Using DNA-Logging to Determine Inflow Profile in Horizontal Wells

Abstract

The purpose of this work is to adapt and apply Next Generation Sequencing methods in oil and gas well field studies. Relatively recent NGS methods provide a description of a geological formation by analyzing millions of DNA sequences and represent an entirely new way to obtain information about oil and gas reservoirs and the composition of their fluids, which could significantly change the approach to exploration and field development. We present the results of pilot work to determine the inflow profile in a horizontal well based on DNA markers. The technology is based on the comparison of bacterial DNA from drill cuttings obtained while drilling with DNA from microorganisms of fluids obtained during production at the wellhead. Because of their high selectivity, individual microbes live only under certain conditions (salinity, oil saturation, temperature) and can be used as unique natural biomarkers. The comparison of DNA samples of drilling cutting and produced fluid allows for identification of the segment of the horizontal well from which the main flow comes, as well as identifying the type of incoming fluid (water, oil, gas) without stopping the operation process and without conducting expensive downhole operations. As a result of these studies, the microbial communities of the oil-bearing sands and formation fluids of the Cretaceous deposits (group BS) in Western Siberia were identified, and the relative numerical ratio of microorganisms in the formations was determined. It was shown that the microbiome diversity changes with depth, and depends on the lithological composition, and sequencing data obtained from cuttings samples correlate with data from wellhead samples of produced fluid. Thus, the practical applicability of DNA sequencing for solving field problems in oil and gas field development, in particular for determining the inflow profile in horizontal wells, was confirmed.