Pilot Area Formation Evaluation: Upper Shale Member/ Rumaila Oil Field

Abstract

This study aims to conduct a comprehensive formation evaluation of a pilot area within the Upper Shale Member of the Rumaila Oil Field. This evaluation is an essential step in the full development of the field. The application of well-log data and core analyses can help in obtaining the desired information about the geological characteristics of the formation. The process begins with measuring the formation temperature and water resistance utilizing Schlumberger’s charts and equations. The volume of shale was determined by two different methods, which were then used together to obtain the final shale volume. The porosity was determined using the conventional porosity equations from the porosity logs and the saturation was estimated based on Archie's equation. In core data analysis, an unconventional technique was utilized to determine rock type and permeability. The core porosity and the permeability were classified into four groups mainly using a self-organizing map and an unsupervised machine-learning method, and selected regression equations of each group were applied to estimate permeability in the core. The method depicted a good agreement between the core and estimated permeabilities, proving it as an effective tool. A complicated training data set was constructed based on the use of a multilayer perceptron neural network on coreless wells to identify rock types and permeability. Analyzing the petrophysical properties of the study area showed evidence that this area is characterized by heterogeneity. The heterogeneity of this formation is due to the presence of a considerable amount of shale, in addition to the significant characteristic differences in the layers and the same layer in different locations. The abundance of shale rock poses challenges during drilling operations, particularly due to shale washout which can lead to mechanical issues with the drilling string. Therefore, caution is advised when drilling new wells in the area to mitigate shale washout risks. Furthermore, the analysis identified layers with high hydrocarbon saturation that are viable for production. Conversely, some layers, characterized by shale presence and poor rock quality, are deemed unsuitable for production, and should not be considered as reservoir rock.