The presence of gas hydrates in permafrost regions has been confirmed by core samples recovered from the Mallik gas hydrate research wells located within Mackenzie Delta in the Northwest Territories of Canada. Strong vertical variations of compressional and shear velocities and weak surface seismic expressions of gas hydrates indicate that lithological heterogeneities control the lateral distribution of gas hydrates. Seismic scattering studies predict that typical horizontal scales and strong velocity contrasts due to gas hydrate concentration will generate strong forward scattering, leaving only weak energy to be captured by surface receivers. In order to understand the distribution of gas hydrates and the scattering effects on seismic waves, heterogeneous petrophysical reservoir models were constructed based on the P-wave and S-wave velocity logs. Random models with pre-determined heterogeneity scales can also be used to simulate permafrost interval as well as sediments without hydrates. Using the established relationship between hydrate concentration and P-wave velocity, we found that gas hydrate volume content can be determined by correlation length and Hurst number. Using the Hurst number obtained from Mallik 2L-38, and the correlation length estimated from acoustic impedance inversion, gas hydrate volume fraction in Mallik area was estimated to be 17%, approximately 7x108 m3 free gas stored in a hydrate bearing interval with 250,000 m2 lateral extension and 100 m depth. Simulations of seismic wave propagation in randomly heterogeneous models demonstrate energy loss due to scattering. With the available modeling algorithm, the impact of heterogeneity scales on seismic scattering and optimum acquisition geometries will be investigated in future studies.

Submitted by Marcos Wanderley (marcos.wanderley@ufcg.edu.br) on 2018-08-02T19:11:43Z No. of bitstreams: 1 FELIPE DE BRITO LEAL - DISSERTAÇÃO(PPGEPM) 2018.pdf: 2534276 bytes, checksum: 3031c6788b6f03fbf0bf11a8f8afde4a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-02T19:11:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 FELIPE DE BRITO LEAL - DISSERTAÇÃO(PPGEPM) 2018.pdf: 2534276 bytes, checksum: 3031c6788b6f03fbf0bf11a8f8afde4a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-02-26 / Capes / As propriedades físicas das rochas têm grande importância no planejamento, execução e custo dos projetos de engenharia de reservatório. O objetivo desta pesquisa é avaliar as propriedades elétricas das rochas a partir da análise de imagens de microtomografia de raios x, além de buscar uma correlação com as demais propriedades petrofísicas. Para o desenvolvimento dessa pesquisa foram selecionadas 16 amostras de carbonatos, sendo 12 calcários e 4 dolomitos, de três diferentes bacias (Araripe, Potiguar e Sergipe –Alagoas). Na presente pesquisa, a partir de imagens microtomográficas e utilização do software Avizo Fire, foram obtidos dados petrofísicos computacionais, além da geração de uma malha tridimensional para simulação de propriedades elétricas das amostras, sendo esta simulação realizada no software Comsol Multiphysics. Utilizando algumas propriedades obtidas na pesquisa e aplicando a lei de Archie, foi possível avaliar a molhabilidade das amostras. Os valores de densidade total possuem boa relação com a porosidade e o fluido saturante. Na relação entre a porosidade e a permeabilidade, chama atenção as amostras com valores de porosidade semelhantes, mas com permeabilidades bem diferentes. Este fator pode ser explicado pela baixa conectividade dos poros, baixando a permeabilidade. Ao comparar as porosidades obtidas por ensaios convencionais e computacionais, em alguns casos, foram observados diferentes valores para a mesma amostra. Este fato pode ser explicado pela escolha do subvolume da amostra computacional e o fato do ensaio convencional medir apenas a porosidade efetiva. Ainda observando os resultados obtidos nos ensaios realizados, foi verificado que a porosidade pode apresentar uma relação inversamente proporcional com a tortuosidade. A resistividade demonstrou forte relação com o tipo da rocha, onde, amostras de calcários possuem maior resistividade do que as amostras de dolomitos. A conectividade dos poros de uma rocha pode ser determinante na influência da porosidade sobre a resistividade dessa rocha, já que poros isolados não apresentam grande influência na condutividade elétrica de uma rocha. Ao avaliar a molhabilidade, foram identificadas sete amostras molháveis à água, três com molhabilidade neutra ou intermediária e seis preferencialmente molháveis à óleo. A molhabilidade das amostras apresentou relação direta com as bacias que as mesmas se localizavam. / The physical properties of the rocks have great importance in the planning, execution and cost of the reservoir engineering projects. The objective of this research is to evaluate the electrical properties of the rocks from the analysis of x-ray microtomography images, in addition to searching for a correlation with the other petrophysical properties. For the development of this research, 16 samples of carbonates, 12 limestone and 4 dolomites, were selected from three different basins (Araripe, Potiguar and Sergipe - Alagoas). In this research, from the microtomographic images and the use of Avizo Fire software, computational petrophysical data were obtained, as well as the generation of a three - dimensional mesh to simulate the electrical properties of the samples, being this simulation carried out in Comsol Multiphysics software. Using some properties obtained in the research and applying the Archie’s law, it was possible to evaluate the wettability of the samples. The values of total density also have good relation with the porosity and saturating fluid. When analyzing the relationship between porosity and permeability, can be highlighted the samples with similar porosity values, but with very different permeabilities. This factor can be explained by the low connectivity of the pores, resulting in low permeability. When comparing the porosities obtained by conventional and computational tests, in some cases different values were observed for the same sample. This can be explained by the subjective choice of the subvolume of the computational sample and the fact that the conventional test only measures the effective porosity. Still observing the results of the tests, it was verified that the porosity may present an inversely proportional relation with the tortuosity. The resistivity showed a strong relationship with the type of rock, where calcareous samples have higher resistivity than dolomite samples. The pore connectivity of a rock can be determinant in the influence of the porosity on the resistivity of this rock, since isolated pores do not have great influence on the electrical conductivity of a rock. When assessing the wettability, seven water-wettable samples, three with neutral or intermediate wettability, and six preferentially oil-wettable were identified. The wettability of the samples was directly related to the basins that were located.

Cette étude vise à caractériser selon une approche multi-échelles et multi-techniques les propriétés structurales et pétrophysiques de deux analogues de surface de réservoirs de socle développés en contexte extensif. Cette démarche permet de proposer un modèle conceptuel de réservoir de socle à hydrocarbures pour chacun de ces systèmes étudiés. Ces modèles contribuent à améliorer la compréhension de ces systèmes pétroliers, depuis la zone de maturation jusqu’aux zones de stockage dans le socle. Cette étude représente une base pour les guides de prospection de ces réservoirs à hydrocarbures. Ce travail met en avant la distribution multi-échelles sur plus de dix ordres de grandeur de l’ensemble des éléments qui composent le réservoir, depuis l’échelle pluri- kilométrique des structures tectoniques majeures jusqu’à l’échelle infra-millimétrique de la microporosité secondaire des zones fracturées et altérées. L’étude de ces analogues met en évidence la nécessité pour ces réservoirs d’être affectés par plusieurs familles directionnelles de failles et fractures, fortement connectées. Les zones de failles majeures compartimentent le réservoir en délimitant un ensemble de blocs structuraux. Leurs intersections représentent des zones de drainage entre et au sein même de ces blocs structuraux. Les zones favorables de stockage correspondent aux zones endommagées des zones de failles, ainsi qu’aux niveaux altérés au toit du socle, développés par altération supergène lors de phases d’exhumation anté-rift. Les caractéristiques des réservoirs de socle résultent finalement de la longue évolution géodynamique de ce type de formations jusqu’à la phase de rifting et d’enfouissement du réservoir / This work aims to characterize with a multi-scale and multi-method approach the effects of both brittle deformation and weathering processes on the structural and petrophysical properties of two surface analogue case studies developed in extensive setting. This approach allows us to build a conceptual hydrocarbon basement reservoir model for both studied systems. These geological models enhance the understanding of those non-conventional petroleum systems from the maturation zone to storage in the basement. Moreover, this study can also provide information for exploration guides for those hydrocarbon reservoirs. This study points out the multi-scale distribution of all the features constituting the reservoir, over ten orders of magnitude from the pluri-kilometric scale of the major tectonics structures to the infra-millimetric scale of the secondary micro-porosity of fractured and weathered basements units. Major fault zones allow the “compartmentalization” of the reservoir by dividing it into several structural blocks. The analysis of these fault zones highlights the necessity for the basement reservoirs to be characterized by a highly connected fault and fracture system, where structure intersections represent the main fluid drainage areas between and within the reservoir’s structural blocks. The suitable fluid storage areas in these reservoirs correspond to the damage zone of the fault structures developed during the tectonic evolution of the basement and the weathered units of the basement roof developed during pre-rift exhumation phases. This study highlights therefore that basement reservoir properties are the result of the long geodynamic evolution of these rocks

Submitted by Marcos Wanderley (marcos.wanderley@ufcg.edu.br) on 2018-07-26T20:07:51Z No. of bitstreams: 1 WELINGTON BARBOSA DE SOUSA - DISSERTAÇÃO(PPGEPM) 2017.pdf: 2079159 bytes, checksum: c91660187b1af81f4801a2dccb0a5b76 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-07-26T20:07:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 WELINGTON BARBOSA DE SOUSA - DISSERTAÇÃO(PPGEPM) 2017.pdf: 2079159 bytes, checksum: c91660187b1af81f4801a2dccb0a5b76 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-05-26 / O conhecimento das propriedades petrofísicas é de grande importância para melhor entender o comportamento físico das rochas, especialmente quando se considera que o principal método de prospecção geofísica para alvos profundos é o método sísmico, o qual investiga a propagação de ondas elásticas em subsuperfície. O estudo das ondas sísmicas fornece informações a respeito do tipo de rocha e fluidos em subsuperfície: assim, é de grande importância o desenvolvimento de um trabalho que possibilite gerar um modelo matemático capaz de simular a propagação dessas ondas, tendo em vista sua importância para o cálculo das propriedades elásticas. Este trabalho tem por objetivo suprir essa necessidade, por meio da geração um modelo matemático (utilizando o software Comsol Multiphysics 5.1) capaz de simular a propagação de ondas cisalhantes (S) em rochas sedimentares a partir de imagens microtomográficas de raios-X de dois tipos de rocha: arenitos e carbonatos. A simulação da propagação de ondas compressionais e cisalhantes foi realizada através da aplicação do módulo solid mechanics, da sessão Structural Mechanics, que permite a análise transiente da propagação de ondas em maciços rochosos causada pela aplicação de uma carga explosiva de curta duração. Os valores obtidos pelo método objeto deste trabalho foram comparados aos valores medidos em laboratório (P e S) e aos valores obtidos utilizando o método apresentado por Apolinário (2016) para a onda P. No caso das ondas cisalhantes, os valores obtidos foram comparados apenas aos valores obtidos em laboratório. O modelo numérico desenvolvido neste trabalho apresentou uma performance satisfatória na simulação das velocidades de propagação das ondas P e S em amostras reais de arenitos e carbonatos, tendo seu desempenho sido superior ao método proposto por Apolinário (2016). Uma maior representatividade estatística dos resultados pode ser obtida pela aplicação em um maior número de amostras. / The knowledge of the petrophysical properties is of great importance to better understand the physical behavior of the rocks, especially when considering that the main method of geophysical prospecting for deep targets is the seismic method, which investigates the propagation of elastic waves in subsurface. The study of seismic waves provides information about the type of rock and subsurface fluids: thus, the development of a work that allows to generate a mathematical model capable of simulating the propagation of these waves is of great importance, considering their importance for the calculation of elastic properties. This work aims to furnish this need by generating a mathematical model (using software Comsol Multiphysics 5.1) able to simulate the propagation of shear waves (S) in sedimentary rocks from microtomographic images of X-rays of two types of rock: sandstones and carbonates. The simulation of the propagation of compressive and shear waves was carried out through the application of the solid mechanics module of the session Structural Mechanics, which allows the transient analysis of the propagation of waves in rocky masses caused by the application of a short duration explosive load. The results obtained by the object method of this work were compared to the values measured in laboratory (P and S) and the values obtained using the method presented by Apolinário (2016) for the P wave. In the case of the shear waves, the values obtained were compared only values obtained in the laboratory. The numerical model developed in this work presented a satisfactory performance in the simulation of the propagation velocities of P and S waves in real samples of sandstones and carbonates, and its performance was superior to the method proposed by Apolinário (2016). A greater statistical representativeness of the results can be obtained by the application in a greater number of samples.

Submitted by Jesiel Ferreira Gomes (jesielgomes@ufcg.edu.br) on 2018-04-19T20:06:11Z No. of bitstreams: 1 LOUIS DOSTOIEVSKY GOMES TABOSA – DISSERTAÇÃO (PPGEPM) 2016.pdf: 50198999 bytes, checksum: 7f83d1805af66a602bbb6f4676a86192 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-04-19T20:06:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 LOUIS DOSTOIEVSKY GOMES TABOSA – DISSERTAÇÃO (PPGEPM) 2016.pdf: 50198999 bytes, checksum: 7f83d1805af66a602bbb6f4676a86192 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-04-04 / Capes / Neste trabalho são obtidas e analisadas propriedades petrofísicas e elásticas de amostras de rochas oriundas da Bacia do Rio do Peixe, através de ensaios laboratóriais e computacionais, obtendo-se informações sobre a densidade de grãos, a porosidade, a permeabilidade, as velocidades de propagação e os atributos de atenuação de ondas elásticas, estabelecendo-se correlações entre o comportamento viscoelástico e as propriedades faciológicas para aquela bacia. Compara-se, também, duas diferentes aproximações, no domínio da frequência, para a determinação do fator da qualidade Q (o qual corresponde a uma descrição quantitativa que sintetiza os complexos processos associados à atenuação): a razão espectral e o deslocamento de frequência. As análises mostram boa correlação das velocidades elásticas com a porosidade e a densidade, resultado da cimentação carbonática, amplamente presente em muitas áreas da Bacia. Já os fatores de qualidade obtidos não correlacionam-se fortemente, de modo fundamentado, às outras propriedades medidas, sendo mais influenciados pelas estruturas tectônicas presentes. Em geral observa-se um comportamento viscoelástico particular, atribuído à complexidade estrutural e diagenética da Bacia. / In this work petrophysical and elastic properties of rocks from the rio do Peixe Basin - Brazil - were obtained and analyzed throught laboratory and computacional assays, providing information about grain density, porosity, permeability, velocity and attenuation attributes from elastic waves. Correlations were established between the viscoelastic behavior and the facies units. Moreover, two different methods to determine the quality factor Q (which corresponds to a quantitative description of complex process associated to wave attenuation) in the frequency domain were compared: the spectral ratio and the frequency shift methods. The analysis show good correlacion of the elastic velocities with porosity and, also, with the density, which results from carbonatic cementation, extensively present in the Basin. The quality factors does not correlate strongly with other measured properties. Those are more affected by tectonic structures. In general, a particular viscoelastic, behavior is observed, witch is atributted to the diagenetic and structural complexity of the Basin.

Orientador: Osvair Vidal Trevisan / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Mecânica e Instituto de Geociências / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-25T03:02:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Laboissiere_Philipe_D.pdf: 6727238 bytes, checksum: ea2c2123c6debfbac0f638ef74e8cea7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Resumo: No método de recuperação WAG, a alternância dos fluidos injetados promove alterações de saturações no meio poroso. Associados a estas alterações ocorrem dois fenômenos muito relevantes à movimentação de fluidos na rocha: (1) o trapeamento capilar de CO2 durante o processo de embebição, e (2) a histerese nas curvas de permeabilidade relativa. As informações sobre o aprisionamento de CO2 e os efeitos de histerese cíclica são chaves para a previsão de comportamento dos reservatórios carbonáticos submetidos à injeção alternada de água e dióxido de carbono (CO2-WAG) e estocagem de CO2. Os objetivos deste trabalho são divididos em duas partes. A primeira é investigar, em escala de laboratório, a influência de diferentes condições de pressão e temperatura sobre a máxima saturação de gás trapeada em escoamento bifásico. A segunda é investigar, também em escala de laboratório, os efeitos de histerese cíclica (gás e água) da permeabilidade relativa em escoamento trifásico. Com esta finalidade, foram realizados testes em rochas carbonáticas, consideradas heterogêneas. As coquinas utilizadas são de afloramentos análogos ao do pré-sal, procedentes da Formação Morro do Chaves, da Bacia Sergipe-Alagoas, Brasil. Amostras semelhantes às utilizadas no trabalho tiverem sua composição mineralógica, geometria dos poros e propriedades petrofísicas caracterizadas por lâminas delgadas e por tomografia computadorizada. No trabalho é desenvolvida uma metodologia experimental para caracterização de experimentos em rochas carbonáticas, de forma a permitir adequada investigação do método WAG em escala de laboratório. O monitoramento das distribuições de saturações durante os ensaios de deslocamento foi realizado através de tomografia computadorizada, juntamente com criteriosos procedimentos para obtenção dos balanços de materiais. A metodologia é apresentada em duas etapas que contemplam, em uma primeira instância, a montagem de um aparato (A) para o estudo sobre trapeamento bifásico de N2 ou CO2 em uma amostra (A) longa (76 cm); e, em uma segunda, a montagem de outro aparato (B) para conduzir o teste de histerese trifásica em uma amostra (B) curta (21 cm). As amostras foram preparadas e os testes seguiram com os procedimentos considerados padrões para os estudos propostos. Para a investigação do trapeamento bifásico (água-gás) e da variação dos coeficientes de trapeamento de Land, foram realizados deslocamentos de drenagens e embebições em diferentes condições de pressão (700 a 7000 psi) e temperatura (22°C e 65°C) para avaliar a influência das propriedades rocha-fluido na saturação residual de gás em meio poroso. Para a investigação da histerese cíclica da permeabilidade relativa trifásica e da redução da permeabilidade relativa ao gás e à água, foram realizadas sequências de deslocamentos de drenagem e embebição em meio poroso saturado com óleo e na condição de água irredutível. Os resultados da investigação sobre o trapeamento do gás pela água revelam que os efeitos combinados de aumento de viscosidade e densidade do gás em condições de pressão e temperatura elevadas aumentam a saturação máxima de gás trapeada. Os coeficientes de trapeamento de Land obtidos neste trabalho foram caracterizados através da determinação local das saturações via tomografia computadorizada, apresentando variação local do coeficiente. Eventos de dissolução-precipitação nos testes envolvendo CO2 e salmoura carbonatada alteram a estrutura dos poros e podem modificar a capacidade de trapeamento da amostra, funcionando como um mecanismo auxiliar. O efeito de histerese em processo WAG fica claro na análise dos dados experimentais de permeabilidade relativa à água e ao gás do teste trifásico, destacando-se o comportamento da permeabilidade relativa ao gás. Através da adequada caracterização da histerese em regime permanente foi possível determinar o expoente (?) de redução da permeabilidade relativa ao gás do modelo de Larsen. Conclui-se que os parâmetros de histerese bifásica e trifásica são dependentes do processo de injeção, que é uma característica da injeção WAG. Os parâmetros devem ser medidos na pressão e temperatura de reservatório do campo em estudo, para assim, serem representativos em ajustes de histórico experimental e para uma adequada previsão do comportamento do processo WAG em escala de campo / Abstract: In the WAG recovery method, alternating the injected fluids promotes changes in the saturation of the porous media. Associated with these changes, two phenomena occur, which are very relevant to the movement of fluids in the rock: (1) capillary trapping of CO2 during an imbibition process, and (2) hysteresis in the relative permeability curves. Information regarding CO2 trapping and cyclic hysteresis effects is key for predicting the behavior of the carbonate reservoirs subjected to water alternating gas (CO2-WAG) and CO2 storage processes. The objectives of this study were divided in two parts. First was to investigate, at laboratory scale, the influence of different pressure and temperature conditions on the maximum trapped saturation of gas in two phase flow. The second was to investigate, also at laboratory scale, the effects of cyclic hysteresis (gas and water) of three-phase relative permeability in three phase flow. To this end, tests were conducted on carbonate samples that were considered to be heterogeneous. The samples used were coquinas from outcrops that are analogous to pre-salt samples, coming from the Morro do Chaves formation, in the Sergipe-Alagoas Basin, Brazil. The mineralogical composition, pore geometry and petrophysical properties of samples similar to those used in this study were characterized by thin sections and computed tomography. In this study, an experimental methodology was developed to characterize carbonate rocks in such a way as to allow adequate investigation of the WAG method at laboratory scale. Monitoring of the saturation distributions during the displacement tests was conducted through computed tomography, along with detailed procedures for obtaining material balances. The methodology is presented in two steps that include, first, the assembly of an apparatus (A) for studying two-phase trapping of N2 or CO2 in a long sample (A) (76 cm) and, second, the assembly of another apparatus (B) to conduct the three-phase hysteresis test on a short sample (B) (21 cm). The samples were prepared, and the tests followed the procedures considered to be standard for the proposed studies. To investigate the two-phase trapping (water-gas) and variation in Land trapping coefficients, drainage and imbibition displacements were carried out under different levels of pressure (700 to 7000 psi) and temperature (22°C and 65°C) in order to evaluate the influence of the rock/fluid properties on the residual saturation of the non-wetting phase in the porous media. To investigate the cyclic hysteresis of three-phase relative permeability and reduction in both water and gas permeability, sequences of multiphase drainage and imbibition displacements were carried out in porous media saturated with oil and irreducible water. The results of the investigation of two-phase trapping show that the combined effects of increased viscosity and density of the gas in high pressure and temperature conditions increase the maximum gas trapped saturation. The Land trapping coefficients obtained in this study were characterized by determining local saturations through computed tomography, presenting a local variation of the coefficient. Dissolution-precipitation events involving CO2 and carbonated brine altered the pore structure and can modify the sample¿s trapping capacity, serving as an auxiliary mechanism. The effect of hysteresis on the WAG process becomes clear when analyzing the experimental data from the three-phase test, in particular the behavior of the gas relative permeability. Through proper characterization of hysteresis in steady state, it was possible to determine the reduction exponent (?) of the gas relative permeability using the Larsen and Skauge model. It was concluded that the parameters of two-phase and three-phase hysteresis are process dependent, which is characteristic of WAG injection. The parameters should be measured under the conditions of the reservoir in study in order to be a representative in adjustments of experimental history matching and to properly predict realistic behavior of the WAG process at field scale / Doutorado / Reservatórios e Gestão / Doutor em Ciências e Engenharia de Petróleo

Les dépôts gravitaires carbonatés peuvent former d'importants volumes à la transition plate-forme/bassin; notamment en domaine tropical où les biotopes néritiques carbonatés sont de prolifiques usines à sédiments pouvant être redéposés dans le milieu marin profond adjacent. Ce travail porte sur les dépôts gravitaires carbonatés d'âge Crétacé de la Péninsule du Gargano (SE Italie). Une cartographie géologique détaillée et la modélisation numérique 3D (supportées par un MNT obtenu par LIDAR héliporté) ont été couplées à des analyses sédimentologiques et biostratigraphiques afin de caractériser l'évolution spatiale et temporelle de systèmes de dépôts gravitaires distincts. Les surfaces stratigraphiques 3D ont été restaurées afin d'évaluer l'impact de la paléo-topographie sur la distribution spatiale et la géométrie des corps. La corrélation avec les séries de plate-forme de même âge a permis d'établir les relations entre nature des resédimentations (sables vs. brèches) et le niveau marin. Les données qualitatives et quantitatives d'affleurements ont permis de générer des modèles numériques 3D de lithofacies à partir de méthodes de simulations stochastiques. Enfin, des mesures des paramètres physiques des roches ont été couplées à des analyses pétrographiques afin de d'évaluer l'impact de la fabrique sédimentaire et des types poreux sur les propriétés acoustiques et réservoirs de ces carbonates. Cette approche multidisciplinaire démontre l'importance du couplage de méthodes d'analyses de terrain dites «traditionelles» avec des donnés numériques et la modélisation 3D afin d'améliorer la caractérisation et les modèles des systèmes et réservoirs sédimentaires. / Carbonate gravity flow deposits can form significant volumes at the platform-to-basin transition; especially because tropical shallow-water carbonate environments are major sediment factories, the products of which, early lithified or not, are likely to be redeposited in the adjacent deep marine domain. This work has focused on the Cretaceous resedimented carbonates of the Gargano Peninsula (SE Italy). Extensive geological mapping and 3-D numerical modelling (supported by a LIDAR DEM) were associated to sedimentologic and biostratigraphic analyses to assess the spatial and temporal evolution of distinct deep-water depositional systems. Key 3-D stratigraphic surfaces were restored to investigate the impact of the paleo-topography on the geometry and spatial distribution of the gravity flow deposits. Correlation with the coeval shallow-water platform series has served to assess the relationships between the nature of the resedimented carbonates (i.e. bioclastic sands versus breccias) and sea level. Qualitative and quantitative outcrop data were transferred into 3-D numerical models of lithofacies that were generated at seismic scale with stochastic simulation methods. Finally, petrophysical measurements were coupled with quantitative petrographic analyses to assess the impact of sedimentary fabrics and pore types on acoustic and reservoir properties of carbonate gravity flow deposits. This multidisciplinary approach demonstrates that coupling traditional field work analyses with outcrop numerical data (e.g. LIDAR-derived) and 3-D geological modelling is a relevant method for improving outcrop characterization and conceptual models of sedimentary systems and reservoirs.

The Desmoinesian Marmaton Group, along the southern portion of the Anadarko Basin in the Granite Wash, comprises over 2,000 feet of stacked tight sandstones and conglomerates, containing unconventional reservoirs. Uncertainty around facies variability and lateral continuity of these reservoirs represents challenges to accurate reservoir characterization due to laterally restricted submarine fan systems, and mountainront faulting. This study examines 206 wire-line well-log suites and nine ice-house flooding surfaces across an 810-square mile study area to frame fine-scale sequences, track facies changes, and estimate fault timing and duration. This high-resolution stratigraphic framework comprises a hierarchy of cycles: one third-order, three fourth-order, and eight fifth-order cycles; these were mapped across fault blocks. Mapping at the fifth-order scale documented previously un-published faults, and showed that movement occurred during two separate fifth-order cycles. Within the stratigraphic framework, well log trends, calibrated to core descriptions, enabled prediction of depositional environments in uncored wells.

No description available.

<p>Crustal stress measurements play a crucial role in understanding how the subsurface deforms. As one of the most popular methods for stress characterization in deep wellbores, borehole breakout analysis examines the shape of drilling-induced compressive failures to determine stress directions and magnitudes, assuming that the rock formation is both isotropic and linearly elastic. To ensure accurate stress interpretations, the dissertation investigates the validity of underlying presumptions from two perspectives: (1) the effect of rock anisotropy (i.e., elastic anisotropy, and strength anisotropy) on wellbore failure patterns; and (2) the characterization of rock nonlinear elastic mechanical behaviors. </p> <p>The developed computer program, <em><strong>EASAfail</strong></em>, has broad applicability in calculating wellbore failure patterns for a wide range of scenarios. It takes into account factors such as elastic stiffness matrices of the rock, stress tensors in the surrounding environment, and the presence of weak planes. The program's generality allows it to handle various rock types with different degrees of symmetry in their elastic properties, as well as weak planes that are weaker than the intact rock matrix. By analyzing these factors, the program reveals that the patterns of wellbore failure in elastic and strength anisotropic rock formations are highly influenced by the sliding of weak planes. Complications from two modes of borehole failure, either in the intact rock matrix or in the weak planes, can cause the breakout azimuth to deviate from the direction of the minimum horizontal stress. </p> <p>In addition to hypothetical scenarios generated from numerical models, a case study from the field is presented to underscore the impact of foliations on the anomalous rotations of breakout azimuths. The wellbore was located in Northeastern Alberta, Canada, transecting both the sedimentary column and crystalline basement. Breakout rotations identified from caliper and image logs were highly likely caused by the slippage along foliations, supported by the close correlation between breakout azimuths and dip directions of foliations as well as polarization directions analyzed from dipole sonic logs. Stress magnitudes constrained from Monte Carlo simulations further reveal a lower stress field when rock anisotropy is taken into account, compared to what is inferred conventionally. </p> <p>The characterization of rock nonlinear elasticity involves the utilization of the third-order elastic (TOE) model. To measure the TOE moduli in a static manner, test-specific protocols were proposed based on the nonlinear stress-strain behaviors of the rock. By arranging the stress-strain responses obtained from hydrostatic, uniaxial, and triaxial compressive tests into a linear system of equations, it becomes possible to invert the equations for the TOE moduli. These analytical equations were validated through calculations from finite element models. </p> <p>By employing the established protocols, the TOE moduli were derived for four different rock types with varying pore structures when subjected to hydrostatic and uniaxial compressions. The TOE model successfully captured the nonlinear stress-strain responses exhibited by Indiana limestone, Vif-type Fontainebleau sandstone, and Snake River Plain basalt. However, it was found to be inadequate for Franc-type Fontainebleau sandstone, which displayed noticeable hysteresis and experienced significant strains. Future geomechanical applications will undoubtedly gain advantages from utilizing the inverted TOE moduli obtained through static measurements, as they allow for the examination of the impacts of nonlinear elasticity in rocks. </p>