An AAPG Hedberg Research Conference organized through the AAPG Research Committee
Applications of Reservoir Fluid Geochemistry
June 8-11, 2010
Vail, Colorado • USA
Conference Conveners:
- Eric Michael
- ConocoPhillips, USA
- Rong Hwang
- Chevron, USA
- Mark McCaffrey
- OilTracers LLC., USA
- Harry Dembicki
- Anadarko, USA
- Robert Elsinger
- Shell, USA
Review Abstracts
This meeting will review the application of reservoir fluid geochemistry to the solution of key problems that arise throughout the asset life cycle, from field appraisal, through development, production and eventually field abandonment. Attendees will explore current applications, best practices, future directions, and identify gaps or barriers to application of reservoir geochemistry.
This three-days event will include keynote speakers, oral and poster presentations, and discussions. Adequate time will be allotted for poster and breakout sessions as well as informal discussions.
We are planning to publish peer-reviewed papers in a special AAPG volume.
Proposed Sessions and Discussion Topics:
- Rates of In-Reservoir Processes:
- Time scales of reservoir mixing and of fluid alteration (e.g. biodegradation, water washing, oil cracking, TSR).
- Linking static geochemical measurements to dynamic test data and permeability for purposes of reservoir management.
- Production Allocation & Monitoring (oil and gas reservoirs)
- Differing mathematical approaches to geochemical allocation.
- Advantages of geochemical allocation versus production logging:
- Lower cost
- Ability to detect zone performance problems at any point during the life of a well
- Applicability to vertical, deviated and horizontal wells
- Applicability to pumping wells
- Methods for quantifying uncertainty
- Compartmentalization & Reservoir Heterogeneity
- Integration of geochemical, geological, and engineering data
- Vertical and lateral barrier identification (baffle v. barrier)
- Use of mud gas compositions and mud gas isotopes vs oil GC methods.
- Organic and inorganic methods (e.g. chemostratigraphy, residual salt analyses)
- Fluid Property Prediction
- Gas-to-Oil ratio, saturation pressure, viscosity and pour point
- Best practices & application for black oil (> 20 API gravity) and heavy oil (<20 API gravity)
- Predictions based on mud gas or while-drilling sample methods
- Application to reservoir simulation, well placement
- Calculation of removable hydrocarbons
- Well testing guidance
- Fluid-Rock Interactions
- Change in reservoir rock wettability as a function of oil composition
- Completion-related problems
- Application of geomicrobiology
- Flow Assurance Issues:
- Deposition of wax and asphaltenes
- Origin and prediction of moveable tar or heavy oil (e.g. Gulf of Mexico)
- Quality control of downhole fluid samples
- Application of geomicrobiology
- H2S Forecasting and Reservoir Souring:
- Bacterial and thermal sulfate reduction
- Mineral dissolution
- Thermal cracking of organic sulfur compounds present in crude oil