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Title: Identifying compartmentalization in gas reservoirs

Journal Article · · World Oil
OSTI ID:423135
;  [1];  [2]
  1. Petrotek Engineering Corp., Englewood, CO (United States)
  2. Sippel (Mark), Englewood, CO (United States)

Compartmentalization as a function of depositional systems is now recognized as a common type of reservoir heterogeneity that limits recovery from oil and gas reservoirs. US Department of Energy (DOE) estimates indicate that substantial quantities of gas resources will not be recovered from presently identified reservoirs under historic development practices. The Secondary Natural Gas Recovery (SGR) project sponsored by the Gas Research Institute (GRI), state of Texas and DOE quantified compartmentalization over intervals as large as 2,000 feet in several different fluvial deltaic reservoirs. Early recognition of compartmentalized behavior can be used to pursue a more rapid development plan including efficient well spacing and elimination of redundant wells. Three classes of reservoir compartment sizes were delineated in the SGR project using methods discussed in this article. Forward stochastic modeling of gas recovery from these compartment-size classes established well spacing requirements that would yield maximum gas contact efficiency. The presence of reservoir compartmentalization was also shown to correlate with reserve growth. Also, those reservoirs classified as having smaller compartment sizes exhibited the greatest reserve growth potential. Utilization of tools, such as personal computer-based methods discussed, enables better engineering interpretation of actual field behavior. Some of these tools require minimal production data, which is readily available on CD-ROM or via modem at very low cost.

OSTI ID:
423135
Journal Information:
World Oil, Vol. 218, Issue 1; Other Information: PBD: Jan 1997
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English