Dr.  Greg Samways:  Course creator and presenter.

Formation Evaluation and Petrophysics mean different things to different people.  Outlined below are a selection of the core modules that we are preparing, that can be mixed and matched to make eLearning or Flipped Classroom courses.

The modules covered could include:  Rock and Fluid Properties, Conventional Core Analysis, Special Core Analysis, Logging Tool Theory, Lithology and Porosity Determination Clean Reservoirs, Permeability Determination, Fluid Saturation Determination in Clean Reservoirs, Fluid Saturation Determination in Complex Reservoirs, Saturation Height Analysis, Flow Unit Characterization and more . . . 

Take a look through and let us know if you have any other suggestions in the Comments, on the Contact Us form or Register on the GeoLumina Website and start a discussion in the Forum.

Rock and Fluid Properties

This module will define the key reservoir properties and their geological controls:  Porosity, Permeability and Relative Permeability, Wettability, Capillary Pressure, Fluid Density, Salinity and Resistivity, and Fluid Properties (e.g. composition, GOR, density, PVT, Formation Volume Factors).  The module will culminate in the introduction of the Archie equation, the equation used to determine water saturation in simple, clean reservoirs, and the shaly sand equations used in more complex reservoirs.

Conventional Core Analysis:  Analytical Methods – Uncertainties and Limitations

Description of the analyses that are routinely carried out on core: Porosity, Permeability and Grain Density.

Special Core Analysis:  Analytical Methods – Uncertainties and Limitations

Description of the special analyses that are carried out on selected cores:  Fluid Saturations, Capillary Pressure Measurements, Wettability, Relative Permeability, Electrical Properties (e.g. m, n, Rw), Nuclear Magnetic resonance, Cation Exchange Capacity, Mechanical Properties, Core Flood Experiments, Fluid PVT Properties, Formation Volume Factors.

Logging Tool Theory:  Property Measurements in the Subsurface

Explanation of the physics and function of the key subsurface logging tools, including calibration and corrections.  Understanding these fundamentals will enable us to define the limitations and uncertainties in the tool measurements from first principles.  The following groups of tools will be covered:  Quality Control Logs (e.g. caliper, tension), Temperature Logs, Nuclear Logs (e.g. total and spectral gamma ray, ECS, neutron porosity, density and photoelectric factor), Sonic Logs (e.g. conventional, full waveform, image), Electrical Logs (e.g. spontaneous potential, resistivity, dielectric, image), Magnetic Resonance (e.g. NMR Scanners), Well Testing (e.g. MDT), and In-situ Fluid Analysis (IFA).

Lithology and Porosity Determination of Clean Reservoirs

Evaluation of the various methods of lithology determination and specifically the definition of V-Shale and V-Clay will be explained and undertaken using a selection of demonstration datasets.  The lithological evaluation will include application of conventional open-hole tools (e.g. gamma-ray logs, cross-plots: neutron-density, neutron-sonic, sonic density, DT_maa-Rho_maa, U_maa-Rho_maa, M-N plots) and the introduction of more advanced methods (e.g. ECS).  Special emphasis will be placed on the determination of V-shale and V-clay, including evaluation of shale / clay distribution (e.g. Thomas Steiber method).  Once the lithologies are established, the focus will be on determination of porosity from conventional logs, and review of more advanced log-based porosity determination techniques.

Permeability Determination

This module will use demonstration datasets to investigate various approaches to permeability estimation including subsurface indicators of permeability from conventional logs (e.g. SP, resistivity), porosity/permeability transforms as permeability predictors, estimation of permeability from NMR, direct measurements of permeability / transmissivity from downhole testing (e.g. MDT).

Fluid Saturation Determination in Simple / Clean Reservoirs

The demonstration datasets will be used to test and compare various methods of saturation determination from conventional logs in clean sandstone and limestone reservoirs (including quick-look techniques and Pickett Plots).   Comparison and calibration to core data will be undertaken and the limitations and uncertainties of the various methods considered.

Fluid Saturation Determination in Complex / Shaly Reservoirs

In complex, shaly lithologies, the Archie approach is not applicable and more complex approaches must be used.  In the section the demonstration datasets will be used to experiment with and compare selected shaly sand analysis techniques which largely rely on modifications to the Archie equation (e.g. Simandoux, Indonesian, and Waxman-Smits).  More advanced techniques such as NMR and Dielectric logs will also be reviewed.

Saturation Height Analysis

An alternative approach to saturation determination from logs is to construct saturation height curves using core analysis data.  The demonstration datasets will be used to determine and experiment with saturation height curves using J-functions.

Introduction to Flow Unit Characterisation

This section will briefly introduce methods that are used to define hydraulic flow units, based on petrophysical data (e.g  Reservoir Quality Index (RQI) and Fluid Zone Indicators (FZI), and cumulative flow and storage units).

Introduction to Seismic Analysis

The final part of the course will briefly introduce selected seismic methods which should be integrated in to any petrophysical evaluation, including attribute analysis, seismic inversion and AVO analysis.

Can you think of anything else you would like?  Put your suggestions in the Comments, on the Contact Us from or Register and start a discussion in the Forum.