Saudi Arabian Oil Company

Mohamed Bouaouaja

Otto Meza Camargo

Marei Saeed Al-Garni

Ahmed Alhuthali

Permeability in earth models has three components: natural fracture, distinctive matrix permeability and porosity correlated matrix permeability. While matrix permeability is usually predictable from porosity and diagenesis effects, fracture permeability can be a highly uncertain parameter. The earth model permeability components are calibrated by determining fracture distribution and estimating fracture properties through an iterative optimization process. The calibration proceeds iteratively until the current estimate of calculated reservoir flow capacity is within acceptable accuracy limits to reservoir flow capacity indicated from production logging tool measurements.

Modeling reservoir permeability through estimating natural fracture distribution and properties

Four-dimensional fluid flow data is received that is associated with a time dimension and I, J, and K dimensions. The four-dimensional fluid flow data includes, for each of plural time steps, a fluid flow amount for the respective time step and for a respective I, J, K cell. Using the four-dimensional fluid flow data and for each of plural time steps, a four-dimensional geocellular model is determined having I, J, K and t dimensions and indicating, for each I, J, K, t cell, an amount of a fluid flowing through the I, J, K cell for a respective time step t. A three-dimensional time-independent model is determined for the I, J, K cell. A two-dimensional time-independent model is determined that includes a cumulative fluid flow amount for each I, J cell.

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Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia

Mohamed Bouaouaja