Society of Petroleum Engineers

SPE 26938
Formation Evaluation Using Core, Well Log, and Initial
Production Data
H.I. Bilgesu, Samuel Ameri, and Khashayar Aminian, West Virginia U.
SPE Members

Copyright 1993, Society of Petroleum Engineers, Inc.

This paper was prepared for presentation at the 1993 Eastern Regional Conference & Exhibition held in Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A., 2-4 November 1993.

This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE Program Committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper,
as presented, have not been reviewed by the Society of Petroleurn Engineers and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material, as presented, does not necessarily reflect
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of where and by whom the paper is presented. Write Librarian, SPE, P.O. Box 833836, Richardson, TX 75083-3836, U.S.A., Telex 163245 SPEUT.

ABSTRACT saturation. In addition, the results of core

analysis and well log interpretations were
Accurate description of the porosity and complemented by geological information and
permeability distributions are the key for initial production data to develop a correlation
reservoir performance predictions. The porosity between permeability, porosity, water saturation,
of the formation can be evaluated from the depositional environment, and pore type. The
cores and/or well logs while the permeability is results were employed for development of
usually determined from the cores and/or well porosity and permeability distributions. The
tests. Usually cores and well test data is often methodology presented in this paper could serve
abundant Therefore, the evaluation of as a guideline for correcting permeability with
permeability and porosity distributions from well other rock parameters in heterogenous
log data in heterogenous formation represents a formations. The complexity of such correlations
significant technical as well as economic is directly proportional to degree of
advantage. However, the evaluation of heterogeneity of the formation.
permeability from well log data represents a
difficult and complex problem in heterogenous INTRODUCTION
formation.
Statement of the Problem
The goal of this study has been to develop a
methodology for determining porosity and Performance of a reservoir is influenced by
permeability distributions in a heterogeneous heterogenous formation properties especially the
formation utilizing geophysical well logs. permeability. The description of a reservoir
Granny Creek Field in West Virginia has been plays an important role on the geological
selected as the study area in this paper. This modeling and further it controls the outcome of
field has produced oil from Big Injun Formation the overall fluid movement and displacement
since early 1900's. The water-flooding operation processes.! Much effort has been put into the
was initiated in 1970's and currently is in production of a reservoir model to achieve a
progress. Well log data are available on detailed description of the rock characteristics.
substantial number of wells. Core samples are In general porosity and permeability values are
also available from a few wells. determined from laboratory measurements.
American Petroleum Institute established
Core samples and the well logs were analyzed to standard coring and testing procedures and
determine permeability, porosity, and water reliable results can be obtained. 2

References and illustrations at end of paper

437
2 FORMATION EVALUATION USING CORE, WELL LOG, AND INITIAL PRODUCTION DATA SPE 26938

Geophysical well logs also provide useful data An alternate method to estimate the reservoir
about the reservoir of interest. The technological pressure will be from known fluid gradients in a
advances resulted in the determination of wellbore, or an offset well. The permeability
properties such as depth, formation thickness, value obtained with Darcy model assumes an
porosity, water saturation, fluid type, pore size, isotropic model and does not account for barrier
grain size, depositional environment, and within the drainage radius. 9
lithology. Well logs can increase the knowledge
in three major areas: reservoir volume, pore In general a correlation using available log and
description, and matrix description. 3 The core data can provide a good tool to estimate
reservoir volume calculation generally uses the reservoir properties at locations where core
formation thickness, porosity, and water is not available. The suite of logs taken at each
saturation values from routine log analysis. The drilled well makes them a good resource for
properties between wells are estimated from well utilization in the parameter estimation.
data. Pore description is a difficult task since the
pore structure is influenced by different factors BACKGROUND
such as presence of shales and drilling fluids
used, grain size and shapes. Matrix Field Used in the Analysis
determination is based on formation shaliness
and variation in reservoir rock mineralogy. In this study Granny Creek Field located at Oay
Conventional density, neutron, and acoustic logs and Roane Counties, West Virginia was selected
are used in the identification of matrix mineral. (Figure 1). The field was discovered in the early
1900's and approximately 700 wells have been
The suite of available logs determine the drilled by early 1990's into Big Injun formation.
reliability of interpretations since the interwell Production wells were completed at depths
data needs to. be extrapolated from well data. ranging from 1950 to 2250 feet as open holes
The data from core analysis contribute to the after treating with acid. The production from
reservoir description. However the core data is the reservoir declined rapidly and these
not widely made available in fields due to the prompted researchers to investigate the pressure
cost involved. Several investigators used maintenance and EOR possibilities in the field. 10
combinations of core and log data to predict A nitrogen injection was attempted without
formation properties at a well where logs are partial success. and the results· indicated the
available but no cores are taken. 4,5,6,7,8 Among the unknowns involved in the application. A pilot
correlations, the relationship between scale carbon-dioxide injection was also
permeability and log data like resistivity conducted at the southern end of the field. n The
gradient, resistivity of formation, and specific limited production increase was not justifiable
gravities of water and oil was first proposed by for a full scale operation. Water flooding was
Tixier. 4 Later the Tixier model was modified started in the sixties12 and presently injection
based on clay content, hydrocarbon type, and continues as a five spot pattern.
pore structure resulting in different
relationships. Some models required the A limited number of wells had cores from Big
knowledge of irreducible water saturation while Injun formation. Most of the cores were
other models were applicable to the formation analyzed by different laboratories and the cores
studied. In general, an empirical equation was that were not analyzed were measured for
developed for the field under investigation. Some porosity and permeability at West Virginia
interpretation charts were also developed to University laboratories.
determine the values of permeability from
porosity and water saturation measurements. 9 Almost all wells had gamma ray logs. However
the water saturation interpretation was not
Permeability values can also be determined using possible for each well.
the Darcy relationship if flow rate and pressure
data are available. A formation tester log or a
drill stem test can provide the reservoir pressure.
438
SPE 26938 BILGESU, H.I., AMERI, S., AND AMINIAN, K. 3

METHODOLOGY and saturation exponents of 2 and a formation

factor coefficient of 0.81. Formation wat~.
Approach used in the Analysis resistivity was assumed to be 0.05 ohm-meter
that was practically used in log evaluation in
The Big Injun formation is divided into five many West Virginia wells. The following
zones as A, B, C3, C2, and C1 from top to relationship was employed for water saturation
bottom. The intervals from these wells are used calculation:
to determine the thickness weighted properties
for each zone. Due to depositional history zones s..=~ FR.. •••..•••••••.. (2)
Re
are not continuous through out the field except
for C2. The average thickness values are given
in Table 1. The thickness data indicates the zone where
C2 as the major section within the Big Injun
formation. In general zones C1 and C3 covered F= 0.81 (3)
4>2
eastern and western parts of the reservoir,
respectively. The completion records indicate
zone C2 within the Big Injun formation as the
major producer. Production Data: The initial production rate is
available at Granny Creek field. Pressure data
Core Analysis: The core analysis included from early days of the field is not observed by
porosity, oil and water saturations, horizontal the investigators. The water flooding that started
and vertical permeability, and horizontal in the late seventies provided valuable injection
permeability at 90°. The measurements were pressure and rate information. The data is used
conducted using full size cores as well one inch in Darcy's equation to estimate the permeability
plugs. The horizontal permeability values values at well locations. This method assumes
measured at 90° to each other showed that the isotropic continuous reservoir without
directional permeability variations were permeability barriers within the radius· of
negligible in most of the wells. However the investigation.
vertical permeabilities were much smaller than
horizontal permeability values at a particular DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
well. Oil and water saturation values were also
measured from cores. Since the sample The average porosity and permeability values
preservation method used in core sampling was were determined at each well using core analysis.
unknown the saturations were not used in the Maps were prepared to correlate the reservoir
analysis.. properties between wells. The limited number of
cored wells are used to determine the porosity
Log Analysis: The log analysis was composed of and horizontal permeability distributions for
density and induction logs taken at Granny each zone in the Big Injun formation. Figures 2
Creek· Field. Gamma ray logs were used in the through 6 show the porosity trends with 2 %
determination of formation .thicknesses. The intervals for zones A, B, C3, C2, and C1,
porosity values were calculated from density logs respectively. Figures 7 through 11 show the
using fluid density and formation water permeability trends with 4 md intervals for the
resistivity of ·1.0 gm/cc and 0.05 ohm-m, same zones. Based on core porosity values there
respectively. The following equation was is a high porosity zone in the center of the field
employed in the porosity calculations: for zone C2 (Figure 5). In general North-South
trend is observed for both porosity and the
4>= Pma-Pb ••..•••••...• (1) permeability, however the permeability trend is
PIIlII-Pr
more significant for zone C2 (Figure 10). Local
high permeability areas are observed at the
The water saturation values were determined at southern part of the field for zones B, C3, and
wells where resistivity logs were available. The C2. These trends appear at the same location
Archie's equation was used with cementation for the three horizons.
439
4 FORMATION EVALUATION USING CORE, WELL LOG, AND INITIAL PRODUCTION DATA SPE 26938

Figures 12 through 16 show the log derived measurements. In this approach saturation and
thickness distribution of zones A, B, C3, C2, cementation exponents are assumed to be equal
and Cl, respectively. The North-South thickness to 2 yielding the following equation:
trend shows a parallel trend to the depositional
history of the field. lJ The thickness values also k -
',i - w4
C (~l
~: (4)
indicate the discontinuities of zone C3 at the
East (Figure 15) and zone Cl at the West
(Figure 17). The thickness of zone A also
showed an increasing trend from East to West. where
In Figure 14, the trend for zone B indicates a
thicker zone in the middle of the field.

The thickness weighted average porosity and

water saturation values are also determined and
using logs. The correlations of reservoir
C = 23 + 465po - 188p~ ••••••••• (6)
properties are shown in Figures 17 through 21
for porosity with two percent intervals, and in
Figures 22 through 26 for water saturation with
ten percent intervals. The permeability values calculated with
Equation 4 are given in Figure 29 for all zones
The initial production data available from wells at well number 15-1130. This well is located
drilled between 1924 and 1944 are used to centrally in the southern part of the field. The
estimate the permeability values based on agreement between measured and calculated
Darcy's radial flow equation. The calculations values are better for zones C2 and A as
are based on the assumption of open flow in the compared to zones Band C3 at this well. The
wellbore filled with produced fluid at all times. values obtained from cores represent
The frictional pressure losses are neglected in permeability values corresponding to the core
the bottomhole pressure calculations due to low size used in the analysis. The log derived
flow rates. The permeability distribution maps permeability values represent the interval
generated for stimulated and unstimulated wells penetrated by the logging tool and are average
are shown in Figures 27 and 28, respectively, property values. The high permeability values
with 10 md contour interval. The field wide measured from cores are attributed to local
permeability distribution from initial production fractures believed to exist. These relatively high
data is based on the average values of all zones permeability points are observed at zones Band
contributing to production. C3. Zone Cl is not penetrated at well 15-1130.

Permeability is the most critical parameter in CONCLUSIONS

the evaluation of a reservoir. The data available
in the determination is limited for permeability The limited number of cored wells are used in
when compared to other properties like porosity the generation of property maps for each zone.
and water saturation. Additionally, the values The porosity distributions from core and log
obtained for permeability can vary data showed similar trends. However, the
logarithmically, creating more difficulty in the porosity distribution based on log values covered
determination of correct value. Different models wider area of the reservoir.
are used to estimate the permeability values
using log measured properties. Most calculations The average permeability values of the Big Injun
yielded different values than the measured formation at Granny Creek Field show wide
permeabilities due to the heterogeneous nature range of values between 0.01 and 72 md.
of the Big Injun formation. A limited success is Porosity values ranged between 3 to 24 percent.
achieved when the model suggested by Coats Porosity and permeability trends observed from
and· Dumanoir is used to predict permeability core measurements showed similar increasing
values from porosity and resistivity and decreasing trends. The properties increased
440
SPE 26938 BILGESU, H.I., AMERI, S., AND AMINIAN, K. 5

in the West-East direction for zone C1 and in Symposium, Dallas, TX, June ;13-15.
the East-West direction for zone C3. Zone C2 2. "Recommended Practice for Core-Analysis
showed high porosity and permeability values at Procedure", API Recommended Practice
the center of the reservoir. 40, First Edition (August 1960) 55.
3. Hilchie, D.W.: "Reservoir Description
The initial production data is useful in Using Well Logs" JPT (1990) 35-41.
predicting permeability distribution at Granny 4. Tixier, M.P.: "Evaluation of Permeability
Creek Field. The values do not agree with core From Electric Log Resistivity Gradients",
results for individual zones but the calculated Oil & Gas 1. (June 16, 1949) 113.
permeabilities represent the average properties 5. Timur, A: "An Investigation of
of several zones contributing to the production. Permeability, Porosity, and Residual Water
The permeability distribution determined before Saturation Relationship for Sandstone
and after stimulation of wells showed the reservoirs", The Log Analyst, (July-Aug.
localities where production is improved. 1968) 8-17.
6. Coates, G.R and Dumanoir, J.L: "A New
Several equations based on different parameters Approach to Improved Log-Derived
exist for determining permeabilities from logs in Permeability", The Log Analyst, (Jan.-Feb.
sandstone formations. However, application of 1974) 17-31.
the techniques requires adjustments to constants 7. Kapadia, S.P., and Menzie, D.E.:
and exponents for each zone. "Determination of Permeability Variation
Factor V From Log Analysis", paper SPE
Permeabilities are calculated using existing 14402 presented at the 1985 SPE Annual
correlations with limited success. New Technical Conference and Exhibition, Las
modifications are needed to fine tune the Vegas, NV, September 22-25.
permeability prediction model. These results are 8. Ahmed, U., Crary, S.F., and Coates, G.R:
tentative and further studies are in progress. "Permeability Estimation: The Various
Sources and Their Interrelationships", JPT
NOMENClATURE (May 1991), 578-587.
9. Schlumberger Limited, Log Interpretation
C Constant Charts, (1989) Houston, Texas.
k Permeability, md.
w Exponent for cementation and saturation.
10. Watts, RJ., Conner, W.D., and Wasson,
R. Resistivity of formation, ohm-m. J.A: "C02 Injection for Tertiary Oil
R,. Formation water resistivity at formation Recovery, Granny's Creek Filed, Oay
temperature, ohm-m. County, West Virginia", paper SPEIDOE
Sw Water saturation, fraction. 10693 presented at the 1982 SPEIDOE
• Porosity, fraction.
Pb Bulk density, gmla:.
Third Joint Symposium on Enhanced Oil
Pr Fluid density, gmla:. Recovery, Tulsa, OK.
P... Matrix density, gmla:. 11. Smith, R.V., Burch F.W., and Watts, RJ.:
Po Oil density, fraction. "Project Reveals CO2 Confinement
Problems", Oil & Gas J. (Jan. 24, 1983),
ACKNOWLEDGMENT 60-66.
12. Ahmad, M.M., and Ovies, S.L.:
The funding for this research was provided by· "Application of Log-Inject-Log in Granny's
Department of Energy's Bartlesville office. Creek Oil Field", paper SPE 10366
presented at the 1981 SPE Eastern
REFERENCES Regional Meeting, Columbus, Ohio.
13. Donaldson, A, Shumaker, R, Laughrey,
1. Haak, AM., and Elewaut, E.F.M.: C., Aminian, K., and Hohn, M.:
"Modeling Heterogeneity to Improve 3-D "Measuring and Predicting Reservoir
Simulation Results: A Case History of a Heterogeneity in Complex Deposystems",
North Sea Gas Field", paper SPE 17763 Annual Report, DOE/BOl4657-7, (August
presented at the 1988 SPE Gas Technology 1992) 62.
441
 Granny Creek Field
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