An Integrated Approach to Deal with Challenges of Interpreting Pressure-Transient Data in Complex-Reservoir Systems

Abstract

A solid understanding of challenging reservoir complexities such as, naturally fractured "super-k" zones, layered systems, or, wellbore conditions such as, thermally induced mobility changes in the near wellbore region due to injection and uneven formation damage distribution across the wellbore, is essential for a successful development of carbonate reservoirs. These type of complexities play a major role for both reservoir fluid flow and well productivity. An efficient and holistic approach encompassing multiple data sources like image logs, production analysis logs, and pressure transient analysis (PTA) outcomes is of paramount importance in the characterization process of carbonate systems. In this paper illustrative examples showing different complexities, at reservoir level and also at well level, are presented in a systematic way to show the importance of pressure transient analysis (PTA) insights as a building block in the description process of these challenging reservoir features. Reconciling the differences between the static and dynamic data sources in each case was a crucial step to minimize the uncertainties encountered and to significantly broaden the dynamic understanding of these complex reservoir heterogeneities under a synergistic approach. Pressure buildups and falloffs data from multi-well groups, were incorporated and analyzed by advanced numerical models. The selected interpretation models were dependent on the reservoir and wellbore condition diagnosed from the pressure derivative plots. The analyses of wireline and large, real-time Intelligent Field data have provided key dynamic well parameters, such as permeability-thickness product (kh), productivity index and anisotropy ratio (kv/kh), that were critical input parameters in the characterization process of these complex reservoir systems.