Reservoir Characterization

A fundamental task in building a reservoir model to simulate a reservoir is to gain an understanding how different geological units behave in terms of their petrophysical and reservoir engineering parameters. This knowledge allows mapping a reservoir in terms of productive units and their connectivity and results in a static reservoir model, which can be used to predict future reservoir behaviour under different production scenarios.

Because of immiscible reservoir fluids (e.g. oil and water), the flow behaviour of a reservoir is typically controlled by capillary forces and the appropriate scale to understand relevant flow mechanisms is the pore scale. In pore scale reservoir characterisation we are interested in, for a rock sample of a particular geological unit, relating microstructure and mineralogy to the physical properties of the sample. The classical approach to this problem is to make various experimental measurements on a core plug. Recently digital core analysis evolved, offering unprecedented insight.

         

The micro Xray-CT/NMR research group investigates the underlying mechanisms for correlations between different physical properties, thus enhancing the interpretation of well-logging measurements and providing new insights. The School operates an integrated high-temperature high-pressure (HPHT) low field NMR facility capable of simultaneously measuring a range of petrophysical properties, including complex NMR responses. The laboratory is also equipped for HPHT resistivity and permeability measurements and an ultra-centrifuge. The analysis of these responses is aided by a high-resolution micro Xray-CT instrument, allowing the numerical simulation of these experiments using the locally developed “morphy” package. Research projects in this area include: 

1. Effects of deformation mechanisms on (absolute) permeability
2. Upscaling of transport and elastic properties from the pore-scale
3. Cross-correlations of petrophysical properties including scaling behaviour
4. Classification of micro-structure using morphological measures and rock-typing
5. Integration of micro-CT measurements with spectral information and high-resolution SEM/QEM-SCAN
6. High performance computing