Combination of WFT and Conventional Well Testing Methods to Effectively Reduce the Time for Hydrocarbons Exploration in Tight and Fractured Suprasalt Carbonates Field in West Kazakhstan

Abstract

Low-porosity post-salt carbonate reservoirs of Carbonian and Devonian age at Pre-Caspian Region of West Kazakhstan have complex pore structure which cause significant uncertainties in petrophysical properties estimation based on standard wireline logs and subsequently time-consuming and less informative tests in the production string. Therefore, an integrated approach was proposed and applied, involving advanced wireline formation testing methods (WFT) to refine the petrophysical logging results and to optimize the formation tester program and significantly reduce time for dynamic fluid Well Testing in exploration wells. The new approach integrates methods of WFT using modern technologies which allow to test ultra-low permeability formations. Thus, uncertainties in petrophysical properties such as saturation and fluid contacts are significantly reduced with the use of WFT and allowed to put together optimized and effective formation testing program. The approach described below has helped to cut down the time for Well Testing and brought in valuable information to clarify geological structure and to evaluate oil and gas content of explored reservoirs horizons.