Indirect fracture delineation in a carbonate reservoir: The Upper Jurassic Hanifa of Abqaiq field, Saudi Arabia

Conference · Fri Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1991 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States)

OSTI ID:5788773

Bailey, D L ^[1]

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1. Saudi Aramco, Dhahran (Saudi Arabia)

Abqaiq field is a northeast-trending anticline approximately 60 km long and 12 km wide and contains several reservoirs. The Hanifa Reservoir is approximately 100 m thick and consists of fine-grained, muddy limestone with subordinate dolomite and anhydrite. Since discovery of the Hanifa oil pool in 1947, pressure fluctuations have indicated communication with the overlying Arab-D Reservoir. Welltest permeability measurements are approximately 40 times higher than core permeability measurements of the Hanifa. This divergence of Hanifa permeability measurements combined with the indicated Arab-D communication suggests the presence of a natural fracture network. Direct observations of Hanifa cores reveal common, sub-vertical fractures with average apertures <200 microns. With limited core coverage and no oriented cores, a new technique was needed to delineate the areas affected by fractures. A technique combining indirect fracture indicators was devised for Abqaiq field and can be applied to other, similar fields. The actual flow system of the Abqaiq Hanifa is a complex interaction between matrix porosity/permeability and fracture permeability or enhanced permeability. Future development plans allow for low matrix permeability access to much of the Hanifa storage space and high fracture permeability both within the Hanifa and connecting to the Arab-D Reservoir.

• OSTI ID: 5788773
• Report Number(s): CONF-910403--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States) Journal Volume: 75:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
&amp; Exploration
ANTICLINES
ASIA
CARBONATE ROCKS
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
FRACTURED RESERVOIRS
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
JURASSIC PERIOD
MAPPING
MESOZOIC ERA
MIDDLE EAST
MINERAL RESOURCES
ORIENTATION
PERMEABILITY
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RESERVOIR ROCK
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SAUDI ARABIA
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS