A giant Middle Eastern reservoir was modeled and history matched during reservoir simulation. The model was used to help predict reservoir performance under various scenarios and to evaluate the impact on production rates, ultimate recovery, and economics. Implementation of an infill, extension, and pressure-maintenance plan is in progress. This model overcame shortcomings of previous models of this reservoir through detailed integration of geologic, geophysical, and engineering data. Among the data incorporated were slabbed core, thin-sections, core analyses, seismic, isotope, openhole logs, thermal-decay-time (TDT) logs, repeat formation tests (RFT's), field-pressure surveys, oil and water production data, and production tests. Significant modifications were made to internal and external reservoir architecture, and a diagenetic barrier (DB) was discovered that is the primary barrier to aquifer support. Results of the study include increased booked reserves and production rates, additional infill wells, two reservoir extension area discoveries, and the design and implementation of a pressure-maintenance program.
Summary Modern computer systems help the "integrated work team approach" to be effectively applied in major reservoir studies. Current computer hardware and software facilitate this approach, and they have allowed superior results to be obtained in a field study of a large Middle Eastern reservoir (3 billion bbls OOIP). This paper focuses on the use of computers in each stage of the study. The benefits of being able to easily update geophysical, geological, and reservoir models (as new knowledge is obtained) is also illustrated. For comparison, we also present the old reservoir history match that was developed using a "linear approach" and without the use of current technology. Introduction Historically, most types of reservoir engineering studies have been performed using a "linear approach" . With the linear approach, each piece of a study is completed by the responsible party and the results are passed on to the person responsible for the next stage (Fig. 1). Once one person's portion of the study is complete, he is typically reassigned to another project. As a result, it is unlikely that an intermediate part of a project will be reworked as new information becomes available. The result is an inferior solution to the problem. An alternative is the "integrated work team approach" . With an integrated work team, all members complete their portion of a study with the help of the other team members. As the project progresses, new ideas are developed and assumptions are tested. These intermediate results allow each worker to go back and refine his part of the model or database. Each person has responsibility for the outcome of the whole project and not just his part (Fig. 2). This process allows each member of the team to have input at all stages of the project. A big obstacle to implementing the work team approach in the past was the difficulty in updating or changing previous work. Early versions of computer systems and software did not communicate well enough to allow changes in a timely manner. Currently, however, hardware and software systems are available that allow data and results from one program on one computer to be easily passed to another program on a different computer. The following discussion contrasts both the processes and the results of these two different approaches to reservoir modeling. The results show that the team approach in conjunction with appropriate computer hardware and software yields a superior model that accounts for the combined knowledge of all team members. This approach can be applied by any group that operates as a team and carefully integrates computer hardware and software.
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