Machine Learning-Based Probabilistic Lithofacies Prediction from Conventional Well Logs: A Case from the Umiat Oil Field of Alaska

Nilesh Dixit, Paul McColgan and Kimberly Kusler
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Nilesh Dixit: Physics, Geology and Engineering Technology Department, Northern Kentucky University, Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY 41099, USA
Paul McColgan: McColgan Seismic Interpretation Services, 7355 Huckleberry Lane, Montgomery, OH 45242, USA
Kimberly Kusler: Physics, Geology and Engineering Technology Department, Northern Kentucky University, Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY 41099, USA

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 18, 1-15

Abstract: A good understanding of different rock types and their distribution is critical to locate oil and gas accumulations in the subsurface. Traditionally, rock core samples are used to directly determine the exact rock facies and what geological environments might be present. Core samples are often expensive to recover and, therefore, not always available for each well. Wireline logs provide a cheaper alternative to core samples, but they do not distinguish between various rock facies alone. This problem can be overcome by integrating limited core data with largely available wireline log data with machine learning. Here, we presented an application of machine learning in rock facies predictions based on limited core data from the Umiat Oil Field of Alaska. First, we identified five sandstone reservoir facies within the Lower Grandstand Member using core samples and mineralogical data available for the Umiat 18 well. Next, we applied machine learning algorithms (ascendant hierarchical clustering, self-organizing maps, artificial neural network, and multi-resolution graph-based clustering) to available wireline log data to build our models trained with core-driven information. We found that self-organizing maps provided the best result among other techniques for facies predictions. We used the best self-organizing maps scheme for predicting similar reservoir facies in nearby uncored wells—Umiat 23H and SeaBee-1. We validated our facies prediction results for these wells with observed seismic data.

Keywords: machine learning; lithofacies; umiat; well logs; Alaska (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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