due to effect of rock compaction, the average pore throat radius increases while pore throat ratio, coordination number and tortuosity greatly decrease. As the effective stress is gradually loaded, the micro-fractures begin to propagate, leading to stronger heterogeneity of micro-fractures’ distribution and better topological connectivity, and both the coordination number and tortuosity gradually increase. After the deep rock is fractured, micro-fractures run through a fracture network and all the above topological parameters increase greatly.

Spectral decomposition predicts the distribution of steep slope fans in the rift basin of eastern China

Deep reservoirs associated with gravity-flows are garnering considerable attention. Predicting reservoirs deposited by nearshore subaqueous fans is challenging and often underreported in seismic sedimentology analysis. Utilizing post-stack seismic attributes is a quick and straightforward method for quantitatively characterizing these reservoirs. However, reservoir prediction deteriorates when dealing with complex sedimentary volumes and intricate tectonic development. Spectral decomposition (SD) offers an alternative approach to optimize the seismic data. The frequency-dependent S-transform (ST) holds great potential in seismic interpretation. SD based on the ST was employed in the seismic sedimentary characterization of steep slope complex fan reservoirs. Three fourth-order sequence stratigraphic boundaries and three complex fans were ideally shown on seismic frequency decomposition profiles. A 20 Hz seismic sedimentology analysis frequency was determined by comparing three spectral decomposition results following the well-seismic reflection analysis. The internal architectures of fan deltas and the individual outlines of nearshore subaqueous fans were more distinguishable in 20-Hz frequency decomposition data than in full-frequency data. The progradation direction of steep slope fans can be better recognized in frequency decomposition profiles compared to full-frequency seismic data. Three factors influence the seismic sedimentary characterization and prediction of steep slope fans when employing SD. The ability of the ST to preserve phase is crucial for improving the imaging quality of the amplitude attribute. Sedimentary mechanisms control the sedimentary features of steep slope fans, impacting the imaging of seismic attributes. While channelized fan deltas can be better identified, unchannelized nearshore subaqueous fan deposits, which exhibit more heterogeneous sedimentary characteristics, present limitations. The unique volcanic evolution is another factor that impacts the image of the root-mean-square (RMS) attribute. Despite demonstrating excellent local adaptability in signal analysis, the S-transform cannot fully compensate for the combined effects of faults and sedimentary heterogeneity in nearshore subaqueous fans.

Pore-Scale Simulation of Deep Shale Gas Flow Considering the Dual-Site Langmuir Adsorption Model Based on the Pore Network Model.

As a key resource in the oil and gas sector, shale gas development profoundly influences the advancement of the global energy industry. Deep shale gas reservoirs, typically found at depths exceeding 3500 m, represent a significant portion of total shale gas reserves. Currently, pore network models primarily simulate middle and shallow shale gas, insufficiently addressing the unique challenges posed by high-temperature and high-pressure conditions in deep shale gas formations. There is an urgent need to explore the microscale flow dynamics of deep shale gas. In this work, we use the pore network model to simulate the flow dynamics of deep shale gas, particularly under nanoconfinement conditions. The simulation integrates adsorption, slip flow, Knudsen diffusion, and bulk flow phenomena. Utilizing the dual-site Langmuir adsorption model tailored for high-temperature and high-pressure conditions enhances the accuracy of gas conductivity calculations for the adsorbed phase, thereby reflecting the specific characteristics of deep shale gas reservoirs. Moreover, this research investigates the flow characteristics of deep shale gas under varying sensitivity parameters, such as water saturation, temperature, and pressure. It explores methane flow dynamics, focusing on effective diffusion coefficients and permeability. The modified approach to calculating adsorption phase conductivity using the dual-site Langmuir adsorption model accurately captures the adsorption behaviors and characteristics of deep shale gas reservoirs.

Hydrocarbon charge history of deeply buried clastic reservoirs in the Bozi area of the Kuqa Depression, western China: implications for deep and ultra-deep petroleum exploration

Significant progress has recently been made in deep and ultra-deep oil and gas exploration globally, demonstrating enormous exploration potential of the deep and ultra-deep strata. However, the accumulation and preservation pattern of deep and ultra-deep oil and gas remains poorly understood, greatly impeding further petroleum exploration and development in the deep and ultra-deep strata. By taking the Bozi deep and ultra-deep condensate gas reservoirs in the Kuqa Depression, western China as an example, we attempt to reconstruct the hydrocarbon charge history in such deep reservoirs via an integrated investigation involving quantitative grain fluorescence, fluid inclusion petrography and microthermometry, micro-fluorescence spectroscopy, laser Raman spectroscopy, PVTx modelling, and basin modelling. The results show that: (1) The Bozi deep and ultra-deep reservoirs contain one group of gas inclusion assemblage, and two groups of oil inclusion assemblages, with one being characterized by near yellowish-whitish and blue-whitish diphasic or triphasic oil inclusions, and the other being featured by bright blue diphasic oil inclusions; (2) The first oil charge occurred during the Early Neogene (6.5–5.5 Ma), and the second oil charge occurred during the Late Neogene (4.4–3.5 Ma), under normal hydrostatic pressure or slightly weak overpressure; and (3) The gas charge occurred during the Pleistocene (∼1.6 Ma), with a corresponding reservoir pressure coefficient of approximately 1.7, transforming the reservoir fluid phase state from black oil or volatile oil to condensate gas. Our findings highlight that aside from the present burial depth, a favorable burial history model is crucial for the preservation of liquid hydrocarbons in deep and ultra-deep reservoirs. The occurrence of liquid hydrocarbons in the Bozi deep and ultra-deep condensate gas reservoirs with depths over 7,000 m is benefited from a prolonged period (>100 Ma) of shallow burial and a late-stage (since 10 Ma) rapid subsidence.

Development and preservation mechanism of deep and ultra-deep carbonate reservoirs

Development and preservation mechanism of deep and ultra-deep carbonate reservoirs

Characteristics of middle-deep reservoirs and the genesis of pore development in the southern slope of the Nanpu sag in the Bohai Bay Basin, China

To clarify the distribution of favorable reservoirs in the middle and deep layers of the southern slope of the Nanpu sag and identify relatively high-quality reservoir sections, the characteristics of the reservoirs in the middle and deep layers of the southern slope of the Nanpu sag were studied by means of core analysis, thin section casting, scanning electron microscopy, and analytical tests. Research shows that the middle and deep reservoirs on the southern slope of the Nanpu sag are mainly lithic feldspathic sandstone and that the debris is mainly magmatic rock. The diagenesis processes are mainly compaction, cementation, and dissolution. The deformation of plastic particles, brittle microcracks on the surface of rigid clastic particles, calcareous cementation, quartz overgrowth, and feldspar dissolution are common. The pores are co-developed by primary pores and secondary pores, in which the primary pores are more common in the third member of the Dongying Formation and the first member of the Shahejie Formation, whereas the secondary pores are more common in the first member of the Shahejie Formation. The genesis of pore development is discussed. It is considered that the anticompaction components, chlorite film, and hydrocarbon filling play major roles in the formation of primary pores, whereas atmospheric water leaching, diagenetic evolution, thermal evolution of organic matter, and clay mineral transformation play major roles in the formation of secondary pores.

Harnessing the heat below: Efficacy of closed-loop systems in the cooper basin, Australia

Transitioning to renewable energy is vital for combating climate change and reducing CO2 emissions. Geothermal energy, sourced from the earth's crust, presents a promising alternative. While shallow geothermal energy extraction grows steadily, tapping into deep Hot Dry Rock reservoirs poses challenges. Sustainable utilization of deep geothermal energy is crucial for large-scale electricity generation. Australia's Habanero enhanced geothermal system (EGS) projects faced obstacles due to complex fracture networks. Borehole heat exchangers (BHEs) offer a solution, circulating a working fluid without direct contact with geofluids. This study assesses coaxial BHEs' feasibility in the Habanero reservoir using a 2D axisymmetric model (2D-AM), comparing it with a simpler 1D depth-integrated model (1D-DIAM). Both models yield similar outcomes. Additionally, results indicated that the production temperature of the coaxial BHE exponentially decreased from 250 °C to 100 °C within 10 h, rendering energy recovery for electricity generation unsuitable after 10 h of operation. The study proposes an energy recovery cycle of 10 h followed by a 110-h shutdown. Injection temperatures and flow rates significantly impact production efficiency, while steel casing's thermal conductivity has minimal influence on heat exchanger performance.

Optimization of pressure management strategies for geological CO2 storage using surrogate model-based reinforcement learning

Injecting greenhouse gas (e.g. CO2) into deep underground reservoirs for permanent storage can inadvertently lead to fault reactivation, caprock fracturing and greenhouse gas leakage when the injection-induced stress exceeds the critical threshold. It is essential to monitor the evolution of pressure and the movement of the CO2 plume closely during the injection to allow for timely remediation actions or rapid adjustments to the storage design. Extraction of pre-existing fluids at various stages of the injection process, referred as pressure management, can mitigate associated risks and lessen environmental impact. However, identifying optimal pressure management strategies typically requires thousands of simulations, making the process computationally prohibitive. This paper introduces a novel surrogate model-based reinforcement learning method for devising optimal pressure management strategies for geological CO2 sequestration efficiently. Our approach comprises of two steps. The first step involves developing a surrogate model using the embed to control method, which employs an encoder-transition-decoder structure to learn dynamics in a latent or reduced space. The second step, leveraging this proxy model, utilizes reinforcement learning to find an optimal strategy that maximizes economic benefits while satisfying various control constraints. The reinforcement learning agent receives the latent state representation and immediate reward tailored for CO2 sequestration and choose real-time controls which are subject to predefined engineering constraints in order to maximize the long-term cumulative rewards. To demonstrate its effectiveness, this framework is applied to a compositional simulation model where CO2 is injected into saline aquifer. The results reveal that our surrogate model-based reinforcement learning approach significantly optimizes CO2 sequestration strategies, leading to notable economic gains compared to baseline scenarios.

Evaluation and Application of Wellbore Stability of Deep Oil Wells in the Southern Margin of Junggar Basin

The stability of the oil well wellbore is a prerequisite for selecting the optimal completion method. In this paper, based on experimental testing and theoretical models of rock mechanics parameters in deep oil reservoirs, the in situ stress parameters of deep oil wells are accurately predicted. On this basis, a full life cycle assessment model for wellbore and perforation casing stability was established, and the effects of pressure depletion and changes in the production pressure differential on wellbore stability and casing stability were analyzed. The research results indicate that as the formation pressure decreases, the critical collapse pressure difference around the wellbore significantly decreases. The greater the production pressure difference, the more likely the wellbore is to become unstable. Under the original formation pressure coefficient, if there is no casing, the critical failure pressure difference of the wellbore wall is 55 MPa. After cementing and perforation, when the casing is uniformly stressed and the formation pressure drops to a coefficient of 0.83, the casing will not be damaged even when the wellbore is completely emptied. At this time, there is still a certain safety production pressure difference in the perforated formation. This study can effectively guide the optimization of well completion and safe development in deep oil reservoirs.

Capsule polymer flooding for enhanced oil recovery

To solve the problems of shear degradation and injection difficulties in conventional polymer flooding, the capsule polymer flooding for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) was proposed. The flow and oil displacement mechanisms of this technique were analyzed using multi-scale flow experiments and simulation technology. It is found that the capsule polymer flooding has the advantages of easy injection, shear resistance, controllable release in reservoir, and low adsorption retention, and it is highly capable of long-distance migration to enable viscosity increase in deep reservoirs. The higher degree of viscosity increase by capsule polymer, the stronger the ability to suppress viscous fingering, resulting in a more uniform polymer front and a larger swept range. The release performance of capsule polymer is mainly sensitive to temperature. Higher temperatures result in faster viscosity increase by capsule polymer solution. The salinity has little impact on the rate of viscosity increase. The capsule polymer flooding is suitable for high-water-cut reservoirs for which conventional polymer flooding techniques are less effective, offshore reservoirs by polymer flooding in largely spaced wells, and medium to low permeability reservoirs where conventional polymers cannot be injected efficiently. Capsule polymer flooding should be customized specifically, with the capsule particle size and release time to be determined depending on target reservoir conditions to achieve the best displacement effect.

The law of fracture propagation and intersection in zipper fracturing of deep shale gas wells

In response to the unclear understanding of fracture propagation and intersection interference in zipper fracturing under the factory development model of deep shale gas wells, a coupled hydro-mechanical model for zipper fracturing considering the influence of natural fracture zones was established based on the finite element – discrete element method. The reliability of the model was verified using experimental data and field monitoring pressure increase data. Taking the deep shale gas reservoir in southern Sichuan as an example, the propagation and interference laws of fracturing fractures under the influence of natural fracture zones with different characteristics were studied. The results show that the large approaching angle fracture zone has a blocking effect on the forward propagation of fracturing fractures and the intersection of inter well fractures. During pump shutdown, hydraulic fractures exhibit continued expansion behavior under net pressure driving. Under high stress difference, as the approaching angle of the fracture zone increases, the response well pressure increase and the total length of the fractured fracture show a trend of first decreasing and then increasing, and first increasing and then decreasing, respectively. Compared to small approach angle fracture zones, natural fracture zones with large approach angles require longer time and have greater difficulty to intersect. The width of fractures and the length of natural fractures are negatively and positively correlated with the response well pressure increase, respectively, and positively and negatively correlated with the time required for intersection, the total length of hydraulic fractures, and fracturing efficiency, respectively. As the displacement distance of the well increases, the probability of fracture intersection decreases, but the regularity between displacement distance and the response well pressure increase and the total length of fractures is not obvious.

Enrichment conditions and resource potential of coal-rock gas in Ordos Basin, NW China

To reveal the enrichment conditions and resource potential of coal-rock gas in the Ordos Basin, this paper presents a systematic research on the sedimentary environment, distribution, physical properties, reservoir characteristics, gas-bearing characteristics and gas accumulation play of deep coals. The results show that thick coals are widely distributed in the Carboniferous–Permian of the Ordos Basin. The main coal seams Carboniferous 5# and Permian 8# in the Carboniferous–Permian have strong hydrocarbon generation capacity and high thermal evolution degree, which provide abundant materials for the formation of coal-rock gas. Deep coal reservoirs have good physical properties, especially porosity and permeability. Coal seams Carboniferous 5# and Permian 8# exhibit the average porosity of 4.1% and 6.4%, and the average permeability of 8.7×10−3 μm2 and 15.7×10−3 μm2, respectively. Cleats and fissures are developed in the coals, and together with the micropores, constitute the main storage space. With the increase of evolution degree, the micropore volume tends to increase. The development degree of cleats and fissures has a great impact on permeability. The coal reservoirs and their industrial compositions exhibit significantly heterogeneous distribution in the vertical direction. The bright coal seam, which is in the middle and upper section, less affected by ash filling compared with the lower section, and contains well-developed pores and fissures, is a high-quality reservoir interval. The deep coals present good gas-bearing characteristics in Ordos Basin, with the gas content of 7.5–20.0 m3/t, and the proportion of free gas (greater than 10%, mostly 11.0%–55.1%) in coal-rock gas significantly higher than that in shallow coals. The enrichment degree of free gas in deep coals is controlled by the number of macropores and microfractures. The coal rock pressure testing shows that the coal-limestone and coal-mudstone combinations for gas accumulation have good sealing capacity, and the mudstone/limestone (roof)-coal-mudstone (floor) combination generally indicates high coal-rock gas values. The coal-rock gas resources in the Ordos Basin were preliminarily estimated by the volume method to be 22.38×1012 m3, and the main coal-rock gas prospects in the Ordos Basin were defined. In the central-east of the Ordos Basin, Wushenqi, Hengshan–Suide, Yan'an, Zichang, and Yichuan are coal-rock gas prospects for the coal seam #8 of the Benxi Formation, and Linxian West, Mizhi, Yichuan–Huangling, Yulin, and Wushenqi–Hengshan are coal-rock gas prospects for the coal seam #5 of the Shanxi Formation, which are expected to become new areas for increased gas reserves and production.

Characteristics of Effective Fractures in Deep Buried-Hill Basement Gas Reservoirs and Its Effects on Fluids: The Jianbei Slope, Qaidam Basin, China

Summary Buried hills are basement uplifts beneath sediment layers that possess significant exploration potential. Using the Jianbei Slope of the Qaidam Basin in China as a case study, we systematically investigated the types and origins of fractures in deep buried-hill gas reservoirs. In our study, we synthesized various data, including experimental results, production dynamics, and both conventional and special logging with the aim of clarifying the sequence and effectiveness of fracture formation in these gas reservoirs; analyzing the impact of effective fractures on fluid migration, accumulation, and preservation; and proposing a development plan to enhance stable production. Research reveals that since the Late Paleozoic, the region has been influenced by multiple phases of tectonic stress, deep fluid dissolution, and surface weathering leaching. This has resulted in a fracture system dominated by east-west trending deep major faults, with accompanying tectonic fractures, alongside dissolution, diagenetic, and weathering-collapse fractures. Smaller fractures oriented at an angle to the maximum principal stress and fractures with normal stress lower than the compressive strength are conducive to maintaining fracture effectiveness. Fracture widths range from 0.1 μm to 343.36 μm, with effective fractures comprising 63.49% of the total. Based on aperture and permeability, effective fractures are categorized into three levels: Level I fractures (>100 μm) serve as primary migration pathways; Level II fractures (10–100 μm) are well configured with dissolution pores, forming a foundation for favorable reservoir development; and Level III fractures (micron scale) enhance reservoir storage capacity by connecting fractures. The gas-water interface in the reservoir rises rapidly and unevenly. In the I + II + III fracture combination model, fluid exhibits high-conductivity channeling, leading to rapid declines in formation pressure, quick water breakthroughs in single wells, and severe water sealing. Conversely, in the II + III fracture combination model, fluid invasion is characterized by weak-to-strong finger-like intrusion, leading to prolonged stable production. Vertically, the 20-m to 60-m interval above the bedrock weathering crust has a favorable pore-fracture configuration, making it a high-quality reservoir zone in buried hills. In addition, local thick layers of Level II microfractures within the bedrock represent potential exploration targets. Considering the differential distribution of reservoir fractures, the optimal development plan is expected to achieve a recovery rate of 28.35% by 2030.

Pressure Monitoring of Disposal Reservoirs in North‐Central Oklahoma: Implications for Seismicity and Geostorage

AbstractDisposal of industrial wastewater and activities such as underground sequestration depend upon pressure conditions within deep geologic reservoirs. Sometimes, injection and storage are associated with induced seismicity, suggested to result from reservoir compartmentalization, leakage into faults, or other mechanisms in the subsurface. To understand subsurface pressure conditions within a major regional disposal reservoir, the Arbuckle Group of Oklahoma, we monitored the water levels in 15 inactive injection wells. The wells were monitored at 30‐s intervals, with eight wells monitored since September 2016, and an additional seven from July 2017. All the wells were monitored until early March 2020. Since 2016, hydraulic head decreased in 13 of the 15 wells, proportional to near‐borehole fluid pressure even considering decreasing regional injection volumes during this period. The well pressures respond to three types of perturbations: (i) gravitational fluctuations (a.k.a. solid‐earth tides) (ii) distal and proximal earthquakes, and (iii) injections into nearby wells. Parameterization of tidal responses illustrates that the near wellbore environments have negative fluid flux (i.e., are leaking). Earthquakes cause differing pressure responses from well to well, with some highly sensitive to proximal events, some to distal events, and some apparently insensitive. Injections have variable impacts in some cases masking tidal and earthquake pressure signals. Collectively, there appears to be a threshold injection rate above which well pressure becomes less sensitive to the volume of injections within 15 km. Multi‐scale geological structure and temporal permeability changes are likely controlling the pressure field, indicating leakage of fluids across the system.

Understanding the Hydrocarbon Accumulation Process in Deep–ultradeep Oil and Gas Reservoirs in Complex Structural Areas—The Qixia Formation in the Shuangyushi Structure in Northwestern Sichuan Basin, China

Deep-ultradeep oil and gas reservoirs in complex structural areas have typically undergone multistage tectonic processes that have a considerable influence on the hydrocarbon composition, isotopic composition, and other geochemical characteristics of petroleum. By assessing the charging period of hydrocarbon accumulation during a particular age we can determin these changes. We studied the characteristics of fluid inclusions developed in the dolomite reservoir in the Middle Permian Qixia Formation in the Shuangyushi structure of the northwestern Sichuan Basin using methods such as inclusion petrography, microbeam fluorescence fluorescence spectroscopy, and inclusion homogenization temperature. Furthermore, the main peak wavelength of the fluorescence spectrum, red–green ratio/chromatic parameter, Q650/500, as well as the chromatic parameter corresponding to emission flux at 535 nm (QF535) and their correlations with the homogenization temperature distribution, were used to identify the charging period of hydrocarbons in the Qixia Formation. The results show that different types of fluid inclusions were developed in the Qixia Formation. The fluorescence of hydrocarbon inclusions is mainly blue, with a small amount of yellow–green and orange–yellow. The max of orange–yellow, yellow–green, and blue fluorescence of the hydrocarbon inclusions range between 562 ∼ 579 nm, 497 ∼ 548 nm, and 447 ∼ 497 nm, respectively. The distribution of the homogenization temperatures during the same period ranges from 100 °C to 110 °C, from 120 °C to 140 °C, and from 160 °C to 170 °C, respectively. By combining the burial and thermal evolution histories of the Qixia Formation, we concluded that the Qixia Formation has experienced three stages of oil and gas charging, with the time of 204, 185 and 158 Ma. This method is of great significance to determine the date and duration of oil and gas accumulation, and provides technical support for the recovery of ultra-deep hydrocarbon accumulations in complex structural areas.

Integrated Seismic Attributes as a Tool to Delineate the Oligocene Channels Architecture, Baltim Field, Offshore Central Nile Delta, Egypt

The hydrocarbons in the Nile Delta area are produced from both clastic and non-clastic reservoirs, with ages ranging from the Early Cretaceous to the Plio-Pleistocene. The study area is situated in Baltim field offshore, Central Nile Delta, approximately 10 kilometers off the Egyptian coast (Fig. 1). The main producing reservoir in Baltim field is Abu Madi Formation (Miocene age) as there were many discoveries in the last decades resulting in most of the area had been considered as a brown field. Nowadays, the Oligocene section is considered as the hope for new hydrocarbon potentiality in the deep section (below Miocene). Among the drilled sedimentary sequence in the Nile Delta, Tineh Formation (Oligocene age) contains multiple levels of reservoir rocks with high-quality reservoirs including: Satis-1, Satis-3, Notus-1, Tineh-1, Atoll-1 & Salamat-1 (Fig. 2). This work's objective is to delineate the different channels of the Oligocene section in trial to add more reserves to the field. One of the main challenges for the exploration of these deep reservoirs is to delineate the reservoir geometry itself. A strong tool for improving bed thickness imaging and mapping, geologic discontinuities and channel delineation is the spectral decomposition technique providing more details than the conventional amplitude extractions. So, in this work, we applied the spectral decomposition tool to track the geometric dimensions of the Oligocene channels. RGB color blending performed from 10, 16, and 20 Hz represents the most significant geological features to get a better picture of the channel’s geometry. After determining the channel’s boundary by using the RGB blending, the channel geo-body was extracted. This technique helps in reducing the uncertainties of hydrocarbon exploration. Consequently to the integration between RMS amplitude maps and the channel geo-body that was extracted from the spectral decomposition, Oligocene channels became clearer and the boundaries well defined.

Prestack reservoir prediction method in ray parameter domain based on wide azimuth ocean bottom node seismic data

AbstractWide azimuth seismic data play an important role in deep reservoir prediction. According to the Paleogene clastic rock reservoir prediction, the high‐density and wide azimuth 3D seismic data acquisition of ocean bottom nodes was first carried out in a Chinese offshore oilfield in 2019. After high precision amplitude‐preserving processing, we obtained the high‐quality wide azimuth gathers. However, the research on anisotropy and reservoir prediction using wide azimuth seismic data mainly focuses on carbonate and bedrock intervals, which is not suitable for clastic rock reservoir prediction. Therefore, this paper innovatively proposes a clastic rock reservoir prediction method, which studies prestack reservoir prediction in the ray parameter domain based on wide azimuth ocean bottom node seismic data. Based on the azimuth gathers, we can obtain elastic parameters through prestack amplitude versus offset inversion, which is used to characterize the reservoir, so it is significant to obtain high precision elastic parameters in order to get highly reliable reservoir prediction results. In this paper, we develop an amplitude versus offset inversion method based on the Bayesian theory in ray parameter domain, the output of which is density, P‐wave impedance and Vp/Vs. These elastic parameters have high precision, and density data are valuable input for reservoir characterization because they are sensitive to the lithology of clastic rock reservoir at different orientations. In ray parameter domain inversion, the ray path of seismic wave propagation is considered polyline, which is more consistent with the actual situation; thus, extracted amplitudes of P gathers used in inversion are more accurate. In addition, the reflection coefficient formula in ray parameter domain has higher precision when the incident angle is large. The inversion based on the Bayesian theory can improve the stability of the inversion. Test on the actual data shows that the result of ray parameter domain inversion with a Bayesian scheme is more accurate, stable and reliable. Based on the above high precision density inversion results, an innovative wide azimuth data reservoir prediction technology based on elliptical short‐axis fitting was proposed. The actual prediction of the deep reservoir in the Bohai oilfield shows that sand thickness fitting prediction results in the short axis can best match the actual drilling sandstone thickness. The coincidence rate is 86% and the short‐axis fitting results are more in agreement with geological laws. Theoretical research and practical applications have shown that this method is feasible and effective, with high prediction accuracy, computational efficiency and strong application value.

Impact of Overpressure on the Preservation of Liquid Petroleum: Evidence from Fluid Inclusions in the Deep Reservoirs of the Tazhong Area, Tarim Basin, Western China

The complexity of petroleum phases in deep formations plays an important role in the evaluation of hydrocarbon resources. Pressure is considered to have a positive impact on the preservation of liquid oils, yet direct evidence for this phenomenon is lacking in the case of deep reservoirs due to late destruction. Here, we present fluid-inclusion assemblages from a deep reservoir in the Tazhong area of the Tarim Basin, northwestern China, which formed as a direct consequence of fluid pressure evolution. Based on thermodynamic measurements and simulations of the coexisting aqueous and petroleum inclusions in these assemblages, the history of petroleum activities was reconstructed. Our results show that all analyzed fluid-inclusion assemblages demonstrated variable pressure conditions in different charging stages, ranging from hydrostatic to overpressure (a pressure coefficient of up to 1.49). Sequential petroleum charging and partial oil cracking may have been the main contributors to overpressure. By comparing the phases of petroleum and fluid pressures in the two wells, ZS1 and ZS5, it can be inferred that overpressure inhibits oil cracking. Thus, overpressure exerts an important influence on the preservation of liquid hydrocarbon under high temperatures. Furthermore, our results reveal that the exploration potential for liquid petroleum is considerable in the deep reservoirs of the Tarim Basin.