When Effective Integration Drives the Development: A Successful Case History

Abstract

A robust and detailed reservoir model is an essential requirement when a fast track approach drives the development of a green field. Such a tool can only be developed through the orchestration of Geological and Geophysical (G&G) and Reservoir Engineering disciplines. This integration effort is, first of all, aimed at identifying the key characteristics of the reservoir most impacting its dynamic behavior at different scale and, eventually, at capturing them with the proper modelling approach. This paper decribes such approach to the case of a complex deep-water reservoir belonging to slope-toe of slope environment. A 3D integrated static model was built by incorporating core and log data, their petrophysical interpretation, a description of the depositional and architectural elements, a quantitative seismic reservoir characterization and the few dynamic information available at this early development stage. The implemented geomodeling workflow focused on heterogenetiy that could affect reservoir performance such as structural-stratigraphic discontinuities that could act as hydraulic barriers. Facies in the interwell space were distributed by applying seismic-derived 3D trends. Facies distribution eventually provided the framework within which petrophysical properties modelling was performed. During the implementation of this integrated G&G and Reservoir workflow, continuous crosschecks of consistency and robustness of the model led to elaborate the final product. The resulting reservoir model captured critical uncertainties (e.g. degree of reservoir heterogeneity including stratigraphic discontinuities) leading to an optimized development scheme, that allowed to minimize risks, despite the few data available.