Compartmentalization in Petroleum Reservoirs: Detection Techniques Based on Fluid Properties

by
Rashidat Titilope Azeez, MSE

University of Texas at Austin, 2004
Supervisors: Larry W. Lake
Jon E. Olson

Reservoir heterogeneity at a variety of scales can be caused by structural complexity, stratigraphic stacking patterns or diagenetic alteration of pore system continuity. This heterogeneity manifests itself as barriers or baffles to fluid flow and results in compartments. Reservoir compartmentalization and fluid barriers, such as sealing faults or continuous low permeability trends have significant impact on field development planning.

Compartmentalized reservoirs consist of two or more compartments that maybe hydraulically communicating. Two types of reservoir compartmentalization have been identified, namely vertical and lateral compartmentalization. Vertical compartmentalization usually occurs as a result of faulting or stratigraphic changes in the reservoir while lateral compartmentalization results from horizontal barriers such as micaceous streaks or stylolites.

All petroleum reservoirs are compartmentalized to a certain degree. The last two decades has witnessed an increasing evidence of compartmentalization in both gas and oil reservoirs.

As earlier stated, reservoir compartmentalization has a key impact on the field development and can make a difference between an economic and non-economic field; therefore, its detection is highly desirable. This report describes the major techniques of detecting compartmentalization: geochemistry, pressure data, and production data. Since each of the aforementioned techniques provides information on different aspect of reservoir compartmentalization, the integration of the different methods described in this report should be the best approach and is recommended in any reservoir compartmentalization studies to enhance effective description and characterization of petroleum reservoirs.

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