Saudi Arabian Oil Company

Nikolaos Andreas Michael

Peng Lu

Maher I Marhoon

Rainer Zuhlke

Neil William Craigie

Yaser Abdullah Alzayer

Rudi Lubbe

Christian Scheibe

Christos Saragiotis

A method of enhancing a gross depositional environment (GDE) map of a subsurface formation. The method includes obtaining the GDE map of the subsurface formation, including a lithology map of a plurality of lithotypes and obtaining a paleo-bathymetric map of the subsurface formation. The method further includes assigning an inverse mobility for each of the lithotypes and determining, using a computer processor, an enhanced GDE map based, at least in part, on the GDE map, the paleo-bathymetric map, and the inverse mobility for each of the lithotypes.

Reconstructing carbonate sediment transport and pathways in the geological record

A method is claimed that includes obtaining a measured present-day value of at least one parameter for each member of a set of unvalidated geological layers arranged in order of increasing depth and iteratively selecting a member of the set as a current layer. For each current layer in turn, the method further determines an estimated archaic value of at least one parameter of the current layer based on its measured present-day value by applying an alternating cycle of decompaction followed by geomechnical modeling to predict a present-day value of the parameter of the current layer based on its estimated archaic value. The method still further determines a validated archaic value of at least one parameter of each current layer based on a difference between the predicted and the measured present-day values. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions for validating the archaic value for each layer is claimed.

Method for validating rock formations compaction parameters using geomechanical modeling

A method may include obtaining geological data and seismic data regarding a geological region of interest, wherein the geological data includes grain size data. The method may further include determining a first set of sedimentary pathways using the grain size data. The method may further include determining a topographical surface for the geological region of interest using the seismic data or/and well data. The method may further include determining, by the computer processor, a second set of sedimentary pathways using the topographical surface. The method may further include generating various output sedimentary pathways based on a combination of the first set of sedimentary pathways and the second set of sedimentary pathways.

Method and system for sedimentary pathway prediction using geological and seismic data

A method including obtaining, for a subterranean region, a set of sedimentary pathways, a sediment attribute map, and an area of interest. From these inputs, a sedimentary fairway, and a sedimentary fairway attribute based on the location of the origin point of each member of the set of sedimentary pathways, and a spatial location of the terminal point of each member of the set of sedimentary pathways are determined. Further, the method includes dividing the sedimentary fairway into one or more sedimentary pathway domains and a sediment attribute profile for each sedimentary pathway domain based on a trajectory of each sedimentary pathway, and determining an intersection of the trajectory of each sedimentary pathway with one or more boundaries of the area of interest. The method also includes determining a sedimentary attribute at the entry points, and a sedimentary attribute at the exit points of the set of sedimentary pathways with the area of interest, and a change in the sedimentary attribute between the entry and exit points.

Automated sedimentary fairway definition and approach for calculating sediment input and output location parameters per area of interest

An elemental analysis of rock samples from outcrop sections or wells is performed. Data quality checks, data analysis, and filtering are performed on the rock samples, including de-spiking of elemental profiles and elemental ratios. First and second derivatives for the elemental profiles and the elemental ratios are calculated. Samples and depths that exceed thresholds are determined. The process is repeated for the elemental profiles and the elemental ratios that are related with boundary determination and carbonate or siliciclastic sediments. Additional filters are applied to at least a subset of the elemental profiles and elemental ratios that are related with boundary determination and carbonate or siliciclastic sediments to enhance the boundary identification. Possible boundaries in depths of the outcrop sections or wells are determined by summarizing the additionally filtered elemental profiles and the additionally filtered elemental ratios.

Stratigraphic boundaries identification from chemostratigraphic intervals in well logs based on first and second derivatives

For a specified stratigraphic interval, well data is received for a plurality of wells. An average grain size for each of the plurality of wells is determined based on the received data. A location or multiple locations of a grain source is determined based on the average grain sizes for the stratigraphic interval.

Determining sediment source locations

Mapping is performed of chemostratigraphic signatures of hydrocarbon reservoirs in three dimensions. Up-scaled chemostratigraphic data from well cuttings and well cores are tied with high-resolution elastic wireline data at well locations in the reservoir. The wireline data is used to determine suitable seismic attributes for mapping the desired chemostratigraphic property, and are obtained by performing pre- and/or post-stack inversions. A multi-attribute template, derived from the well data, is developed to characterize the reservoir in terms of its chemostratigraphic properties. The seismic data is then inverted to map the chemostratigraphic signatures of reservoir in three dimensions.

Mapping chemostratigraphic signatures of a reservoir with rock physics and seismic inversion

A core sampling apparatus includes an inner tube configured to collect a core sample by means of a core catcher attached to one end of the core sampling apparatus, and an outer tube co-axially disposed on the outside of the inner tube, wherein the inner tube includes a plurality of impregnation windows configured to allow resin to flow into the core sample, each window including a window opening and a window cover configured to cover the window opening. A method for sampling a core includes extracting a core sample using a core sampler, transporting the inner tube containing the core sample to the surface, impregnating the core sample with a resin by allowing the resin to flow into the core sample through a plurality of impregnation windows formed on the inner tube, and allowing for the resin to cure, thereby stabilizing unconsolidated sediment in the core sample.

Core sampler with impregnation windows and method for stabilization of unconsolidated sediment in core samples

Apparatus and method for in-situ stabilization of unconsolidated sediment in core samples are disclosed. The core sampling apparatus includes a corer having an inner wall, an outer wall, and a plurality of impregnation tubes disposed between the inner and the outer wall, wherein the impregnation tubes are parallel to a central axis of the corer. The method for sampling a core includes extracting a core sample using a corer, and in-situ stabilizing unconsolidated sediment in the core sample within the corer by impregnating the core sample with a resin. The resin is supplied through a plurality of impregnation tubes disposed between the walls of the corer.

Apparatus and method for in-situ stabilization of unconsolidated sediment in core samples

A core sampler including an inner wall, an outer wall, a plurality of membranes disposed between the inner wall and outer wall, the plurality of membranes attached to the inner wall and outer wall at one or more attachment points, and a rotating knob attached to the inner wall or outer wall, the rotating knob configured to rotate the inner wall relative to the outer wall when the rotating knob is attached to the inner wall and to rotate the outer wall relative to the inner wall when the rotating knob is attached to the outer wall, wherein the membranes reside between the inner wall and the outer wall when the core sampler is fully open, and wherein the membranes come together and fully close the core sampler when the rotating knob is rotated 180 degrees or more.

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Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia

Nikolaos Andreas Michael