4Q14

Reservoir Rock Typing Workflow in Petrel

Creation of reservoir rock types using Flow Zone Indicators in Petrel

Geologist Veronica Osorio shows an alternative to perform Reservoir Rock

Typing process for uncored wells in Petrel. It provides a useful tool for rock
classification and for the Facies modeling process.
Veronica Osorio
Consulting Geologist
SIS MEA Gulf Region

Introduction
Rock typing is a process of classifying reservoir rocks into distinct units, each of which was deposited under similar geological conditions and has
undergone similar diagenetic alterations. When properly classified, a given rock type is imprinted by a unique permeability-porosity relationship, a
capillary pressure profile also known as J function, and a set of relative permeability curves. As a result, when rock typing is properly applied, it
can lead to the accurate estimation of formation permeability in uncored intervals and wells; a reliable generation of initial-water-saturation profile;
and a consistent and realistic simulation of the reservoir and production performance consequently. (Gunter et al. 1997; Hartmann and Farina 2004; Amaefule
et al. 1993)

A hydraulic flow unit approach has been used for classification of rock types and prediction of flow properties, as an integrating tool for
petrophysical description of the reservoir. The hydraulic unit is defined as the representative elementary volume of total reservoir rock within which
geological and petrophysical properties that control fluid flow are internally consistent and predictably different from properties of other rocks.
(Amaefule et al., 1993).

The rock types in a reservoir can be determined by Flow Zone Indicators (FZI) for routine core plug analysis. The FZI is a unique and useful value
to quantify the flow character of a reservoir and one that offers a relationship between petrophysical properties at small-scale, such as core plugs,
and large-scale, such as well bore level. In addition, the term of FZI provides the representation of the flow zones based on the surface area and
tortuosity. This technique of calculating FZI from core data has been introduced by Amaefule et al., 1993, which involves Normalized Porosity
Index (NPI) and Reservoir Quality Index (RQI) through the following equation:

0.0314
= =
1

Where: FZI - Flow Zone Indicator, m

RQI Rock Quality Index

NPI Normalized Porosity Index

k Permeability, md

Phi Porosity, %

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 Phi 2
Then k = FZI Phi
0.0314(1Phi)

The primary purpose of this article is to demonstrate how this mathematical model helps to predict the rock type in uncored wells and to allow the
generation of a synthetic Rock Type (RT) log for all wells using the Petrel platform. Geostatistical techniques can then be used to populate the rock
type throughout a reservoir. A direct modeling approach is taking all rock types and to distribute it in the 3D grid. A hierarchical modeling approach
includes two methods; one to build the container (i.e., Truncated Gaussian Simulation with trends to model a carbonates platform) and a second
method to distribute the container with different lithology (i.e., Sequential Indicator Simulation).

Methodology and Calculation

The following Petrel platform workflow provides an example on how to create reservoir rock types for uncored intervals or wells. A set of functions
(threshold functions) are created using the porosity-permeability relationship to display a FZI plot. Rock typing is then performed by using the FZI
functions in the well calculator. As a result of this procedure, a discrete RT log is created and can be used as a rock indicator in a Function window
when porosity versus permeability is plotted. In addition, the RT log can be used for Facies modeling.

Workflow 1: FZI threshold functions

1. Insert a new workflow in the Workflows pane.
2. Insert the different statements and variables as shown in Figure 1.
a. From line 2 to 4: An output sheet is used to record the porosity and permeability values.
b. Line 7: Insert a loop to run the calculation five times to create five different permeability thresholds.
c. Line 9: Insert a numeric expression to define the constant values of the variable $FZI. The values used in this example (List(0.5,1,2,4,8))
are common values for flow zone indicator (FZI). Appropriate FZI values can be obtained for each reservoir by using the FZI equation.
d. Line 11: Insert a second loop to define the porosity values using the variable $i from 0 to a reasonable maximum. In this example are
defined 45 values of porosity.
e. Line 14: This numeric expression will divide the variable $i between 100 to get porosity values from 0 to 0.45.
f. Line 17: This numeric expression will define the permeability threshold values by using the FZI mathematical model. These values will
be used later to separate the individual porosity-permeability values into discrete rock type classes.

=
(1 ) (1 ) (0.03142 )

g. From line 19 to 20: An output sheet is used to record the porosity and permeability values.
h. From line 21 to 23: Both loops needs to be closed by inserting End loop statement.
i. Run the workflow. Results are shown in the Figure 2. The columns correspond as follows:
i. Column A: Porosity values
ii. Column B: Permeability threshold calculated with FZI=0.5
iii. Column B: Permeability threshold calculated with FZI=1
iv. Column B: Permeability threshold calculated with FZI=2
v. Column B: Permeability threshold calculated with FZI=4
vi. Column B: Permeability threshold calculated with FZI=8
3. In the Input pane>Insert folder in tree. Insert new five functions by selecting the new folder>RMB>New function. For each function copy/paste
the porosity column with a different permeability column.
4. Open a new Function window and display porosity versus permeability logs, also display the new five functions (Figure 3). Hint: Make the
permeabilitys axis logarithmic and define the axis range from 0.01-20,000.

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Fig 1. Workflow 1 to create the FZI threshold functions.

Fig 2. Results from Workflow 1: Porosity is displayed in Column A and permeability thresholds are displayed from Columns B to F.

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 Fig 3. Plot of porosity versus permeability and FZI functions.

Workflow 2: Rock type

1. Insert a new workflow in the Workflows pane.
2. Insert the different operations and statements as shown in the Figure 4. For the different Calculators select General discrete template and
define the equations as follows:
a. Line 1: RT=If( Perm_temp<=FZI_05(PHI),1 ,U )
b. Line 3: RT=If( Perm_temp>FZI_05(PHI) and Perm_temp<=FZI_1(PHI),2 ,RT)
c. Line 5: RT=If( Perm_temp>FZI_1(PHI) and Perm_temp<=FZI_2(PHI),3 ,RT )
d. Line 7: RT=If( Perm_temp>FZI_2(PHI) and Perm_temp<=FZI_4(PHI),4 ,RT)
e. Line 9: RT=If( Perm_temp>FZI_4(PHI) and Perm_temp<=FZI_8(PHI),5 ,RT)
f. Line 11: RT=If( Perm_temp>FZI_8(PHI),6 ,RT)
Note: The name of the logs and functions can be different in each project, and then equations must be updated accordingly. For example in
the equation FZI_05(PHI) corresponds to the FZI function created previously.
3. Using the Well log calculator create a log called RT=U and assign the General discrete template.
4. Make sure you have visible the previous Function window and display the new RT log.
5. Run the Workflow. Realize how the RT log is changing of color while the rock types are calculated by Workflow 2.
Note: The new RT log can be displayed in a well section window for QC.

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 Fig 4. Workflow 2 to create Rock Types.

Fig 5. Plot of Porosity versus Permeability versus Rock Types and FZI threshold functions.

References

SPE-97033-PA: Rock Typing as an Effective Tool for Permeability and Water-Saturation Modeling: A Case Study in a Clastic Reservoir in the Oriente Basin.

T. Chandra, Permeability estimation using flow zone indicator from well log data, 7th International Conference & Exploration on Petroleum Geophysics, 2008.

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