Advanced fractal modelling of heterogeneous and anisotropic geological hydrocarbon reservoirs

The modern oil and gas industry is refocussing its efforts. Most of the large and simple conventional reservoirs have now been found and exploited. New reservoirs are discovered regularly, but these are small, complex and difficult to produce. Reservoir modelling has always provided the industry with a way to predict hydrocarbon production over the lifetime of the reservoir, as well as a method of testing changes to reservoir production, e.g. drilling more wells, with no risk. However, this key tool struggles to be relevant in the new complex heterogeneous and anisotropic reservoirs. Another approach is needed. Fractal-based methods allow the complexity of the reservoir to be accounted for in the reservoir model over a large range of scales. Research at the University of Leeds has already made significant progress in creating these state-of-the-art models (Al-Zainaldin et al., 2017; Glover et al., 2018). Initial coding exists that allows us to make generic Advanced Fractal Reservoir Models (AFRMs), and some research has examined how hydrocarbon production depends on the spatial and directional distribution of critical reservoir properties such as porosity and permeability. Initial work has also been able to use the new method on real reservoirs. The aim of this research project is to develop the advanced fractal modelling technique to the edge of commercialisation. Specifically, the project aims to carry out a full study of how the heterogeneity and anisotropy of reservoirs affects reservoir production as well as to further develop methods for carrying out fractal interpolation for conditioning AFRMs to real reservoirs and to undertake full AFRM and conventional modelling on a limited number of reservoir types.