Introduction to Formation

Evaluation
KNUST
Dept. of Petroleum Engineering
Kumasi, Ghana

PE 363 Formation Evaluation

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 Lecture Outline
• What is formation evaluation?
• Why do we evaluate formation?
• What do we evaluate?
• What data are we interested in?
• Who needs these data?
• What tools and methodology do we employ?
• Summary
• References
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 What is formation evaluation?

• Formation evaluation is the application of scientific

principles, engineering concepts and technological
innovations in the exploration and prospecting of
hydrocarbon resources in geological formations in an
environmentally sustainable and responsible manner.
• It involves detailed and systematic data acquisition,
gathering, analysis and interpretation both qualitatively and
quantitatively while applying scientific and engineering
principles.
(Gathering subsurface information which can be used to
determine the hydrocarbon potential of a particular
formation)
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 Why do we evaluate formation?
The major objective of formation evaluation
• What type of hydrocarbon is contained in these
zones –Is there any oil or gas there?
• Where are they located? Which zones of the
formation have hydrocarbon potential?
• How much volume of hydrocarbon is in place?
• How much can we produce, which answers the
question, “How much money can we make?”
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 What do we evaluate?
We evaluate a reservoir; (a reservoir is the
“container” storing the hydrocarbon).
A conventional reservoir will be characterized by
the following properties;

• Trap/Cap Rock/Rock Type

• Source Rock Lithology
• Porous and Permeable media
• Hydrocarbons (Gas or Oil)
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 What do we evaluate?
• Porosity
• Fluid Saturation (Volumes)
• Fluid Type
• Reservoir Structure
• Permeability (Ease of fluid flow within porous
media)
• Reservoir Pressure (Drive)

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Petroleum Exploration and Production Sequence

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 Logical formation evaluation sequence

Gas Evaluate

Hydrocarbon

Reservoir Oil Evaluate

Rock Water
Non-reservoir

Locate the reservoir: Detect hydrocarbon:

Differentiate oil from gas:
lithology, porosity, Conductivity, salinity,
permeability etc. saturations

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 Who Needs What Data?

Discipline Data

Geophysicist Time-Depth relationship for seismic

profile

Stratigraphy, Structural Sedimentary

Geologist
features, Mineralogy, bedding planes

Reservoir Engineer Porosity, permeability, fluid contacts,

reservoir pressure, producibility

Drilling Engineer Reservoir targets, offset log data if any

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 Who Needs What Data?

Discipline Data

Rock mechanical properties, reservoir

Production Engineer pressures, flow potential, flow assurance
issues, fluid types

Hydrocarbon in place, recoverability, cost

Manager
of development, profitability

Keeps a record of All data, field

Government development plan (FDP), Profitability for
the national economy

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 What tools and methodology/Techniques?

Seismic
Survey

Well
Mud
Testing
Logging
(PTA)

Formation
Formation Evaluation
Fluid MWD/LWD
Sampling

Coring
Wireline
and Core
Logging
Analysis
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 Data from Seismic Survey

• Vertical Seismic profile of the earth

• Structure of reservoir
• Location of traps and seals
• Depth of structure and geologic layer
• Presence of fluids
• 3D high resolution surveys
• Time Lapse seismic (4D Seismic)

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 Seismic surveys

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 Coring
 One way to get more detailed samples of a formation is by
coring, where formation sample is drilled out by means of
special bits.

 This sample can provide:

 Detailed lithological description.
 Porosity, permeability, fluid saturation and grain density.

 These parameters are measured in the laboratory and serve

as a basis for calibrating the response of the porosity logging
tools and to establish a porosity/permeability relationship.
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 Coring
 Two techniques commonly used at present. The first is the
"whole core", a cylinder of rock, usually about 75mm to
100mm in diameter and up to 15 m to 18 m long.

 It is cut with a "core barrel", a hollow pipe tipped with a ring-

shaped diamond chip-studded bit that can cut a plug and
bring it to the surface.

 Taking a full core is an expensive operation that usually stops

or slows drilling operation, and can be done only before the
drilling has been done.

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 Tools for Coring

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 Coring
 The other, cheaper, technique for obtaining samples of
the formation is "Sidewall Coring". In this method, a steel
cylinder—a coring gun—has hollow-point steel bullets
mounted along its sides and moored to the gun by short
steel cables.

 The coring gun is lowered to the bottom of the interval of

interest and the bullets are fired individually and the core
will be retrieved.

 Advantages of this technique are low cost and the ability

to sample the formation after it has been drilled.
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 Core Preservation

 Once the core is retrieve to surface then it is important that it

should remain as unchanged as possible.

 The core should be prevented from drying out, coming into

contact with oxygen or being mechanically damaged.
 Core barrel is filled with resin to prevent the core from
moving and to minimize the exposed surface area.
 Freezing the core in freezer containers.
 Core sample is wrapped in a plastic film, aluminium foil
and then dipped in molten wax.

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 Core Analysis

 Can be divided into two categories:

 Conventional Core Analysis.

 Special Core Analysis.

 Conventional Core Analysis.

 The core is usually slabbed, cut lengthwise to make the

structure visible.
 Provides information on lithology, residual fluid
saturation, ambient porosity, ambient gas permeability
and grain density.
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 Data From Core Analysis
 Special Core Analysis :
Provides the following information:

 Porosity and permeability at elevated confining stress.

 Electrical properties such as formation factor and
resistivity index.
 Capillary pressure.
 Wettability and relative permeability.
 Mechanical rock properties such as compressibility.
 Waterflood sensitivity for injectivity and well
performance.
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 Some Core Analyzing Equipment

Gas Permeameter

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Liquid Permeameter 21
 Some Core Analyzing Equipment

Porosimeter

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 Data from Mud Logging

• Mud logging: Mud logging (or Wellsite Geology) is a

well logging process in which drilling mud and drill
bit cuttings from the formation are evaluated during
drilling and their properties recorded on a strip chart
as a visual analytical tool and stratigraphic cross
sectional representation of the well.
• Lithology, mineralogy and their estimated depths
• Hydrocarbon shows and type
• Chromatographic analysis of gas
• Hazardous gas e.g. H2S
• Rate of penetration
• Fossil record
• Overpressure zones
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Drill cutting porosity 23
 Data from Mud Logging
The gas record and lithological sample are plotted
along with surface parameters such as rate of
penetration (ROP), Weight On Bit (WOB),rotation per
minute etc. on the mudlog which serve as a tool for the
drilling engineers and mud engineers.

Some problem: a discrepancy between the time the

rock was drilled and the time it reached the surface –
particularly for deep wells, where it take two or more
hours to reach the surface.

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 Mud Logging Units

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 Data From MWD/LWD

• Measurement While Drilling (MWD) and Logging While

Drilling (LWD) : These describes continuous measurement
taken by down-hole sensors during drilling. The tools (subs)
are made up with the BHA (bore hole assembly) drill string. It
is an indirect measurement. Data for the following parameters can
be estimated;
• Porosity, Lithology
• Acoustic
• Formation Pressure and Temperature
• Resistivity
• Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)
• Hole deviation from vertical, azimuth from geographic coordinates.
• Tool face angle, ROP etc.
• Gamma Ray
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 MWD/LWD Tools

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 Logging While Drilling

 One of the major drawbacks of wireline information is that

it is received several hours to several weeks after the
borehole is drilled.

 During this time period, the formation can undergo

significant alteration, especially in its fluid saturation,
effective porosity, and relative permeability.

 LWD allow wireline-type information to be available as

near as real-time as possible.

 Logging While Drilling (LWD) is a technique of conveying

well logging tools into the well borehole downhole as part
of the bottom hole assembly (BHA).
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 Data from Wireline Logging
Most versatile of the formation evaluation methods, it is an indirect
measurement; data for the following parameters can be gotten.
Open Hole Logging Cased Hole Logging
 Open-hole logging, also known as well logging is  Two major areas of cased-hole logging:
the practice of making a detailed record (a well  Production logging.
log) of the geologic formations penetrated by a  Reservoir monitoring.
borehole.
 Production logging refers to obtaining
 Open hole logs are run before the oil or gas well production or injection profiles over a
is lined with pipe or cased completed interval.
• Porosity
Fluid Sample (Types)  Reservoir monitoring refers to obtaining real
• time information about changes in
• Water Saturation hydrocarbon saturation.
• Hydrocarbon movability • Flow rates
• Lithology • Fluid types
• Formation dip and structure • Pressure
• Sedimentary Environment • Residual oil saturation
• Travel times of elastic waves • Cement evaluation (Bonding)
• Permeability
• Fracture and Vugs
• Rock mechanical properties

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 Well Testing
(Pressure Transient Analysis)

• Pressure Transient Analysis (PTA), is the recording of

variation of pressure with time through a wellbore in a
reservoir after a disturbance (shut-in, open to flow etc.) to normal well
operations. It is also called;
– Well Testing
– Flow Tests

• Well testing is possible because pressure and flow rate

can easily be measured in a well and an analysis of the
measurement history reflects reservoir parameters.

• Pressure measurement can be;

– Static (one time measurement)
– Last the duration of a Well test
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Continuous e.g. Downhole pressure gauges in wells 30
 Formation /Well Testing
(Pressure Transient Analysis)

 Three methods:
■ Wireline testing
■ Drill stem test (DST)
■ Well Test Analysis

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 Wireline Testing
 Provide reservoir fluid samples, reservoir pressure, an indication of
fluid mobility and information on reservoir continuity.

 Two types: Repeat Formation Tester (RFT) and Formation Interval

Tester (FIT).

 The RFT is run into the hole and a continuous digital readout of
hydrostatic pressure is obtained.

 At any point in the hole the tool may be actuated to force a rubber
pad against the wall of the hole, and a tube in the centre of the pad
is forced hard against the formation.

 The formation fluid will flow to the chamber through the tube.

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 Wireline Testing

 The Formation Interval Tester (FIT) is used for single test –

only one pressure reading and one fluid sample for each run.

 A tool is actuated (a pad is forced tightly against the

formation to form a seal against hydrostatic pressure of the
fluid in the hole).

 A shaped charge is then fired into the formation, opening a

passageway for formation fluids to flow into a chamber in
the tool. At the same time the formation pressure is then
recorded.

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 Drillstem Test (DST)

 A drill stem test (DST) is a procedure for isolating and testing

the surrounding geological formation through the drill stem.

 The test is a measurement of pressure behavior at the drill

stem and it is a valuable way to obtain important sampling
information on the formation fluid and to establish the
probability of commercial production.

 The test is made by lowering a valve, a packer, and a length of

perforated tailpipe to the level of formation.

 The packer is set against the wall of the borehole so that it

seals off the test interval from the mud column above.

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 Drillstem Test (DST)

 The valve is then opened,

and the formation fluid
flows to the surface through
the drillpipe.

 The amount of fluid

produced will represent the
fluid production that can be
expected from the well.

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 Well Test Analysis

 Two types of testing: pressure build-up and draw down test.

 The primary objectives of well testing are to establish:

 Permeability thickness (Kh) and permeability (K)

 Stratification (by sequential testing of layer).
 Well productivity.
 Investigate reservoir boundaries and size.

 The amount of fluid produced will represent the fluid

production that can be expected from the well.

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 Data from Reservoir Fluid Sampling

• Data acquired include;

– Fluid Type,
– PVT data, Fluid Composition from Lab tests
– Pressure and temperature
– Viscosity, GOR, API
– Asphaltene and wax content
– Presence of H2S

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 Summary

• Lots of evaluation tools are available in petroleum

engineering and engineers have to be aware of
these tools, the data and the scale of the acquired
data, relative to the reservoir.
• It is best to integrate all available data when
analyzing Petrophysical data; the whole picture
must be consistent.
• Different companies have different names for
their proprietary tool, but tool’s scientific
principles are the same.
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 References

• Richard Bateman, “Open-hole Log Analysis and

Formation Evaluation”, IHRDC Publishers New York
• Crombe et. Al., “Innovations in Fluid Sampling”,
Schlumberger Oilfield Review, Autumn 1998.
• Baker Atlas Training Manual, Montrose Training
Center, Montrose Scotland, 2001.

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Thanks for your
attention!

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