Method for determining the properties of hydrocarbon reservoirs from geophysical data
US8676556B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 11, 2008 |
| Grant date | Mar 18, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 25, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02W90/00
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A hydrocarbon exploration method is disclosed for developing a model of at least one effective material property of a subsurface reservoir as a function of the composition and structure of the reservoir rock. In one embodiment, the method comprises: obtaining a 3D image (102) of a rock sample characteristic of a reservoir of interest (101); segmenting the 3D image into compositional classes (103) based on similarities in mineralogy, structure and spatial distribution; selecting a model (105) that relates an effective material property of interest to the volume fractions of each compositional class; and determining the parameters of the model (106). The model may be used to assess the commercial potential of the subsurface reservoir (107).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.