Three-Dimensional Modeling and Fluid Flow Simulation for the Quantitative Description of Permeability Anisotropy in Tidal Flat Carbonate

Hassan A. Eltom, Nabil A. Saraih, Oliver G. Esteva, Lundi Kusuma, Saleh Ahmed and Mohamed A. Yassin
Additional contact information
Hassan A. Eltom: Geosciences Department, College of Petroleum Engineering & Geosciences, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Building 76, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
Nabil A. Saraih: Geosciences Department, College of Petroleum Engineering & Geosciences, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Building 76, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
Oliver G. Esteva: Geosciences Department, College of Petroleum Engineering & Geosciences, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Building 76, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
Lundi Kusuma: Geosciences Department, College of Petroleum Engineering & Geosciences, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Building 76, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
Saleh Ahmed: Geosciences Department, College of Petroleum Engineering & Geosciences, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Building 76, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
Mohamed A. Yassin: Center for Environment & Water, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Building 15, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 21, 1-25

Abstract: Three-dimensional (3D) facies and petrophysical models were generated from previously published data of carbonate strata in the Dam Formation (eastern Saudi Arabia) to quantitatively investigate, describe, understand, model, and predict the permeability anisotropy in tidal flat carbonate on the basis of a sequence stratigraphic framework. The resulting 3D models were used to conduct fluid flow simulations to demonstrate how permeability anisotropy influences the production of hydrocarbons and ultimately affects decisions concerning future drilling in the exploration and development of carbonate reservoirs with tidal flat strata. The constructed 3D facies model consists of four lithofacies associations, two of which are grain-dominated associations and two of which are mud-dominated associations. These lithofacies associations vary spatially in four reservoir zones (zones 1 to 4), which represent two fourth-order sequences in the uppermost part of the Dam Formation. Zones 1 and 3 consist of transgressive parasequences, and zones 2 and 4 consist of the regressive parasequences of these sequences. The 3D porosity and permeability models have a coherent match with the distribution of the lithofacies and the stratigraphic framework of the Dam Formation. The results suggest that the permeability anisotropy in zones 1 and 3 is controlled by the occurrence of the grain-dominated lithofacies associated with tidal flat channels. This lithofacies association overlies the sequence boundaries of sequences 1 and 3, forms reservoir bodies with relatively high permeability values, and is elongated perpendicular to the shoreline of the depositional environment. In contrast, permeability anisotropy in zones 2 and 4 is thought to be controlled by the occurrence of the grain-dominated lithofacies associated with the oolitic shoal. This lithofacies association overlies the maximum flooding surface of sequences 2 and 4, forms reservoir bodies with relatively high permeability values, and is elongated parallel to the shoreline of the depositional environments. Fluid flow simulation results suggest that the trend in hydrocarbon production from the constructed 3D models depends on permeability anisotropy in each reservoir zone. Thus, recognizing trends in permeability anisotropy, which can be predicted using sequence stratigraphy, could help to identify potential areas for future drilling.

Keywords: outcrop reservoir analog; tidal flat; reservoir performance; future drilling; reservoir quality prediction (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:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/21/5557/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/21/5557/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:13:y:2020:i:21:p:5557-:d:433915

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().