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FORMATION EVALUATION USING PETROPHYSICAL ANALYSIS METHOD AND

GAS CHROMATOGRAPH RATIO ANALYSIS METHOD: CASE STUDY AT X WELL,
AW FIELD, KUTAI BASIN
Ari Wibowo 1 and Gilang Nuansa Putra 2
1
UPN “veteran’ Yogyakarta, 2 Pertamina EP

ABSTRACT (Ch) in reservoir fluid (Haworth, 1985) then plot gas

Gas chromatograph ratio analysis for formation evaluation content in Pixler diagrams.
is infrequently used. This paper explained the combination
of two analysis methods which are petrophysical analysis DATA AND METHODS
method and gas chromatograph ratio analysis method for 1. Petrophysical Analysis Method
formation evaluation at X well, AW Field, Kutai Basin.
Petrophysical analysis has two steps which are qualitative Petrophysical analysis method uses qualitative analysis by
analysis to pick reservoir that expected have hydrocarbon looking open hole log to identify hydrocarbon bearing
prospect, and quantitative analysis to calculate reservoir zones. Quantitative analysis is also used to calculate
properties (volume of shale, effective porosity, water reservoir properties like effective porosity (φef),
saturation and permeability). It results eight sandstone with permeability (K), and saturation of water (Sw).
reservoir property values: volume of shale (Vsh) range
The formulas (Asquith, 1982) to calculate reservoir
from 0.06 – 0.25, effective porosity (φef) range from 0.19 –
properties are :
0.25, saturation of water (Sw) range from 0.63 - 0.87, and
permeability (K) range from 1.61 – 197.21 mD. Gas
a. Volume of Shale (Vsh)
chromatograph ratio analysis method is used to determine
the type of fluid in reservoir. This method results that sand Vsh = 0.083[2(3.7 x IGR) – 1] (1)
A and sand E contain oil with high GOR or condensate. where, Vsh is volume of shale, IGR is gamma ray index.
Sand B, sand C and sand H contain productive gas. Sand D,
sand F and sand G contain productive oil. Sand F which is b. Efective Porosity (Φe)
interpreted have oil content, has been produced oil with
natural flow at July 28th 2011 and now produced with (ΦD) = (ρma – ρb)/ (ρma – ρf) (2)
sucker rod pump (SRP) (June 2014).
(ΦD-N) = ((ΦD)2+ (ΦN)2) / 2 (3)
INTRODUCTION
In petroleum exploration and development, formation Φe = ΦD-N (1 – Vsh) (4)
evaluation is used to know the ability of a formation for
producing petroleum. Petrophysical analysis method to where, ΦD is density porosity, ρma is matrix density, ρb is
determine hydrocarbon bearing zones is plenty used in bulk density, ρf is density fluid (fresh mud = 1, saline mud
formation evaluation. This method need open hole log to = 1.1, gas = 0.7), ΦD-N is density-neutron porosity,ΦN is
determine good reservoir by using qualitative analysis and neutron porosity, and Φe is effective porosity.
calculate reservoir properties by using quantitative analysis.
In this paper, formation evaluation does not only use c. Saturation of Water (Sw)
petrophysical analysis method but also gas chromatograph Rw = Rtemp x (Temp + 6.77)/(Tf + 6.77) (5)
ratio analysis method to determine fluid type in reservoir at
X well, AW Field, Kutai Basin. Gas chromatograph Sw = CRw 5 Φe 2 (FRw) + Vsh 2 -Vsh (6)
analysis method uses gas content which are methane (C1), Φe 2 Rw x Rt Rsh Rsh
ethane (C2), propane (C3), iso butane (iC4), normal butane
(nC4), iso pentane (iC5), and normal pentane (nC5) in mud where, Rw is a resistivity at formation temperature, Rtemp is
log to calculate wetness (Wh), balance (Bh), and character a resistivity at a temperature other than formation, Temp is
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temperature at which resistivity was meausred, Tf is
formation temperature, Sw is Simandoux’s saturation of
water, C is constant, Rt is true resistivity of the uninvaded
zone, F is formation factor, Rsh is resistivity of shale.
d. Permeability (K)
trace of the heavy hydrocarbons associated with a
productive zones. Fluid interpretation uses wetness and
balance ratio at Table 1.
Table 1. Fluid interpretation using wetness and balance ratio
(Haworth, 1985)

K = [(250 x Φe3) / Swirr]2 (oil)

K = [(79 x Φe3) / Swirr]2 (gas)
(7)

Where, K is permeability, Swirr is irreducible water

saturation.

2. Gas Chromatograph Ratio Analysis Method

When drilling operation happens, there are cutting and

hydrocarbon gas in drilling mud that come out from the
hole. Hydrocarbon gases are detected by gas
chromatograph analyzer, they are methane (C1), ethane
(C2), propane (C3), iso butane (iC4), normal butane (nC4),
iso pentane (iC5) and normal pentane (nC5). Gas ratio
analysis method uses these gas data to determine the
reservoir fluid by calculating of wetness (Wh), balance
(Bh), character (Ch) (Haworth, 1985) and plotting the gas
data in Pixler diagram.
a. Wetness (Wh), Balance (Bh) and Character (Ch)
(Haworth,1985)
Character Ratio (Ch)
By computing the heavier gas compounds (propane-
pentane), the character ratio is used to qualify a gas
prediction from the wetness/balance ratios. The character
ratio confirms whether a gas prediction is indeed a gas
zone, or whether the gas is associated with oil. This
significance of comparing these three compounds is that C3
will typically be more predominant in a gas reservoir, with
lower amounts of C4/C5.

The Wetness Ratio (Wh) Ch = C4 + C5

The wetness ratio shows an increasing trend as gas and oil (10)
C3
density increases, ie as the amount of heavy gas component
increase proportionally against the lighter gases. The character ratio (Ch) should be used to qualify all
wetness/balance ratio gas predictions (Table 2), but it is
Wh = C2 + C3 + C4 + C5 x 100 most useful in a very specific situation when the wetness
(8)
C1 + C2 + C3 + C4 + C5 and balance ratio value are close together, so it can be used
to predict what fluid in the reservoir.
Balance Ratio (Bh)
The balance ratio is a direct comparison of light to heavy Table 2. Fluid interpretation using character ratio (Haworth, 1985)
hydrocarbon and, for interpretative purposes, is used
together with wetness ratio.

Bh = C1 + C2 (9)
C3 + C4 + C5

Bh reacts inversely to Wh so that it decreases as the fluid

density increases. It is used to determine, or confirm, gas
production potential. The value will be very high with very b. Pixler Diagram
dry methane for example, the rapidly as soon as there is a
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Pixler diagram is resulted by plotting the comparison of gas
methane (C1), ethane (C2), propane (C3), iso butane (iC4),
normal butane (nC4), iso pentane (iC5), and normal
pentane (nC5) then reservoir fluid will be known by
looking the plotted at the diagram (Figure 1).
Gas chromatograph ratio analysis method uses mud log
(Figure 2) to identify the reservoir and hydrocarbon gas
amounts in the reservoir. Based on calculation of gas
chromatograph ratio analysis method that calculate wetness
(Wh), balance (Bh), and character (Ch) (Haworth, 1985)
results that sand A and sand E contain oil with high GOR
or condensate. Sand B, sand C, and sand H contain
productive gas. Sand D, sand F, and sand G contains
productive oil (Table 4).

Figure 1. Pixler diagram

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Petrophysical analysis method uses open hole log to make
qualitative interpretation of hydrocarbon prospect in
reservoir and also can be used to calculate reservoir
properties. Based on qualitative interpretation and
calculation of reservoir properties by petrophysical analysis
method, X well is divided into eight sandstone reservoir Figure 2. Mud log shows the cutting lithology and gas contained at
(sand A to sand I) with different reservoir property values. reservoir (C1, C2, C3, iC4, nC4, iC5).
Average of volume of shale values (Vsh) have a range from
Table 4. Result of gas ratio analysis wetnees (Wh), balance (Bh),
0.06 – 0.27, effective porosity values (φef) have a range and character (Ch) (Haworth, 1985)
from 0.19 – 0.25, saturation of water values (Sw) have a Depth (m) Gas Ratio Analysis Fluid Interpretation
Reservoir
range from 0.39 - 0.87, and permeability values (K) have a Top Bottom Wh Bh Ch (Haworth, 1985)
range from 1.61 – 197.21 mD (Tabel 3). Sand A 431 433 14.41 16.10 0.64 Oil with high GOR or condensate
Sand B 597 599 4.63 55.38 0.55 Productive gas
Sand C 637 642 7.98 28.64 1.20 Productive gas
Table 3. Result of petrophysical analysis
Sand D 722 729 18.03 9.17 1.00 Productive oil
Depth (m) Av Av Av Φ Av Av Av K Sand E 772 775 14.53 12.50 1.08 Oil with high GOR or condensate
No Reservoir
Top Bottom Vshale Φ D N- D Φ e Sw (mD) Sand F 1219 1223 17.91 8.57 0.56 Productive oil
Sand G 1224 1240 17.91 8.57 0.56 Productive oil
1 Sand A 431 433 0.27 0.29 0.28 0.21 0.63 35.95
Sand H 1250 1270 6.72 43.67 1.00 Productive gas
2 Sand B 597 599 0.18 0.16 0.23 0.19 0.86 1.61
3 Sand C 637 642 0.07 0.24 0.26 0.25 0.87 2.71
Based on plotting of comparison gas content to pixler
4 Sand D 722 729 0.18 0.18 0.24 0.20 0.84 2.16 diagram (Figure 3) results that sand A and sand E contain
5 Sand E 772 775 0.23 0.18 0.24 0.19 0.78 3.58 oil with high GOR. Sand B, sand C, and sand H contain
6 Sand F 1219 1223 0.09 0.22 0.23 0.21 0.39 197.21 gas. Sand D, sand F, and sand G contain oil with low gas
7 Sand G 1224 1240 0.06 0.24 0.25 0.23 0.66 15.61 content (Table 5).
8 Sand H 1250 1269 0.12 0.23 0.23 0.20 0.64 7.79
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Table 5. Result of gas ratio analysis with pixler diagram

Depth (m) Fluid Interpretation
No Reservoir
Top Bottom (Pixler Diagram)
1 Sand A 431 433 Oil with high GOR
2 Sand B 597 599 Gas
3 Sand C 637 642 Gas
4 Sand D 722 729 Oil with low gas content
5 Sand E 772 775 Oil with high GOR
6 Sand F 1219 1223 Oil with low gas content
7 Sand G 1224 1240 Oil with low gas content
8 Sand H 1250 1270 Gas

Gas chromatograph ratio analysis method has same result

with petrophysical analysis method (Figure 4). For the
examples both sand F and sand G in gas chromatograph
ratio analysis result productive oil content which is same
result to petrophysical analysis method. Sand H in gas
chromatograph ratio analysis results productive gas content
which is same result to petrophysical analysis method.

Figure 3. Pixler Diagrams Plot at X Well

Figure 4. Petrophysical analysis shows reservoir properties and

interpreted fluid in sand F, sand G which is oil and sand H which is
gas. The fluid interpretation shows same result with gas
chromatograph ratio analysis method
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Sand F which has reservoir property values are 0.09 for
volume of shale (Vsh), 0.21 for effective porosity (Φe),
0.39 for saturation of water (Sw), 197.21 darcy of
permeability (K) and interpreted as oil content. It has been
perforated at July 28th 2011 and also has been produced oil
with natural flow with 73 BFPD / 37 BOPD / WC 49%,
and now (June 2014) produced with sucker rod pump
(SRP) with 523 BFPD / 105 BOP / WC 80%.
CONCLUSIONS
1. There are eight sandstone reservoir at X well with
different reservoir property values.
REFERENCES
Asquith G., Gibson C., 1982, “Basic Log Analysis for
Geologist”, AAPG, Tulsa, Oklahoma USA.
Brumboiu, A., Hawker, D., Norquay, D., Law, D., 2005.
“Advances In Chromatographic Analysis of
Hydrocarbon Gases in Drilling”. SPWLA 46th Annual
Logging Symposium in New Orleans, Louisiana,
United States,June 26-29.
Hawker D., 2001, “Enhance Use of Well Site Gas Data and
the Influence of Technology”, AAPG, Colorado.

2. The petrophysical analysis method calculates the Suseno, P., 2010, “Optimalisasi Perhitungan Gas Ratio
reservoir property values which are volume of shale Sebagai Identifikasi Awal Penentuan Zona Prospek
(Vsh) have a range from 0.06 – 0.27, effective porosity Minyak pada Operasi Pemboran, IATMI, Jakarta.
(φef) have a range from 0.19 – 0.25, saturation of water
(Sw) have a range from 0.39 - 0.87, and permeability
(K) have a range from 1.61 – 197.21 mD. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Authors would like to acknowledge to PT Pertamina EP
3. The gas chromatograph ratio analysis method results Asset 5, Sangatta Field for the support and permit to
that sand A and sand E contain oil with high GOR or publish this paper.
condensate. Sand B, sand C and sand H contain
productive gas. Sand D, sand F and sand G contain
productive oil.

4. Combination of petrophysical analysis and gas

chromatograph analysis method are a powerful methods
to know values of reservoir property and reservoir
fluid.