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Geomechanics of Compartmentalized Reservoirs with Finite Element Analysis: Field Case Study from the Eastern Mediterranean


 This paper presents an optimum way to produce down to depletion a compartmentalized reservoir in offshore deep environment by considering geomechanical stress-deformation mechanisms and associated problems. The case study is for a faulted reservoir zone of the Aphrodite field, located in the Eastern Mediterranean. The study is based on finite element modelling using 2D plane strain analysis that incorporates pore pressure and elastoplastic deformation of reservoir and overburden rock formations using the Drucker-Prager plasticity model. The mechanical properties of the reservoir sandstones were derived from calibration of data obtained from triaxial tests and for the overburden shale layers from acoustic velocities and correlation functions. The compartmentalized geometry was constructed based on seismic data and logging data obtained at the exploration and appraisal phases. The estimated insitu stress field was transformed and applied on the boundaries of the model blocky geometry.
 Four different initial and equilibrium depletion scenarios were examined and the obtained results in terms of deformation and effective stresses are compared. The first scenario reflects the initial stress state, the next two intermediate scenarios present non-uniform depletion cases for each fault block, and the fourth scenario presents the case of a uniform depletion. It was found that the uniform depletion of the reservoir compartments creates the least stress contrast in the field and consequently, ensures better control of stress-related impacts during the production. The analysis highlights the local regions of a fault blocks system that potentially suffer by high shear strains that can cause fault reactivation or induced fractured zones but the over-all risk remains low. Furthermore, the analysis establishes relationships between the mean effective stress, volumetric strain, and permeability changes in order to predict the regions with improved transmissibility characteristics or the less permeable compacted rock regions of the reservoir. Overall, the analysis can provide an appreciation of the stress/strain-driven characteristics of the reservoir showing the area of rock compaction tendencies of the faulted blocks and the further deformation in depletion conditions. The presented work demonstrates clearly that a properly calibrated reservoir geomechanical model can be used as a screening tool for examining depletion scenarios of compartmentalized reservoirs, highlighting areas of potential problems such as fault activation, wellbore shearing, reservoir compaction, permeability changes and fault sealing.