Rocks, Pores and Capillary Pressure: Understanding Reservoirs and Seals by “Thinking Like Oil and Gas”

INSTRUCTOR :

Charles L. Vavra, North Star Geological Services, Lucas, TX

DATES:

June 12, 2013

LOCATION:

Norris Conference Center, Fort Worth, TX

TUITION:

Member: $500.00
(if purchased individually)
Registration for the entire week is $1,795 for members, $2,095 nonmembers. Goes up to $1995/$2295, and/or individual course prices increase by $50/course day after 5/13/2013. Includes refreshments and buffet lunch each day in addition to course notes.
No refunds for cancellations after 5/13/2013.

CONTENT:

.75 CEU What is a CEU?

Who Should Attend

Capillary pressure is critical in controlling fluid saturations, reservoir quality and seal capacity. However, capillary pressure concepts are poorly understood by many geologists, geophysicists, petrophysicists, engineers and managers. This course provides a better understanding of capillary pressure and pore-level aspects of reservoir and seal quality. The course is suited for all levels of experience and background. It is especially appropriate for people working on complex reservoirs and those exploring for by-passed or “missed” pay.

Objectives

By the end of the day, participants should be able to:

• Understand physics governing capillary pressure
• Relate capillary pressure, capillary radius and effective pore throat radius
• Convert laboratory (air/brine, oil/brine or mercury injection) capillary pressure data to reservoir-specific hydrocarbon-brine systems
• Apply capillarity pressure data to model reservoir water saturation
• Use reservoir capillary pressure to estimate height above Free Water Level, transition zone thickness and depths of fluid contacts
• Integrate hydrocarbon shows with capillary pressure data to estimate hydrocarbon column height
• Relate pore type and pore geometry to reservoir quality (porosity, permeability, capillarity, relative permeability and recovery efficiency).
• Identify and explain factors controlling seal potential
• Demonstrate how a rock can simultaneously act as a seal to hydrocarbon and a conduit for formation water
• Use capillary pressure data to calculate the maximum expected hydrocarbon column a seal can hold
• Apply pore-level and capillary pressure concepts to reconcile “dry holes”

Content

This practical one-day course combines analogies, real-world examples, case studies and demonstrations to examine the relationships among pore geometry, capillary pressure, reservoir quality, fluid distributions and seal potential. Capillary pressure concepts are developed and applied to evaluate reservoir quality, seal capacity, fluid distribution and saturations. Creative analogies illustrate how to “think like oil and gas” to understand the effect of pore geometry on porosity, permeability, capillary pressure, relative permeability and recovery efficiency. Real-world examples illustrate how significant reserves were missed by operators who didn’t understand the rocks, and how the reserves were later “discovered” by operators who “thought like oil and gas”. The course further illustrates how information from inexpensive examinations of cuttings, sidewall or conventional core material can lead to significant additional reserves and (or) cost savings.