Automatic discrimination of sedimentary facies and lithologies in reef-bank reservoirs using borehole image logs
Chai Hua1,2, Li Ning2,4, Xiao Cheng-Wen3, Liu Xing-Li3, Li Duo-Li3, Wang Cai-Zhi2, and Wu Da-Cheng3
1. School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
2. Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, PetroChina, Beijing 100083, China.
3. Research Institute of Exploration and Development, Tarim Oilfield Company, PetroChina, Korla 841000, China.
4. College of Geophysics and Petroleum Resource, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434023, China.
Abstract Reef-bank reservoirs are an important target for petroleum exploration in marine carbonates and also an essential supplemental area for oil and gas production in China. Due to the diversity of reservoirs and the extreme heterogeneity of reef-banks, it is very difficult to discriminate the sedimentary facies and lithologies in reef-bank reservoirs using conventional well logs. The borehole image log provides clear identification of sedimentary structures and textures and is an ideal tool for discriminating sedimentary facies and lithologies. After examining a large number of borehole images and cores, we propose nine typical patterns for borehole image interpretation and a method that uses these patterns to discriminate sedimentary facies and lithologies in reef-bank reservoirs automatically. We also develop software with user-friendly interface. The results of applications in reef-bank reservoirs in the middle Tarim Basin and northeast Sichuan have proved that the proposed method and the corresponding software are quite effective.
This work was sponsored by the National S&T Major Special Project (No. 2008ZX05020-01).
Cite this article:
CHAI Hua,LI Ning,XIAO Cheng-Wen et al. Automatic discrimination of sedimentary facies and lithologies in reef-bank reservoirs using borehole image logs[J]. APPLIED GEOPHYSICS, 2009, 6(1): 17-29.
[1]
Chen, G. H., Wu, W. S., and Mao, K. Y., 2001, Identifying formation lithology using formation microscanner images: Petroleum Exploration and Development (in Chinese), 28(2), 53 - 55.
[2]
Chen, J. S., Wang, Z. Y., Dai, Z. Y., Ma, Q., Jiang, Y. Q., and Tan, X. C., 1999, Study of the middle and upper Ordovician rimmed carbonate platform system in the Tazhong area, Tarim basin: Journal of Palaeogeography, 1(2), 8 - 17.
[3]
Chitale, D. V., 2005, Borehole imaging in reservoir characterization: implementation of a standard interpretation workflow for the clastic and carbonate reservoirs: 46th Annual SPWLA Logging Symposium, New Orleans, Louisiana.
[4]
Faivre, O., and Catala, G., 1995, Dip estimation from azimuthal Laterolog tools: Transactions of the SPWLA Annual Logging Symposium, 36, CC1 - CC10.
[5]
Fan, J. S., and Zhang, W., 1985, On the basic concept and classification of organic reefs and their main identifying criteria: Acta Petrologica Sinica (in Chinese), 1(3), 45 - 59.
[6]
Geng, H. J., Wang, G. W., Li, J., Hong, Q., and Qin, M. J., 2002, Image interpretation modes and the typical interpretation chart for imaging well logging: Journal of Jianghan Petroleum Institute (in Chinese), 24(1), 26 - 29.
[7]
Gonzalez, R. C. and Woods, R. E., 2002, Digital image processing (second edition), Pearson Education, 289 - 301.
[8]
Leduc, J. P., Delhaye-Prat, V., Zaugg, P., Mathis, B., and Lejay, A., 2002, FMI based sedimentary facies modeling, Surmont Lease (Athabasca, Canada): Presented at the 75th CSPG Convention.
[9]
Li, C.L., and Zhou, C.C., 2008, A New Method to Calculate Lithological Profile with Micro-resistivity Imaging Log: Well Logging Technology (in Chinese), 32(1), 45 - 48.
[10]
Linek, M., 2003, Interpretation of FMS image data referring to pore space analysis of continental Flood Basalts, an example of ODF hole 917A, East Greenland Margin: Ph.D. Thesis, Technische Universitat, Bergakademie Frieberg, Germany.
[11]
Lovell, M. A., Harvey, P. K., Brewer, T. S., Williams, C., Jackson, P. D., and Williamson, G., 1997, Application of FMS images in the Ocean Drilling Program: an overview (in geological evolution of ocean basins: results from the Ocean Drilling Program): Geological Society Special Publications, 131, 287 - 303.
[12]
Newberry, B. M., Grace, L. M., and Stief, D. D., 1996, Analysis of carbonate dual porosity systems from borehole electrical images: in Proceedings: Permian Basin Oil and Gas Recovery Conference, Society of Petroleum Engineers, 123 - 120.
[13]
Nurmi, R., Charara, M., Waterhouse, M., and Park, R., 1990, Heterogeneities in carbonate reservoirs: detection and analysis using borehole electrical imagery: in Geological Applications of Wireline Logs, Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 48, 95 - 111.
[14]
Prensky, S. E., 1999, Advances in borehole imaging technology and applications: in Borehole Imaging: Applications and Case Histories, Geological Society Special Publications, 159, 1 - 43.
[15]
Prilliman, J., Bean, C., Hashem, M., Bratton, T., Fredette, M. A., and Lovell, J. R., 1997, A comparison of wireline and LWD resistivity images in the Gulf of Mexico: Transactions of the SPWLA Annual Logging Symposium, 38, DDD1 - DDD11.
[16]
Ren, X. G., Yao, S. X., Luo, L. and Zhang, S. D., 1999, Log responses to bioreef in the east of Sichuan and its identification mode: Well Logging Technology (in Chinese), 23(3), 190 - 193.
[17]
Riding, R., 2002, Structure and composition of organic reefs and carbonate mud mounds; concepts and categories: Earth-Science Reviews, 58(1 - 2), 163 - 231.
[18]
Rider, M., 1996, Image logs, chapter 13: in The Geologic Interpretation of Well Logs, 2nd edition, Gulf Publishing Company, Houston, 199 - 225.
[19]
Russell, S. D., Akbar, M., Vissapragada, B., and Walkden, G. M., 2002, Rock types and permeability prediction from dipmeter and image logs; Shuaiba Reservoir (Aptian), Abu Dhabi: AAPG Bulletin, 86(10), 1709 - 1732.
Standen, E., Nurmi, R., El-Wazeer, F., and Ozkanli, M., 1993, Quantitative applications of wellbore images to reservoir analysis: Transactions of the SPWLA Annual Logging Symposium, 34, EEE1 - EEE15.
[22]
Theodoridis, S. and Koutroumbas, K., 2006, Pattern recognition (third edition): Academic Press, 187 - 235.
[23]
Wang, F., Wen, Z. F., Zhong, J. H., Li, Y., and Wang, H. Q., 2005, Logging response and interpretation on reef in Western Qaidam Basin, China: Well Logging Technology (in Chinese), 29(2), 133 - 136.
[24]
Wang, Z. Y., Yan, W., Zhang, Y. F., Sun, C. H., Yang, H. J., Sun, L. X., Li, X. S., and Ji, Y. G., 2007, Depositional characteristics of Upper Ordovician platform margin reefs in well block TZ16 - 44, Tarim Basin: Xinjiang Petroleum Geology, 28(6), 681 - 683.
[25]
Wei, P. S., Liu, Q. X., Zhang, J. L., Chen, Q. L., and Zhang, H. Q., 2006, Re-discussion of relationship between reef and giant oil-gas fields: Acta Petrolei Sinica (in Chinese), 27(2), 38 - 42.
[26]
Wen, Z. F., Zhong, J. H., Zhang, Y. Z., Guo, Z. Q., Liu, Y. T., and Li, Y., 2005, Distribution characteristics of reef reservoir in the western Qaidam Basin: Acta Petrolei Sinica (in Chinese), 26(6), 30 - 35.
[27]
Zhang, S. Y., Fan, Y. R., and Li, H. Y., 2006, Karst carbonate reservoir division and contrast based on natural gamma ray spectrometry logging in Tahe Oilfield: Journal of China University of Petroleum (Edition of Natural Science) (in Chinese), 30(6), 35 - 41.
[28]
Zhang, Y. J., 200, Image analysis (second edition): Tsinghua University Press, Beijing, 279 - 342.
[29]
Zhao, C. L., and Zhu, X. M., 2001, Sedimentary petrology (third edition): Petroleum Industry Press, Beijing, 354 - 367.
2009, Vol. 6 
