Gravity observations for hydrocarbon reservoir monitoring

Doctoral thesis (2013)

Authors

Contributors

R. Klees (promotor)
R.J. Arts (promotor)
Department
Geoscience and Remote Sensing (CEG) (TU Delft)
Copyright: © 2013 Glegola, M.A.
Data assimilation Time-lapse gravimetry Reservoir monitoring Ensemble Kalman filter Ensemble smoother
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Published Date

05-03-2013

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Faculty

Civil Engineering and Geosciences

Department

Geoscience and Remote Sensing

Abstract

In this thesis the added value of gravity observations for hydrocarbon reservoir monitoring and characterization is investigated. Reservoir processes and reservoir types most suitable for gravimetric monitoring are identified. Major noise sources affecting time-lapse gravimetry are analyzed. The added value of gravity data for reservoir monitoring and characterization is analyzed within closed-loop reservoir management concept. Synthetic 2D and 3D numerical experiments are performed where various reservoir parameters, like permeability, porosity, reservoir structure, and aquifer characteristics, are updated using gravity and reservoir production data assimilation. The results show that history matching a gas field with pressure data only may provide highly non-unique solutions because several parameter combinations can explain the reservoir pressure behavior observed in the wells. Therefore, additional information is needed which can be provided by time-lapse gravimetry. It is demonstrated that a joint assimilation of pressure and gravity data can provide more constrained inverse solutions and result not only in improved gas and water production forecast, but also can give more accurate reservoir reserves evaluation and reservoir state description.