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Title: Paleomagnetic core-orientation for characterizing reservoir anisotropy: Case histories from fractured reservoirs in Abu Dhabi and Venezuela

Abstract

Over the past decade, the authors have tested and refined the paleomagnetic core-orientation technique, they first applied on the U.S. Department of Energy's Multiwell Experiment in the early 1980s. Paleomagnetic orientation accuracy within 5{degree} is routinely achievable, as demonstrated in over 100 tests against dipmeter, seismic, borehole televiewer, and mechanical core-orientation (conventional multishot and MWD) techniques. These tests reveal that mechanical core-orientations commonly suffer from torques acting on downhole equipment and on the core. In contrast, the paleomagnetic core-orientation technique is not prone to downhole mechanical problems, uses no rigtime, is cost-effective, and can selectively orient individual core pieces, including ASR and DSCA samples. Accurate paleomagnetic orientations can be obtained even from cores drilled decades ago. In Abu Dhabi, paleomagnetically-oriented 10-year-old slabbed cores from Habshan and Dukhan carbonates yield fracture patterns consistent with the geologic structure in the Asab and Sahil fields. In Venezuela, paleomagnetic orientation of fresh and decade-old archived cores of Cogollo limestones and La Luna black shales yield fracture and bedding directions consistent with dipmeter data and outcrop observations around Lake Maracaibo. Paleomagnetic core-orientation permits access to the vast resource of reservoir-anisotropy data in previously unoriented cores in storage throughout the world. Paleomagnetic core-orientation is a versatilemore » technique with proven accuracy, not only in vertical wells, but also in slant holes and horizontal wells.« less

Authors:
;  [1];
  1. Applied Paleomagnetics, Inc., Redmond, WA (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
7078885
Report Number(s):
CONF-910403-
Journal ID: ISSN 0149-1423; CODEN: AABUD
Resource Type:
Conference
Journal Name:
AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 75:3; Conference: Annual meeting of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), Dallas, TX (United States), 7-10 Apr 1991; Journal ID: ISSN 0149-1423
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
02 PETROLEUM; 58 GEOSCIENCES; RESERVOIR ROCK; PALEOMAGNETISM; UNITED ARAB EMIRATES; PETROLEUM DEPOSITS; VENEZUELA; ANISOTROPY; DRILL CORES; FRACTURED RESERVOIRS; WELL DRILLING; WELL LOGGING; ASIA; DEVELOPING COUNTRIES; DRILLING; GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS; LATIN AMERICA; MAGNETISM; MINERAL RESOURCES; RESOURCES; SOUTH AMERICA; 020200* - Petroleum- Reserves, Geology, & Exploration; 580000 - Geosciences

Citation Formats

Alstine, D.R. van, Butterworth, J E, Willemse, E J.M., and Graaff, W.J.E. van de. Paleomagnetic core-orientation for characterizing reservoir anisotropy: Case histories from fractured reservoirs in Abu Dhabi and Venezuela. United States: N. p., 1991. Web.
Alstine, D.R. van, Butterworth, J E, Willemse, E J.M., & Graaff, W.J.E. van de. Paleomagnetic core-orientation for characterizing reservoir anisotropy: Case histories from fractured reservoirs in Abu Dhabi and Venezuela. United States.
Alstine, D.R. van, Butterworth, J E, Willemse, E J.M., and Graaff, W.J.E. van de. 1991. "Paleomagnetic core-orientation for characterizing reservoir anisotropy: Case histories from fractured reservoirs in Abu Dhabi and Venezuela". United States.
@article{osti_7078885,
title = {Paleomagnetic core-orientation for characterizing reservoir anisotropy: Case histories from fractured reservoirs in Abu Dhabi and Venezuela},
author = {Alstine, D.R. van and Butterworth, J E and Willemse, E J.M. and Graaff, W.J.E. van de},
abstractNote = {Over the past decade, the authors have tested and refined the paleomagnetic core-orientation technique, they first applied on the U.S. Department of Energy's Multiwell Experiment in the early 1980s. Paleomagnetic orientation accuracy within 5{degree} is routinely achievable, as demonstrated in over 100 tests against dipmeter, seismic, borehole televiewer, and mechanical core-orientation (conventional multishot and MWD) techniques. These tests reveal that mechanical core-orientations commonly suffer from torques acting on downhole equipment and on the core. In contrast, the paleomagnetic core-orientation technique is not prone to downhole mechanical problems, uses no rigtime, is cost-effective, and can selectively orient individual core pieces, including ASR and DSCA samples. Accurate paleomagnetic orientations can be obtained even from cores drilled decades ago. In Abu Dhabi, paleomagnetically-oriented 10-year-old slabbed cores from Habshan and Dukhan carbonates yield fracture patterns consistent with the geologic structure in the Asab and Sahil fields. In Venezuela, paleomagnetic orientation of fresh and decade-old archived cores of Cogollo limestones and La Luna black shales yield fracture and bedding directions consistent with dipmeter data and outcrop observations around Lake Maracaibo. Paleomagnetic core-orientation permits access to the vast resource of reservoir-anisotropy data in previously unoriented cores in storage throughout the world. Paleomagnetic core-orientation is a versatile technique with proven accuracy, not only in vertical wells, but also in slant holes and horizontal wells.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/7078885}, journal = {AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States)},
issn = {0149-1423},
number = ,
volume = 75:3,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1991},
month = {Fri Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1991}
}

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