The use of categorical indicator geostatistics for modeling facies in sand-rich turbidite systems: An example from the deep-water Gulf of Mexico
- Technology Co., La Habra, CA (United States)
- Chevron USA Prod. Co., La Habra, CA (United States)
The Green Canyon 161/205 prospect, located 150 miles offshore Louisiana in the central Gulf of Mexico at 2500-3000 ft water depths, has between 350-425 million barrels of original oil in place that is stratigraphically and structurally trapped within lower Pleistocene and upper Pliocene turbidites. Overall sand content within the major pay zones is greater than 80%. The vertical lithofacies variations, seismic facies maps, and architecture of the primary reservoirs in the prospect are characterized using data available from conventional well logs, whole core, pressure transient tests, and a 3-D seismic survey. Due to the high costs associated with developing such a prospect, an extensive 3-D reservoir simulation evaluation program was employed. In this study we outline the role of geostatistical methods in the creation of these 3-D simulation models. A two-stage approach was used to capture the effects of geological heterogeneity on fluid flow. In the first stage, large-scale seismic facies variations, which could be identified through correlations between log interval averages and seismic amplitudes, were first identified and mapped for each reservoir zone. The seismic facies maps were first sampled as point values at pseudo-well locations. Information from these selected points assisted in creating {open_quote}facies indicator variograms{close_quotes} for each facies identified in the seismic maps. Next, the pseudo-wells, along with the sparse actual wells, were treated as {open_quote}hard{close_quotes} data points in geostatistical simulations of equi-probable facies scenarios. The second stage of model construction involved translating fine-scale heterogeneities observed in core and logs into synthetically-generated traces of turbidite sedimentation. These synthetic traces were then combined with lateral correlation length scales obtained from outcrop studies to condition geostatistical cross-sections of porosity and permeability.
- OSTI ID:
- 127424
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950995-; ISSN 0149-1423; TRN: 95:005942-0118
- Journal Information:
- AAPG Bulletin, Vol. 79, Issue 8; Conference: International conference and exhibition of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Inc.: managing change at the turn of the century, Nice (France), 10-13 Sep 1995; Other Information: PBD: Aug 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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