«Geology, geophysics and development of oil and gas fields»

HYDROCARBON POTENTIAL RE-EVALUATION OF UNDEREXPLORED RESERVOIRS AT MATURE OIL FIELD

UDC: 553.982:622.276.1/.4(87)
DOI: 10.33285/2413-5011-2021-3(351)-43-53

Authors:

¹ Petrolera RN, Caracas, Venezuela

Keywords: overlooked reservoirs, field re-exploration, seismic structural analysis, integrated study, Naturally fractured reservoir, carbonate deposits, reservoir characterization, well productivity

Annotation:

The discovery of new reservoirs with notable and profitable volume of hydrocarbons is getting harder and harder around the world. For this reason, oil companies are looking to the past in order to have another vision for those reservoirs, which were considered back in time as marginal based on technical or economic reasons. This is the case of one of the oil fields in Venezuela, the rediscovery of which has shown a variety of opportunities for the development of overlooked reserves. Although exploratory activities in this field located in the west of Maracaibo Lake began in 1926, the available technology at that moment was not good enough to reach the reservoir. The study of potential reserves in the Cretaceous formations was postponed due to the promised results of Tertiary formations development. However, at the moment, when the current reserves, as well as hydrocarbon production in the developed formations are significantly reduced, initiatives are being taken to reassess the prospects of the Cretaceous formations. As part of the campaign to re-engage in the development of Cretaceous deposits, an integrated study was carried out taking into account the available data. A structural, sedimentology, stratigraphic and petrophysical re-evaluation and re-interpretation model and was complemented by a dynamic conventional analysis, which integrated well testing results. In addition, the Cretaceous development analysis in analogue fields was carried out. This study presents the static and dynamic characteristics of the main Cretaceous formations, their development prospect, as well as the proposed development strategies that maximize the recovery of reserves.

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