The Importance of Using Geologic

Information to Complete Wells

Tulsa Geological Society

September 25, 2001

by
J. B. (Jack) Thomas
Summary:

In the continuum of the energy business, the greatest

volume of geological and geophysical information is
created in the early stages of Opportunity Capture
through Prospect Definition. Engineering information
grows rapidly in abundance once a well is drilled. When
well completion costs may exceed one quarter of the total
expense for drilling a wildcat well, the application of key
geologic information should be a significant factor in
reducing the business risk. Geologic data are important
for engineering decisions like… (1) “If I use limited entry
perforating in a laminated pay sand, will I optimize
production?”…or (2) ”What happens if I use mud acid on a
volcanogenic sandstone?”
Summary: cont’d

Four major areas of geological information are important in

well completions: depositional environment, reservoir
and seal composition, log interpretation, and pore
geometry. For example, internal reservoir stratification
affects perforating design; illite clay rich reservoirs
resemble shales on logs; and small pore-throated
carbonate wackestone reservoirs have higher log
porosity net pay cutoffs than carbonate grainstone
reservoirs. An informal polling of reservoir engineers
involved in field discovery and development shows that
such information is the most significant application of
geologic knowledge for engineering decisions and failure
to apply it can make a discovery well non-economic.
Summary: cont’d

The impact of geology does not end when total depth is

reached! Completion is a business risk element that
requires geologic and engineering expertise to optimize
results.
The Energy Business Continuum:

❂ Business Decisions driven by Technology.

❂ Geology and Engineering Data needed in all
phases!
❂ Specific Geologic, Engineering Data
Focused on the Well.
❂ An example of the Influence- Cost Curve.
Impact of Geologic Information
The Cost-Impact of Geologic Information
on Well Completion
Pore Geometry?,
Reservoir Composition?
I Depositional Environment?
M
P COST
A
C
T IMPACT
0,0

TIME FACTOR
Geologic Information in Completions

❂ Impacts business risk by improving “the

answer” on reservoir type, quality.
❂ For engineering decisions this is THE MOST
SIGNIFICANT application of geologic
information.
✔ You can create a geologic “checklist” of
information for completion decisions!
 II. GEOL O GIC FACT O RS
AFFECTING C O M PLETIONS
Geologic Information in Well
Completions

Consider Four Major Areas of Information:

❂ Depositional Environment (e.g. How did
reservoir rock form?)
❂ Composition (e.g. Is it “clean” sandstone; a
lime mudstone?)
❂ Log Interpretation (e.g. Shaly sandstone?)
❂ Pore Geometry (e.g.Will it flow?)
Obtaining the Geologic Information for
Completions?

❂ Mud Logs- Patterns of TG, each gas (C1-5)

❂ Cuttings Study- Can you see pores?
❂ Cores- Porosity/permeability ties!
❂ Logs- Stratification, composition, porosity!
❂ SEM- Pore geometry!
❂ Thin sections- Cements, pore geometry
❂ X-ray Diffraction- Composition
1. Pore Geometry

❂ Relates pores to pore throats.

❂ Pore throats are critical to fluid flow.
❂ Depositional energy and diagenesis
determine the resultant pore geometry.

✔ Reservoirs can have same pore geometry

with different composition or depositional
environment!
Pore Throats are the Key to Flow
2. Depositional Environment

❂ Clastic reservoirs- result of depositional

energy (siliciclastics and detrital
carbonates)
❂ Non-clastic reservoirs- result of post-
formation processes such as fracturing,
dissolution.

✔ Log signature indications important

3. Composition

❂ Depositional Mineralogy- provenance,

transportation energy are keys
❂ Authigenic mineralogy- provenance,
original pore geometry, fluid throughput
are keys

✔ Must know effects on logs, stimulation

types.
Clay in Sedimentary Rocks
Composition- Clays

❂ Major clay groups-

• Kaolinites
• Smectites (montmorillonites)
• Illites
• Chlorites
• Mixed-layer clays
❂ Occurrence in reservoirs-
• Detrital
• Authigenic
Two Layer Clays- Kaolinite Group

❂ Grieve Ss., WY Barrier Bar

Three Layer Clay- Illite

❂ Markley Ss., CA ❂ Volcaniclastic, Deep

Water Ss.
Three Layer Clay- Smectite

❂ Yegua Ss., TX ❂ Outer shelf, Marine; see

red arrow
Three Layer Clay- Chlorite

❂ Yegua Ss., TX ❂ Bladed chlorite + mixed

layer clay; Deepwater Ss.
Composition- Clays (cont’d)

Clay affects logs, pore geometry

❂ Log responses-
• Gamma ray tools- illites, mixed layer
• Porosity tools- Neutron, Density, Sonic
• Resistivity/Conductivity tools- Chlorite
❂ Pore geometry-
• Surface area
• Pore throats
Clay Habit versus Productivity

❂ The relationship between clay habit and

productivity has been documented.
❂ Most productive clay-bearing reservoirs
contain discrete particle; least productive
are pore-filling/bridging.
❂ “Damage” or perm. reduction is worst in
pore-filling habit
habit.
III. FOR M A TION “DA M A GE”
M E C HA NIS M S
Formation Damage Mechanisms-
Lowering Permeability near wellbore

❂ Mobile solids (fines migration)

❂ Swelling of certain clay minerals
❂ Dissolution and re-precipitation
❂ Relative permeability blocks
Stimulation fluids vs. composition

❂ Fresh water; smectite swelling

❂ Hydrochloric acid; best for removing
carbonate cement, dissolves chlorite
❂ Hydrofluoric acid; dissolves all minerals
❂ Acetic, citric acids; partial solubility of
clays, carbonates
❂ High pH cross-linked gels; partial
dissolution of clays, feldspars
Stimulation versus Permeability
Reduction- General Relationships

Technique Precipitate Mobile Clay Rel. Perm.

Used Fines Swelling “Blocks”

Acids- Yes* Yes* Possible Yes*

(HCl, HF,
+) (mxlr)
Solvent Yes* Yes* No Yes?
(methanol,
Xylene)
Hydraulic Yes* Yes Yes Yes
Frac.

*Partial
Solubility
IV. CO M P LETIO N
EXAM PLES
Completion Examples- Barrier Bar

❂ Cretaceous Grieve Ss., WY

• Discrete particle kaolinite (central bar)
• Grain coating & pore filling (bar margins)
✔ Central bar- Perforate & flow or HCl clean-
up optimizes oil productivity.
✔ Bar margin- Perforate underbalanced
(foam ?), foamed HCl (7.5%); small foam frac
results in gas or gas condensate wells.
Central Bar (Grieve Ss.)

Discrete
Clay
Bar Margin (Grieve Ss.)

Grain Coating
Clay
Completion Examples- Volcaniclastic Ss.

❂ Markley Ss., CA
• 13-54% clays by X-ray
• Grain coating, pore filling + GLASS

✔ Drill underbalanced, perforate

underbalanced, high density perforation,
use little or no water. Why?
✔ Mineral solubilities
Completion Example- Volcaniclastic Ss.

Smectite

Glass
V. HOW D O I PUT THIS
TO G E THER?
To Help Improve Completions; for
reservoirs rich in...
Mineral Potential Maximizes Minimizes Remedy
Effect Damage Damage
Smectite Swelling Fresh Wtr., HF Air, KCl, OBM HCl; Re-perf.
drilling & frac.
Mixed Layer Swelling; Fresh Wtr., HF Air, KCl, OBM HCl; Re-perf.
Clay Mobile Fines drilling & frac.
Kaolinite Mobile Fines Hi WL Muds, Air, Foam Clay stab.;
HF drilling Low Flow
Rates
Chlorite Iron Gel Hi pH muds; Air, Foam; HCl HCl (seq.),
Precipitate O2 Rich sequestered low strength
Carbonate Complex CaF HF Salt muds; HCl
Minerals precipitates OBM
Quartz, Mobile Fines; Hi WL Muds, Air, Foam; Clay stab.;
Felds. Glass Gel Precips. Hi pH muds Bland Fluids Foam fracs.
(silt)
Improving Completions: Pore Geometry
Information In Complex Reservoirs

Pore Geometry, Potential Minimizes Favored

Rock Type Damage Damage, Drilling Treatment(s)

Fine Pore- Oil/Water Fluid Foam, Air; Low FL Solvent;

Throated Block Muds Foam frac;
Siliclastic Foamed Acid

Fine Pore- Oil/Water Fluid Foam, Air; Low FL Solvent;

Throated Block Muds Foamed Acid
Carbonate Frac.

Fractured Highly Varied; Low FL Muds; Highly Varied;

Reservoirs Fluid Blocks, etc. Foam, Air Foam Fracs.;
Solvent
Completions “Checklist”- What is/are...

❂ the source(s), quality of information;

cuttings, core, seismic?
❂ the apparent pore geometry?
❂ the formation composition?
❂ the depositional environment?
❂ the log signature; does it match pre-drill
model?
What’s the Bottom Line?

The most successful completions

resultfrom applying a combination
of GEOSCIENCE and
EN GINEERING Knowledge!