Integrated Reservoir Geomechanics Approach for Reservoir Management

Abstract

An integrated 3D dynamic reservoir geomechanics model can provide a diverse 3D view of depletion-injection-induced field stress changes and the resulting deformation of both reservoir and overburden formations at various field locations. It enables the assessment of reservoir compaction, platform site subsidence, fault reactivation and caprock integrity associated with multiple production and injection reservoirs of the field. We demonstrated this integrated approach for a study field located in the South China Sea, Malaysia, which is planned for water injection for pressure support and EOR scheme thereafter. Reservoir fluid containment during water injection is an important concern because of the intensive geologic faulting and fracturing in the collapsed anticlinal structure, with some faults extending from the reservoirs to shallow depths at or close to the seafloor. Over 30 simulations were done, and most input parameters were systematically varied to gain insight in their effect on result that was of most interest to us: The tendency of fault slip as a function of our operation-induced variations in pore pressure in the reservoir rocks bounding the fault, both during depletion and injection. The results showed that depletion actually reduces the risk of fault slip and of the overburden, while injection-induced increase in pore fluid pressure will lead to a significant increase in the risk of fault slip. Overall, while depletion appears to stabilize the fault and injection appears to destabilize the fault, no fault slip is predicted to occur, not even after a 900psi increase in pore pressure above the pore pressure levels at maximum depletion. We present the model results to demonstrate why depletion and injection have such different effects on fault slip tendency. The interpretation of these geomechanical model results have potential applications beyond the study field, especially for fields with a similar geology and development plan. This is a novel application of 3D dynamic reservoir geomechanics model that cannot be obtained from 1D analytical models alone.