Influence of shale and mudstone heterogeneity on permeability-driven fluid flow: sample to geophysical well log scale

Michael Drews, Kuncho Kurtev, Jingsheng Ma, Ulf Boeker, Andy Aplin

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

    5 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    The flow properties of shales and mudstones are important for petroleum systems, hydrogeology and CO2 storage sites. However, these flow properties have been mainly studied on laboratory sample scale in the past, assuming homogeneity on larger scales, although shale and mudstones can be highly heterogeneous, depending on their depositional environment. In this study, we investigate the influence of heterogeneities of shales and mudstones on fluid flow on the next larger scale compared to the laboratory sample scale: the geophysical well log scale. To do so, we have quantitatively investigated more than 500 m of mud-rich core and borehole images from six wells of an offshore gas field in the Nile Delta, Egypt. The quantitative approach allowed for subsequent modeling of the observed heterogeneities, which serve as geometry input for 2D numerical fluid flow simulation to calculate effective permeabilities. The fluid flow models were integrated with grain size measurements and published stress-porosity-permeability relationships. As a final result, stress-dependent effective porosity-permeability relationships for a range of shale and mudstone heterogeneities and associated lithological variability can be provided along with probability distributions of heterogeneity occurrence for most of the depositional environments encountered in the investigated Nile Delta wells.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publication75th European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers Conference and Exhibition 2013
    Subtitle of host publicationChanging Frontiers: Incorporating SPE EUROPEC 2013
    Place of PublicationHouten
    PublisherEAGE Publishing BV
    Pages5213-5217
    Number of pages5
    ISBN (Print)9781629937915
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2013
    Event75th EAGE Conference and Exhibition 2013 - London, United Kingdom
    Duration: 10 Jun 201313 Jun 2013

    Conference

    Conference75th EAGE Conference and Exhibition 2013
    Abbreviated titleSPE EUROPEC 2013
    Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
    CityLondon
    Period10/06/1313/06/13

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