Estimating the 3-D spatial distribution of mechanical properties of rock by seismic data and well logs

• Published in: Acta geophysica 2023-10, Vol.71 (5), p.2089-2106
• Main Authors: Darjani, Mohsen, Bakhtiyari, Ehsan, Sen, Souvik, Abioui, Mohamed
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bulk modulus; Drilling; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Geomechanics; Geophysics/Geodesy; Geostatistics; Geotechnical Engineering & Applied Earth Sciences; Hydraulic fracturing; Hydrocarbons; Mechanical properties; Modelling; Modulus of elasticity; Poisson's ratio; Research Article - Solid Earth Sciences; Reservoirs; Rock properties; Rocks; Seismological data; Shear modulus; Spatial distribution; Spatial variability; Structural Geology; Three dimensional models; Well logs
• ISSN: 1895-7455; 1895-6572; 1895-7455
• DOI: 10.1007/s11600-023-01128-y

The rock mechanical properties influence the selection of drilling parameters, optimized drilling trajectory, and appropriate hydraulic fracturing intervals. Estimating the 3-D spatial distribution of these geomechanical properties at the reservoir scale is a challenging task, especially in the case of limited data only at the well locations. Advanced geostatistical techniques can be utilized to represent a reservoir’s inherent spatial variation more realistically. In this study, we investigate the spatial variability of rock mechanical properties, including Young’s modulus, shear modulus, bulk modulus, and Poisson’s ratio, as major constituents of the reservoir geomechanical model. The data are extracted from a hydrocarbon field located southwest of Iran and consist of forty wells. We first build a 1-D model of rock elastic moduli at each well by integrating petrophysical and core-based laboratory measurements and then develop a corresponding 3-D model using geostatistical simulation techniques. Thereafter, 3-D seismic data are employed to optimize the geomechanical model. Results show that the integration of well logs with seismic data increases the accuracy of field-wise 3-D elastic moduli models. Furthermore, we used various co-simulation techniques to demonstrate the improving effect of complementary data in constructing a more realistic reservoir geomechanical model.