Estimation of the current stress field and fault reactivation analysis in the Asmari reservoir, SW Iran

Knowing the current condition of the faults and fractures in a reservoir is crucial for production and injection activities.A good estimation of the fault reactivation potential in the current stress field is a useful tool for locating the appropriate spot to drill injection wells and to calculate the maximum sustainable pore pressure in enhanced oil recovery and geosequestration projects.In this study,after specifying the current stress state in the Gachsaran oilfield based on Anderson’s faulting theory,the reactivation tendency of four faults(F1,F2,F3,and F4)in the Asmari reservoir is analyzed using 3D Mohr diagrams and slip tendency factors.Results showed that all the faults are stable in the current stress state,and F2 has the potential to undergo the highest pore pressure build-up in the field.On the other hand,F3 has the proper conditions(i.e.,strike and dip referring to σHmax orientation)for reactivation.Stress polygons were also applied to show the effect of the pore pressure increase on fault stability,in a graphical manner.According to the results,the best location for drilling a new injection well in this part of the field is the NW side of F2,due to the lower risk of reactivation.It was found that both methods of 3D Mohr diagrams and slip tendency factors predict similar results,and with the lack of image logs for stress orientation determination,the slip tendency method can be applied.The results of such studies can also be used for locating safe injection points and determining the injection pressure prior to numerical modeling in further geomechanical studies.

Study and Application of Fault Prediction Methods with Improved Reservoir Neural Networks

Time-series prediction is one of the major methodologies used for fault prediction. The methods based on recurrent neural networks have been widely used in time-series prediction for their remarkable non-liner mapping ability. As a new recurrent neural network, reservoir neural network can effectively process the time-series prediction. However, the ill-posedness problem of reservoir neural networks has seriously restricted the generalization performance. In this paper, a fault prediction algorithm based on time-series is proposed using improved reservoir neural networks. The basic idea is taking structure risk into consideration, that is, the cost function involves not only the experience risk factor but also the structure risk factor. Thus a regulation coefficient is introduced to calculate the output weight of the reservoir neural network. As a result, the amplitude of output weight is effectively controlled and the ill-posedness problem is solved. Because the training speed of ordinary reservoir networks is naturally fast, the improved reservoir networks for time-series prediction are good in speed and generalization ability. Experiments on Mackey–Glass and sunspot time series prediction prove the effectiveness of the algorithm. The proposed algorithm is applied to TE process fault prediction. We first forecast some timeseries obtained from TE and then predict the fault type adopting the static reservoirs with the predicted data.The final prediction correct rate reaches 81%.

The productivity evaluation model and its application for finite conductivity horizontal wells in fault block reservoirs

It is very difficult to evaluate the productivity of horizontal wells in fault block reservoirs due to the influence of fault sealing.On the basis of the method of images and source-sink theory,a semianalytical model coupling reservoir and finite conductivity horizontal wellbore flow dynamics was built,in which the influence of fault sealing was taken into account.The distribution of wellbore flow and radial inflow profiles along the horizontal interval were also obtained.The impact of the distance between the horizontal well and the fault on the well productivity was quantitatively analyzed.Based on this analysis,the optimal distance between the horizontal well and the fault in banded fault block reservoirs could be determined.According to the field application,the relative error calculated by the model proposed in this paper is within ±15%.It is an effective evaluation method for the productivity of horizontal wells in fault block reservoirs.The productivity of the horizontal well increases logarithmically as the distance between the horizontal well and the fault increases.The optimal distance between the horizontal well and the fault is 0.25-0.3 times the horizontal well length.

Three-dimensional analysis of a faulted CO2 reservoir using an Eshelby-Mori-Tanaka approach to rock elastic properties and fault permeability

This work develops a three-dimensional(3D) multiscale model to analyze a complex carbon dioxide(CO_2) faulted reservoir that includes some key geologic features of the San Andreas and nearby faults southwest of the Kimberlina site.The model uses the STOMP-CO2 code for flow modeling that is coupled to the ABAQUS~ finite element package for geomechanical analysis.A 3D ABAQUS~ finite element model is developed that contains a large number of 3D solid elements with two nearly parallel faults whose damage zones and cores are discretized using the same continuum elements.Five zones with different mineral compositions are considered:shale,sandstone,fault damaged sandstone,fault damaged shale,and fault core.Rocks' elastic properties that govern their poroelastic behavior are modeled by an Eshelby-Mori-Tanaka approach(EMTA).which can account for up to 15 mineral phases.The permeability of fault damage zones affected by crack density and orientations is also predicted by an EMTA formulation.A STOMP-CO2 grid that exactly maps the ABAQUS~ finite element model is built for coupled hydromechanical analyses.Simulations of the reservoir assuming three different crack pattern situations(including crack volume fraction and orientation) for the fault damage zones are performed to predict the potential leakage of CO_2 due to cracks that enhance the permeability of the fault damage zones.The results illustrate the important effect of the crack orientation on fault permeability that can lead to substantial leakage along the fault attained by the expansion of the CO_2 plume.Potential hydraulic fracture and tendency for the faults to slip are also examined and discussed in terms of stress distributions and geomechanical properties.

Architecture characterization of Ordovician fault-controlled paleokarst carbonate reservoirs in Tuoputai,Tahe oilfield,Tarim Basin,NW China

Based on outcrop,core,logging,seismic and production data,and the formation of fault-controlled karst reservoirs,the types and characterization of Ordovician fault-controlled karst reservoir architectures in the Tuoputai area of the Tahe oilfield are studied.According to the concept of genetic geologic body,the fault-controlled karst reservoir is divided into architecture elements of four levels,the strike-slip fault impact zone is the level-1 architecture element,the fault-controlled karst reservoir the level-2 architecture element,the fracture-cave zone(which can be further subdivided into dissolution cave,dissolution pore and vug,and fracture zones)inside the fault-controlled karst reservoir the level-3 architecture element,and fillings inside caves is the level-4 architecture element(which can be further divided based on the filling degree and lithologic types of the fillings).Specific characterization techniques have been optimized according to the characteristics of various architecture elements.The zone impacted by strike-slip fault is characterized by seismic coherence and artificial interpretation.Under the constraint of zone impacted by strike-slip fault,fault likelihood(FL)property is used to characterize the outline of fault-controlled karst reservoir.Under the constraint of fault-controlled karst reservoir outline,the internal structures are divided based on seismic texture attribute.Finally,the cavern filling pattern is interpreted based on drilling and logging data.The fault-controlled karst reservoirs can be interpreted in 3-dimensional space by architecture element levels,and the characterization technology combining log and seismic data for fault-controlled karst reservoir has been worked out,which has complemented the development theory and technologies for this kind of reservoirs in the Tahe oilfield.

Strike-Slip Faults and Their Control on Differential Hydrocarbon Enrichment in Carbonate Karst Reservoirs: A Case Study of Yingshan Formation on Northern Slope of Tazhong Uplift, Tarim Basin

Objective Oil and gas are abundant in the Ordovician Yingshan Formation carbonate karst reservoirs on the northern slope of Tazhong uplift in the Tarim Basin, and have extremely complicated oil-gas-water distribution, however. The difference in burial depth of the reservoirs between east and west sides is up to 1000 m. Water-bearing formations exist between oil- and gas-bearing formations vertically and water-producing wells are drilled between oil- and gas-producing wells. Macroscopically, oil and gas occur at low positions, while water occurs at high positiona on the northern slope of Tazhong uplift. The mechanism of differential hydrocarbon enrichment in heterogeneous reservoirs is by far not clarified, which has affected the efficient exploration and development of oil and gas fields in this area.

Multi-parameter quantitative assessment of 3D geological models for complex fault-block oil reservoirs

In the field of 3 D geologic modeling, researchers often pay more attention to modeling methods and workflows, but neglect the quantitative evaluation of models. If the evaluation is narrowed to the same reservoir type, the comparability and practicality of quantitative assessment will be emerging. The evaluation system should include three parts: data verification, geological understanding and process check. Data verification mainly involves testing the accuracy of local prediction with actual data, and geological understanding is to examine whether the global estimation honors geological principles and prior insights. Process check is also indispensable to avoid occasionality. To this end, we produced a set of assessment criteria, taking complex fault-block sandstone oil reservoir as an example. To be specific, thirteen characteristic parameters were totally selected, setting weights according to their rated importance, formulating three-level evaluation standards in a centesimal system for each characteristic parameter, and obtaining the final assessment based on the cumulative score. The results indicate that such evaluation can not only access the quality of the model objectively and comprehensively, but also identify the aspects in need of improvement through the deduction items.

Fault－weakening effect of reservoir temperature of hot spring and its influence on seismic activities

In this paper, the reservoir temperatures of 14 hot spring samples collected from the northern segment of theRed River Fault are calculated by using the mixing-model of SiO2-geothermometer. Based on the features ofreservoir temperatures and densities of hot springs, the northern segment of the Red River Fault is furtherdivided into 4 sub-segments. The influence of weakening effect of water on seismic activities is discussed fromthe view point of fault-weakening effect of water. It is suggested that the difference in seismic activity between various sub-segments is principally caused by the difference in intensity of the fault-weakening effect ofwater of these sub-segments. The Eryuan sub-segment where the reservoir temperatures are high and the hotsprings are dense corresponds to a slipped region, however, the Jianchuan and Midu sub-segments where thereservoir temperatures are lower and the hot springs are fewer as well as the Dan sub-segment where the hotspring are very few all correspond to locked regions. It is suggested that Dan sub-segment is the riskiest region for strong earthquake preparation, while the possibility for strong earthquake preparation is very little inthe Eryuan sub-segment.

Control of strike-slip faults on Sinian carbonate reservoirs in Anyue gas field, Sichuan Basin, SW China

The largest Precambrian gas field (Anyue gas field) in China has been discovered in the central Sichuan Basin. However, the deep ancient Ediacaran (Sinian) dolomite presents a substantial challenge due to their tightness and heterogeneity, rather than assumed large-area stratified reservoirs controlled by mound-shoal microfacies. This complicates the characterization of “sweet spot” reservoirs crucial for efficient gas exploitation. By analyzing compiled geological, geophysical and production data, this study investigates the impact of strike-slip fault on the development and distribution of high-quality “sweet spot” (fractured-vuggy) reservoirs in the Ediacaran dolomite of the Anyue gas field. The dolomite matrix reservoir exhibits low porosity (less than 4%) and low permeability (less than 0.5×10^(-3) μm^(2)). Contrarily, fractures and their dissolution processes along strike-slip fault zone significantly enhance matrix permeability by more than one order of magnitude and matrix porosity by more than one time. Widespread “sweet spot” fracture-vuggy reservoirs are found along the strike-slip fault zone, formed at the end of the Ediacaran. These fractured reservoirs are controlled by the coupling mechanisms of sedimentary microfacies, fracturing and karstification. Karstification prevails at the platform margin, while both fracturing and karstification control high-quality reservoirs in the intraplatform, resulting in reservoir diversity in terms of scale, assemblage and type. The architecture of the strike-slip fault zone governed the differential distribution of fracture zones and the fault-controlled “sweet spot” reservoirs, leading to wide fractured-vuggy reservoirs across the strike-slip fault zone. In conclusion, the intracratonic weak strike-slip fault can play a crucial role in improving tight carbonate reservoir, and the strike-slip fault-related “sweet spot” reservoir emerges as a unique and promising target for the efficient development of deep hydrocarbon resources. Tailored development strategies need to be implemented for these reservoirs, considering the diverse and differential impacts exerted by strike-slip faults on the reservoirs.

Seismic analysis of the Xiluodu reservoir area and insights into the geometry of seismogenic faults

The Xiluodu(XLD)reservoir is the second largest reservoir in China and the largest in the Jinsha River basin.The occurrence of two M>5 earthquakes after reservoir impoundment has aroused great interest among seismologists and plant operators.We comprehensively analyzed the seismicity of the XLD reservoir area using precise earthquake relocation results and focal mechanism solutions and found that the seismicity of this area was weak before impoundment.Following impoundment,earthquake activity increased significantly.The occurrence of M≥3.5 earthquakes within five years of impoundment also appear to be closely related to rapid rises and falls in water level,though this correlation weakened after five years because earthquake activity was far from the reservoir area.Earthquakes in the XLD reservoir area are clustered;near the dam(Area A),small faults are intermittently distributed along the river,while Area B is composed of multiple NW-trending left-lateral strikeslip faults and a thrust fault and Area C is composed of a NW-trending left-lateral strike-slip main fault and a nearly EWtrending right-lateral strike-slip minor fault.The geometries of the deep and the shallow parts of the NW-trending fault differ.Under the action of the NW-trending background stress field,a series of NW-trending left-lateral strike-slip faults and NE-trending thrust faults in critical stress states were dislocated due to the stress caused by reservoir impoundment.The two largest earthquakes in the XLD reservoir area were tectonic earthquakes that were directly triggered by impoundment.

Hydrocarbon accumulation characteristics in basement reservoirs and exploration targets of deep basement reservoirs in onshore China

Based on the global basement reservoir database and the dissection of basement reservoirs in China,the characteristics of hydrocarbon accumulation in basement reservoirs are analyzed,and the favorable conditions for hydrocarbon accumulation in deep basement reservoirs are investigated to highlight the exploration targets.The discovered basement reservoirs worldwide are mainly buried in the Archean and Precambrian granitic and metamorphic formations with depths less than 4500 m,and the relatively large reservoirs have been found in rift,back-arc and foreland basins in tectonic active zones of the Meso-Cenozoic plates.The hydrocarbon accumulation in basement reservoirs exhibits the characteristics in three aspects.First,the porous-fractured reservoirs with low porosity and ultra-low permeability are dominant,where extensive hydrocarbon accumulation occurred during the weathering denudation and later tectonic reworking of the basin basement.High resistance to compaction allows the physical properties of these highly heterogeneous reservoirs to be independent of the buried depth.Second,the hydrocarbons were sourced from the formations outside the basement.The source-reservoir assemblages are divided into contacted source rock-basement and separated source rock-basement patterns.Third,the abnormal high pressure in the source rock and the normal–low pressure in the basement reservoirs cause a large pressure difference between the source rock and the reservoirs,which is conducive to the pumping effect of hydrocarbons in the deep basement.The deep basement prospects are mainly evaluated by the factors such as tectonic activity of basement,source-reservoir combination,development of large deep faults(especially strike-slip faults),and regional seals.The Precambrian crystalline basements at the margin of the intracontinental rifts in cratonic basins,as well as the Paleozoic folded basements and the Meso-Cenozoic fault-block basements adjacent to the hydrocarbon generation depressions,have favorable conditions for hydrocarbon accumulation,and thus they are considered as the main targets for future exploration of deep basement reservoirs.

Study on Injection-Production System Adjustment of Fault Block Reservoir Based on Equilibrium Displacement

This paper proposed a method of injection-production system adjustment to solve the problem that the water flooding effect was restricted because of the horizontal and vertical contradictions during the development process of fault block reservoirs. Considering the heterogeneity of reservoir, the Buckley-Leverett water flooding theory was applied to establish the relationship between the recovery and cumulative water injection. In order to achieve the goal of vertically balanced recovery of each section, the calculation method of vertical sectional injection allocation was proposed. The planar triangular seepage unit was assumed and sweep coefficients of different oil-water distribution patterns were characterized using multi-flow tube method. In order to balance and maximize the plane sweep coefficient, the calculation method of plane production system optimization was obtained. Then the injection-production system stereoscopic adjustment method based on equilibrium displacement was proposed with vertical sectional injection allocation and plane production system optimization. This method was applied to injection and production adjustment of BZ oilfield in southern Bohai. The effect of water control and oil increase was obvious. This method can greatly improve the effect of water flooding of offshore fault block reservoirs with the adjustment of injection-production system.

Gravity tectonics controls on reservoir-scale sandbodies:Insights from 3D seismic geomorphology of the canyons buried in the upper slope of the Eastern Niger delta basin

High-resolution 3D seismic data analysis was integrated with a calibrated well and biostratigraphy data to present the first overview of a buried Pleistocene canyon system on the upper slope of the eastern Niger Delta,the Galabor Canyon.Attribute maps of specific horizons allow documenting the changing morphologies and infill lithologies of two main branches of the canyon through two stages of activity separated by a reference horizon dated at 0.99 Ma based on well calibration.At the upper slope,growth faults dissect the canyon heads,the catchment of which encroaches a network of valleys incised on the outer shelf.The canyon fill is composed of muddy channels and mass-transport deposits,largely derived from the collapse of canyon walls and sand-rich bodies forming a tract sourced by shelf-edge deltas at the outlet of the incised valleys.High-density turbiditic processes likely control the distribution of sand bodies along the canyon,ranging from tributary fans on the upper slope to 6 km-wide meander belts on the middle slope.The sandy deposits accumulate in minibasins formed along the canyon path,downstream of the subsiding hanging wall of the growth faults and upstream of shale ridges that damp the flow in the canyon.These results show that canyons can be major targets for sand reservoir exploration on the upper slope of large muddy deltas.

Characteristics of Geothermal Reservoir and Evaluation of Geothermal Resources in Shahejie Formation of Damintun Depression

Damintun Depression is a key experimental area for promoting geothermal energy construction in Liaohe Oilfield during the dual-carbon period,and has a good potential for geothermal resources.Ascertaining the geological conditions in this area and accurately evaluating the geothermal resources in this area can provide theoretical support for the exploitation and utilization of geothermal resources in mining areas and the transformation of energy structure.In this paper,the geological structure,distribution of geothermal reservoir,earth temperature field and water chemical characteristics of Damintun Depression were analyzed comprehensively.The occurrence characteristics of geothermal resources in this block were revealed,and the amount of the resources was estimated.The results show that the main geothermal reservoir layers in this area are the first and third members of the Paleogene Shahejie Formation,which are the main target layers for geothermal development.The gradient of earth temperature in this ares is 2.8-3.5℃/100 m,and it is high in the west and north and low in the east and south.The total amount of geothermal reservoir resources in the favorable area of the research block is 783.28×10^(6) GJ,equivalent to 2672.69×10^(4) tons of standard coal.The amount of recoverable geothermal reservoir resources is 195.827×10^(6) GJ,equivalent to 668.17×10^(4) tons of standard coal.

Fault detection based on microseismic events

In unconventional reservoirs, small faults allow the flow ofoil and gas as well as act as obstacles to exploration; for, （1） fracturing facilitates fluid migration, （2） reservoir flooding, and （3） triggering of small earthquakes. These small faults are not generally detected because of the low seismic resolution. However, such small faults are very active and release sufficient energy to initiate a large number of microseismic events （MEs） during hydraulic fracturing. In this study, we identified microfractures （MF） from hydraulic fracturing and natural small faults based on microseismicity characteristics, such as the time-space distribution, source mechanism, magnitude, amplitude, and frequency. First, I identified the mechanism of small faults and MF by reservoir stress analysis and calibrated the ME based on the microseismic magnitude. The dynamic characteristics （frequency and amplitude） of MEs triggered by natural faults and MF were analyzed; moreover, the geometry and activity types of natural fault and MF were grouped according to the source mechanism. Finally, the differences among time-space distribution, magnitude, source mechanism, amplitude, and frequency were used to differentiate natural faults and manmade fractures.

Fault Systems and their Control of Deep Gas Accumulations in Xujiaweizi Area

A study of faults and their control of deep gas accumulations has been made on the basis of dividing fault systems in the Xujiaweizi area. The study indicates two sets of fault systems are developed vertically in the Xujiaweizi area, including a lower fault system and an upper fault system. Formed in the period of the Huoshiling Formation to Yingcheng Formation, the lower fault system consists of five fault systems including Xuxi strike-slip extensional fault system, NE-trending extensional fault system, near-EW-trending regulating fault system, Xuzhong strike-slip fault system and Xudong strike-slip fault system. Formed in the period of Qingshankou Formation to Yaojia Formation, the upper fault system was affected mainly by the boundary conditions of the lower fault system, and thus plenty of muiti-directionally distributed dense fault zones were formed in the T2 reflection horizon. The Xuxi fault controlled the formation and distribution of Shahezi coal-measure source rocks, and Xuzhong and Xndong faults controlled the formation and distribution of volcanic reservoirs of Y1 Member and Y3 Member, respectively. In the forming period of the upper fault system, the Xuzhong fault was of successive strong activities and directly connected gas source rock reservoirs and volcanic reservoirs, so it is a strongly-charged direct gas source fault. The volcanic reservoir development zones of good physical properties that may be found near the Xuzhong fault are the favorable target zones for the next exploration of deep gas accumulations in Xujiaweizi area.

3D numerical simulation of heterogeneous in situ stress field in low-permeability reservoirs

Analysis of the in situ stress orientation and magnitude in the No.4 Structure of Nanpu Sag was performed on the basis of data obtained from borehole breakout and acoustic emission measurements.On the basis of mechanical experiments,logging interpretation,and seismic data,a 3 D geological model and heterogeneous rock mechanics field of the reservoir were constructed.Finite element simulation techniques were then used for the detailed prediction of the 3 D stress field.The results indicated that the maximum horizontal stress orientation in the study area was generally NEE-SWW trending,with significant changes in the in situ stress orientation within and between fault blocks.Along surfaces and profiles,stress magnitudes were discrete and the in situ stress belonged to theⅠa-type.Observed inter-strata differences were characterized as five different types of in situ stress profile.Faults were the most important factor causing large distributional differences in the stress field of reservoirs within the complex fault blocks.The next important influence on the stress field was the reservoir’s rock mechanics parameters,which impacted on the magnitudes of in situ stress magnitudes.This technique provided a theoretical basis for more efficient exploration and development of low-permeability reservoirs within complex fault blocks.

Fault-sand combination modes and hydrocarbon accumulation in Binhai fault nose of Qikou Sag, Bohai Bay Basin, East China

Based on seismic and logging data,taking the downthrow fault nose of Binhai fault in Qikou Sag as the object of study,we analyzed fault characteristics,sand body distribution,fault-sand combinations and hydrocarbon accumulation to reveal the hydrocarbon enrichment law in the fault-rich area of fault depression lake basin.The results show that the Binhai Cenozoic fault nose is characterized by east-west zoning,the main part of the western fault segment is simple in structure,whereas the broom-shaped faults in the eastern segment are complex in structure,including several groups of faults.The difference of fault evolution controls the spatial distribution of sand bodies.The sand bodies are in continuous large pieces in the downthrow fault trough belt along the Gangdong Fault in the middle segment of the fault nose,forming consequent fault-sand combination;whereas the fault activity period of the eastern part of the fault nose was later,and the sand bodies controlled by paleogeomorphology are distributed in multi-phase north-south finger-shaped pattern,forming vertical fault-sand combination pattern matching with the fault.The configuration between faults and sand bodies,and oil sources and caprocks determine the vertical conductivity,plane distribution and vertical distribution of oil and gas.Two oil and gas accumulation modes,i.e.single main fault hydrocarbon supply-fault sand consequent matching-oil accumulation in multi-layers stereoscopically and fault system transportation-fault sand vertical matching-oil accumulation in banded overlapping layers occur in the middle and eastern segments of the fault nose respectively,and they control the difference of oil and gas distribution and enrichment degree in the Binhai fault nose.

Characteristics of boundary fault systems and its hydrocarbon controlling on hydrocarbon accumulation in Awati Sag,Tarim Basin,China

Based on the interpretation of two-dimensional seismic data, this paper analyzes the characteristics of three boundary fault systems including the Shajingzi fault, the Aqia fault and the Tumuxiuke fault around the Awati sag of the Tarim Basin, and studies its controlling on hydrocarbon accumulation. Neotectonic movement is ubiquitous in oil and gas bearing basins in China, such as Neogene intense activities of large boundary thrusting faults of the Awati sag: Shajingzi fault, Aqia fault and Tumuxiuke fault. Based on a large number of seismic data, it is showed that they have section wise characteristics in the direction of fault strike, and active periods and associated structures formed of different sections are different. Usually, large anticlinal structures are formed in the upper wall, and faulted anticline controlled by companion faults are formed in the bottom wall. Large faults cut the strata from Cambrian up to Neogene. For the anticline in the upper wall, fault activities caused by neotectonic movement played a destructive role in hydrocarbon accumulation, thus the preservation condition is critical for reservoir formation. In this sense, attention should be paid to formations in the upper walls of Aqia fault and Tumuxiuke fault under the Cambrian salt bed, whose plastic deformation could help to heal faults. Companion faults in the bottom wall cut down to the Cambrian and up to the Triassic serving as the pathway for hydrocarbon migration, and associated structures in the bottom wall are noteworthy exploration targets.