A hydrodynamic model and associated spill-point map for the Huntington Field, UK Central North Sea

Abstract

The Huntington Field is located in Block UK 22/14b in the UK Central North Sea. The reservoir is the Tertiary Forties Formation (a deep-sea fan interval), which has been produced since 2013. Pre-production well data indicate that hydrocarbons (oil) are present outside structural closure as recorded by direct pressure data and wireline-derived fluid contacts, and indicated by seismic attribute data. These observations in other parts of the world (e.g. Mad Dog Field, Miocene Gulf of Mexico) have been attributed to the presence of a hydrodynamic reservoir. This paper aims to reconcile these observations from seismic data, logs and pressure data with competing models to explain the hydrocarbon distribution.Combining the interpretations above with the additional observations that (a) there are no sedimentological barriers or identifiable faulting between wells, (b) the surrounding fields (Everest and Forties) have been actively producing for decades, but that calculated flow rates in the Huntington Field agree with published data for other virgin hydrodynamic systems, and (c) measured regional and local overpressure gradients indicate fluid flow to the NW where hydrocarbons are present outside the structure indicates that a hydrodynamic model is the most probable solution to explain the fluids and their present distribution.

The Importance of Physiochemical Processes in Decarbonisation Technology Applications Utilizing the Subsurface: A Review

“…Reservoirs may be divided into those with regional fluid flow and pressure connectivity (Green et al, 2016;Heinemann et al, 2016), and isolated reservoirs with limited regional connectivity (Swarbrick et al, 2005(Swarbrick et al, , 2010. Isolated reservoirs have a limited storage capacity, as injecting too much CO 2 could increase pore pressure potentially leading to top seal failure through hydraulic fracturing, or fault reactivation (Swarbrick et al, 2013).…”

“…With careful pressure management, isolated reservoirs could make for good long-term storage, as long as the top and lateral seals have sufficiently low relative permeability to CO 2 -water mixture fluids (Swarbrick et al, 2013;Karolytė et al, 2020). Reservoirs with regional pressure connectivity do pose some risk for long-term CO 2 storage because they are susceptible to reservoir hydrodynamic flow, which may tilt fluid contacts beyond spill points, leading to reservoir leakage (Green et al, 2016;Heinemann et al, 2016). Care must be taken on injecting CO 2 into a hydrodynamic reservoir as the increase in pressure due to injection may alter hydrodynamic flows in another part of the reservoir, especially within narrow, contained reservoirs such as the Captain Sandstone (Williams et al, 2016).…”

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“…The five papers grouped under this theme offer a balanced view of what has been one of the focus areas for petroleum geoscience in an increasingly mature province. The learnings from high-quality and focused application of technology show how near-field and upside potential could be realized in the Central North Sea Huntington (Green et al 2016;Edwards et al 2017) and Shearwater fields (Jones et al 2017).…”