Fluid Profiling - Reducing Subsurface Uncertainties
by Thomas Pfeiffer, Schlumberger
Abstract
Assessing reservoir architecture remains one of the more difficult challenges the E&P industry faces. Uncertainty in reservoir connectivity is a risk that can largely affect the strategy of how to develop a field. New tools, new science and the combination of both in new workflows are available to reduce this uncertainty.
Mapping of fluid properties throughout the reservoir can reveal flow barriers and in some cases predict connectivity. New technology in downhole fluid analysis allows resolving much more subtle differences in fluid properties and thus gives us the ability to reduce uncertainties in reservoir architecture as early as during the exploration and assessment phase. Scientific breakthroughs allow us to model asphaltene gradients and enable their use in fluid profiling. Downhole fluid analysis is an essential technology for characterizing fluid gradients and for understanding corresponding implications for reservoir properties. DFA is now routinely performed on wireline formation sampling tools.
This presentation introduces the latest DFA technology while retaining the focus on how it may be used to infer on reservoir architecture. Workflows are explained and the relevant aspects of asphaltene science are summarized.
Thomas Pfeiffer, CV
Thomas Pfeiffer received his B.S. in electrical engineering in 1996 and his M.S. in electrical engineering in 2001 from the Technical University of Munich, Germany. He joined Schlumberger as a wireline field engineer in January 2002. Assigned locations include the North Sea, central and eastern Europe and the Gulf of Mexico. Prior to enrolling at Texas A&M he worked as a wireline formation testing specialist engineer in Belle Chasse, Louisiana. In August 2009 Schlumberger sponsored his education at Texas A&M. He received his Masters of Science in December 2010. Thomas Pfeiffer works as reservoir domain champion for Schlumberger in Stavanger, Norway since January 2011.