Advances in Sonic Technology for Formation Evaluation and Completion Optimization of High Angle and Horizontal wells
During the last two decades, the number of horizontal wells drilled annually worldwide has increased dramatically. While the drilling technology has advanced to the point where high angle and horizontal wells have become routine, the development of horizontal well formation evaluation and log interpretation has lagged behind the drilling technology. Till to date, in many ways the vertical well interpretation practices predominate. Moreover, horizontal wells are more sensitive to formation damage induced by drilling fluids. Therefore, formation damage evaluation in horizontal wells for an optimum completion strategy may be considered as one of the main tasks in any field development. In this paper we are presenting practical applications of the latest wireline sonic technology that overcomes several of the limitations of standard sonic tools in high angle and horizontal wells. It acquires simultaneous radial measurements, in true 3D, and at multiple depths of investigation, to help us better understand and characterize the reservoirs. We will start with the main application of sonic imaging in horizontal wells, which allows us to see important reservoir features( boundaries, faults, etc) tens of feet away from the borehole. A second important new sonic technology application in HA/HZ wells is the ability to derive the formations' elastic anisotropy parameters which can then be used to enhance the processing and interpretation of seismic data. A third sonic application that will be presented is derivation of the formation alteration that can then be used to optimize the completion strategy.
Clastic Reservoirs - Flow Unit Definition for Optimal Recovery
AAPG & AAPG European Region Energy Conference and Exhibition (November 18-21, 2007) Technical Program