Shale Reservoir 3D Structural Modeling Using Horizontal Well Data: Main Issues and an Improved Method
Shale oil and gas fields usually contain many horizontal wells. The key of 3D structural modeling for shale reservoirs is to effectively utilize all structure-associated data (e.g., formation tops) in these horizontal wells. The inclination angle of horizontal wells is usually large, especially in t...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Earth Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2021.695502/full |
| _version_ | 1819094073187762176 |
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| author | Zhiguo Shu Guochang Wang Yang Luo Chao Wang Yalin Chen Xianjun Zou |
| author_facet | Zhiguo Shu Guochang Wang Yang Luo Chao Wang Yalin Chen Xianjun Zou |
| author_sort | Zhiguo Shu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Shale oil and gas fields usually contain many horizontal wells. The key of 3D structural modeling for shale reservoirs is to effectively utilize all structure-associated data (e.g., formation tops) in these horizontal wells. The inclination angle of horizontal wells is usually large, especially in the lateral section. As a result, formation tops in a horizontal well are located at the distinct lateral positions, while formation tops in a vertical well are usually stacked in the same or similar lateral position. It becomes very challenging to estimate shale layer thickness and structural map of multiple formation surfaces using formation tops in horizontal wells. Meanwhile, the large inclination angle of horizontal wells indicates a complicated spatial relation with shale formation surfaces. The 3D structural modeling using horizontal well data is much more difficult than that using vertical well data. To overcome these new challenges in 3D structural modeling using horizontal well data, we developed a method for 3D structural modeling using horizontal well data. The main process included 1) adding pseudo vertical wells at formation tops to convert the uncoupled formation tops to coupled formation tops as in vertical wells, 2) estimating shale thickness by balancing the shale thickness and dip angle change of a key surface, and 3) detecting horizontal well segments landing in the wrong formations and adding pseudo vertical wells to fix them. We used our improved method to successfully construct two structural models of Longmaxi–Wufeng shale reservoirs at a well pad scale and a shale oil/gas field scale. Our research demonstrated that 3D structural modeling could be improved by maximizing the utilization of horizontal well data, thus optimizing the quality of the structural model of shale reservoirs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T23:21:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-30580c93c27f4bc7ac834e0243abaadc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-6463 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T23:21:36Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Earth Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-30580c93c27f4bc7ac834e0243abaadc2022-12-21T18:46:47ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Earth Science2296-64632021-08-01910.3389/feart.2021.695502695502Shale Reservoir 3D Structural Modeling Using Horizontal Well Data: Main Issues and an Improved MethodZhiguo Shu0Guochang Wang1Yang Luo2Chao Wang3Yalin Chen4Xianjun Zou5Research Institute of Exploration and Development, SINOPEC Jianghan Oilfield Company, Wuhan, ChinaEngineering Department, Saint Francis University, Loretto, PA, United StatesKey Laboratory of Tectonics and Petroleum Resource of Ministry of Education, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, ChinaResearch Institute of Exploration and Development, SINOPEC Jianghan Oilfield Company, Wuhan, ChinaResearch Institute of Exploration and Development, SINOPEC Jianghan Oilfield Company, Wuhan, ChinaResearch Institute of Exploration and Development, SINOPEC Jianghan Oilfield Company, Wuhan, ChinaShale oil and gas fields usually contain many horizontal wells. The key of 3D structural modeling for shale reservoirs is to effectively utilize all structure-associated data (e.g., formation tops) in these horizontal wells. The inclination angle of horizontal wells is usually large, especially in the lateral section. As a result, formation tops in a horizontal well are located at the distinct lateral positions, while formation tops in a vertical well are usually stacked in the same or similar lateral position. It becomes very challenging to estimate shale layer thickness and structural map of multiple formation surfaces using formation tops in horizontal wells. Meanwhile, the large inclination angle of horizontal wells indicates a complicated spatial relation with shale formation surfaces. The 3D structural modeling using horizontal well data is much more difficult than that using vertical well data. To overcome these new challenges in 3D structural modeling using horizontal well data, we developed a method for 3D structural modeling using horizontal well data. The main process included 1) adding pseudo vertical wells at formation tops to convert the uncoupled formation tops to coupled formation tops as in vertical wells, 2) estimating shale thickness by balancing the shale thickness and dip angle change of a key surface, and 3) detecting horizontal well segments landing in the wrong formations and adding pseudo vertical wells to fix them. We used our improved method to successfully construct two structural models of Longmaxi–Wufeng shale reservoirs at a well pad scale and a shale oil/gas field scale. Our research demonstrated that 3D structural modeling could be improved by maximizing the utilization of horizontal well data, thus optimizing the quality of the structural model of shale reservoirs.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2021.695502/fullshale reservoirhorizontal well3D structural modelingpseudo vertical welllanding formation |
| spellingShingle | Zhiguo Shu Guochang Wang Yang Luo Chao Wang Yalin Chen Xianjun Zou Shale Reservoir 3D Structural Modeling Using Horizontal Well Data: Main Issues and an Improved Method Frontiers in Earth Science shale reservoir horizontal well 3D structural modeling pseudo vertical well landing formation |
| title | Shale Reservoir 3D Structural Modeling Using Horizontal Well Data: Main Issues and an Improved Method |
| title_full | Shale Reservoir 3D Structural Modeling Using Horizontal Well Data: Main Issues and an Improved Method |
| title_fullStr | Shale Reservoir 3D Structural Modeling Using Horizontal Well Data: Main Issues and an Improved Method |
| title_full_unstemmed | Shale Reservoir 3D Structural Modeling Using Horizontal Well Data: Main Issues and an Improved Method |
| title_short | Shale Reservoir 3D Structural Modeling Using Horizontal Well Data: Main Issues and an Improved Method |
| title_sort | shale reservoir 3d structural modeling using horizontal well data main issues and an improved method |
| topic | shale reservoir horizontal well 3D structural modeling pseudo vertical well landing formation |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2021.695502/full |
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