Characterization of Thinly Bedded Reservoir and 3D Static Model, Open up Reserves in Middle Burgan Reservoir Sabiriyah Field, North Kuwait

Abstract

The Sabiriyah Middle Burgan Reservoir is a part of the North Kuwait Resource which is under-developed. It has a high degree of reservoir rock and fluid heterogeneity, and until recently, the establishment of mobile oil was given low priority. In the presence of giant reservoirs, the Middle Burgan formation is one of the ‘Minor Reservoirs’ thought to have limited opportunity for production upgrade. Improved reservoir characterization and subsequent high definition 3D Static model enhanced the possibility of testing Middle Burgan. The successful testing results from the first exclusively drilled well and idle well bore penetrating the reservoir showed the reservoir to have potential for dry oil production. These results also helped to prepare a development plan for the reservoir and to identify follow-up actions that will aid increased oil production and reserve accretion. The Middle Burgan Formation is a stacked shoreface deposit forming prograding parasequence sets made up of upward-cleaning and shallowing parasequences. The parasequence sets reflect the overall transition in depositional environment from muddy offshore deposits, through heterolithic offshore transition zone deposits, to lower shoreface sandstones. Middle Burgan Reservoir was subdivided to 4 major layers and 17 sub layers based on sequence stratigraphy and rock quality index. This geological layers Combined with 3D seismic data provided the framework for the structural model. The high-resolution geocellular model was built while integrating all the components, which included the deterministic structure maps and petrophysical results. The model and visualization proved valuable for interpreting the primary depositional and secondary digenetic processes that left their influence on Middle Burgan rocks. The study helped in understanding the reservoir heterogeneity and reduced the uncertainty in the identification of sand. With this more accurate estimation of water saturation, resources previously qualified as “wet” in normal clastic reservoirs, can now be exploited as producible reserves. In addition, the study helped to develop the Middle Burgan Reservoir leading to new Drilling and Workover opportunities. This led to more than 600% increase in Oil Production, and estimated 100% increase in recoverable reserves. Ultimately this study supported a long-term development plan and reserves growth for North Kuwait.

AAPG Datapages/Search and Discovery Article #90194 © 2014 International Conference & Exhibition, Istanbul, Turkey, September 14-17, 2014