Sedimentology

1
Sedimentology Stratigraphy

• 3D modelling/reconstruction of depositional
  systems
• Accommodation space, subsidence rate, sea- level
  and sediment transport
• Immersive reservoir visualisation
• e.g. Hive, Cave, Visionarium...
• Fundamentals
• Database of good stratigraphic/biostratigraphic
  framework
• Sedimentology on core/logs

2
Sedimentology StratigraphyPresent status

• 3D modelling/reconstruction of depositional
  systems
• Accommodation space, subsidence rate, sea- level
  and sediment transport
• Immersive reservoir visualisation
• e.g. Hive, Cave, Visionarium...
• Fundamentals
• Database of good stratigraphic/biostratigraphic
  framework
• Sedimentology on core/logs

3
Sedimentology StratigraphyTechnology Gaps

• Møre and Vøring basins
• Immature understanding of reservoir and source
  rock distribution (not many wells)
• Description of reservoir heterogeneities true
  3D models
• Geologically relevant upscaling to test the
  effects of merging heterogeneities at different
  scales into a geological meaningful model.
• True 3D models giving a definition of the
  palaeotopography
• Age dating sedimentology expertise
• Maintain biostratigraphy expertise
• Norway has few consultant firms offering
  sedimentology or biostratigraphic expertise
  compared to UK/USA.

4
Sedimentology StratigraphyFuture Focus

• Calibration in underexplored basins
• Gathering data on stratigraphy, reservoir, source
  rock and thermal history in immature areas will
  spur research activity, and reduce exploration
  uncertainty.
• High resolution reservoir characterization
• Integration of high resolution 3D
  sedimentological models into simulation will
  preserve detailed field heterogeneities, increase
  our understanding of reservoir performance and
  increase ultimate field recovery.

5
Structural GeologyPresent status

• In areas of poor seismic quality the
  interpretation of accumulations, reservoir
  presence and assessment of compartmentalization
  of the reservoirs is often difficult.
• Fault seal analysis has not evolved significantly
  during the last decade.
• Both in exploration and in field production our
  ability to predict fault behaviour is poor even
  though several commercial applications exist.
• Predicting reservoir performance in fractured
  reservoirs (e.g. chalk) is also still a challenge
  in the industry.

6
Structural GeologyTechnology Gaps

• Understanding the structural evolution in complex
  or obscured areas is limited by the quality of
  seismic data.
• Our focus in these areas should address the
  proper acquisition and processing of
  high-resolution seismic data.
• Predicting the reservoir performance in fractured
  reservoirs (e.g. chalk) is also still a challenge
  in the industry.
• Integrated interpretation of data from drilling
  engineering, logging and seismic is needed in
  order to close the gap in this area.
• Improvements in seismic data volumes and
  interpretation tools will increase the accuracy
  of structural/fault interpretation and reduce
  drilling and prospect risk.
• The integration of this high-resolution data into
  geomodels and simulation models remains a
  challenge, and advances in software handling are
  needed.

7
Structural GeologyFuture Focus

• Behaviour of faults and fractures on reservoir
  performance
• Development of an integrated tool to handle both
  clastic and carbonate fault seal analysis,
  drilling engineering, logging, and seismic data.
• Fractured reservoirs, improved image log
  interpretation
• Derive fracture permeability from image logs by
  integrating mud loss information from drilling
  records.

8
GeomechanicsPresent status

• Geomechanics has mostly been used in a reactive
  mode in the industry, often in response to
  drilling problems in field developments.
• The geomechanics software applications around
  drilling and wells are well established.
• Sand production evaluations for optimising
  completion design.
• The use of geomechanics in reservoir performance
  prediction is only rarely applied currently and
  is often poorly linked to the geomechanical
  processes over geologic time.

9
GeomechanicsTechnology Gaps

• At present there is a lack of fully integrated
  geomechanics software for the oil industry and
  the work flows/best practices for
  interpretation are not well established.
• In high pressure environments there is a higher
  risk that depletion will cause large changes in
  stress leading to drilling challenges.
• In order to investigate high pressure and
  temperature effects the laboratories have to
  develop the capability to simulate the same
  extreme stress conditions that exist in nature.

10
GeomechanicsFuture Focus

• Integrated geomechanics software/work flows
• Make the geomechanics interpretation part of a
  truly integrated reservoir modelling work flow.
• Develop a tool to directly measure pore pressure
  in shale (low permeability rock)
• Improve well design by providing real, instead of
  predicted pressure data.

11
Reservoir Simulation Modelling

• A strong Norwegian environment has developed
  internationally renowned reservoir building and
  modelling software.
• Integration of different data types is
  continuously advancing such that oil, gas water
  flow rate, pressure and geological data are used
  together to provide a good understanding of
  fields.
• 3D visualization of data is standard.
• 4D seismic is commonly used to try and track the
  movement of fluids.
• We collect and store large amounts of different
  types of data.

12
Reservoir Simulation ModellingPresent status

• A strong Norwegian environment has developed
  internationally renowned reservoir building and
  modelling software.
• Integration of different data types is
  continuously advancing such that oil, gas water
  flow rate, pressure and geological data are used
  together to provide a good understanding of
  fields.
• 3D visualization of data is standard.
• 4D seismic is commonly used to try and track the
  movement of fluids.
• We collect and store large amounts of different
  types of data.

13
Reservoir Simulation ModellingPresent status
continued

• New tools that allow top quality data integration
  and viewing are available.
• Utilise computing power.
• Extract the relevant data for interpretation/integ
  ration from large data piles.
• Limited ability to test alternative geological
  models and the impact these will have on flow
  characteristics.

14
Reservoir Simulation Modelling Technology
Gaps-introduction

• Many of the identified gaps are related to the
  ability to quickly integrate and visualize
  diverse data types together so that realistic
  models can be used to optimise field production.
• 3D seismic
• 4D seismic
• Geomechanical information
• Flow data
• Modelling the history of oil and gas production
  in fields involves
• Several tools to interpret data
• Much more data is generated than can be
  successfully integrated and interpreted with
  current systems

15
Reservoir Simulation Modelling Technology Gaps

• There are no solutions that efficiently bridge
  the gap between different 2D and 3D applications
  in terms of resolution, gridding algorithms and
  upscaling routines.
• There is a need to manage uncertainty and
  flexibility in the History Matching process.

16
Reservoir Simulation Modelling Technology Gaps
continued

• Software is not capable of providing a fully
  integrated Reservoir Model all the way from
  seismic, through geo model to flow model.
• Current upscaling in Reservoir Characterization
  tools eliminates details from the geomodels
• Enhanced Oil Recovery tracking the movement of
  oil, gas and water through the fields lifetime.
• Managing large data flows quickly
• Interpret and include in long term depletion
  strategy

17
Reservoir Simulation Modelling Future Focus

• 4D seismic and life of field seismic (LoFS)
• Both of these techniques are used to track the
  movement of oil, gas and water through time.
• Research data analysis techniques that could be
  used to position fluids subsurface location and
  other changes in the field (e.g. compaction).
• Integrated reservoir modelling and uncertainty
  management
• Software applications we have today, are not
  capable of providing a fully integrated Reservoir
  Model all the way from Seismic, through Geo Model
  to Flow Model.
• We need to solve the problem of utilizing all
  significant data in work flows, and conduct
  probabilistic evaluation.

18
Reservoir Simulation Modelling Future Focus

• In field heterogeneities
• Identify the key heterogeneities and develop a
  predictive methodology to assess the effect on
  reservoir performance.
• Horizontal well modelling
• Solve the challenges that exist in modelling of
  horizontal wells and the link between horizontal
  production/geology and the full field model.
• We continue to struggle to model horizontal wells
  correctly and use vertical dominated upscaling
  techniques.