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World Oil

Originally appeared in aPRIL 2013 issue, pgs 163-168. Posted with permission.

special section: GEOLOgical & Geophysical technology

Application of cuttings gas/oil analysis, rapid XRF and


high-resolution photography to reservoir evaluation
TECHNIQUES
Photography. Washed and dried
samples are photographed in white light
and under broadband UV excitation with
a special, high-resolution imaging system
to produce a stratigraphic catalog of every
sample submitted for analysis. Ideally, this
would represent all samples collected such
that a complete record of the penetrated
section is available for subsequent study.
Grain-scale details of porosity, rock type
and texture can be identified. UV images
indicate specific mineral fluorescence that
can be correlated with cement or rock types
that are hard to distinguish under white
light. Also, kerogen fluorescence is observ-
able and can be related to thermal maturity
when appropriate macerals are identified.
Rock fluorescence is unlikely to represent
Rock and fluid analyses effective manner. This article describes residual oil (unlike similar procedures con-
are essential for prediction one such methodology applicable to ducted with fresh samples at the well site),
and characterization of samples that are historically viewed as because the samples have been washed and
produced hydrocarbons and containing limited value, namely, unpre- dried and may have been stored.
served cuttings. During this procedure, Images are stored and can be reviewed
for understanding reservoir
the rock is first photographed under with a special viewer (see section below).
architecture. A new approach visible and UV light, then crushed and These archived photographs are easier to
for archived drill cuttings, analyzed for included hydrocarbon and manage than the samples themselves, are
or cores of any age, allows non-hydrocarbon species with a sen- preserved for future use even when origi-
evaluation of small rock sitive mass spectrometry system, and nal samples have been lost, disposed of or
samples and associated finally probed for its elemental compo- depleted, and allow geologists to study
trapped fluid with a single, sition with a customized X-ray fluores- rocks at their desks without relying on
cence (XRF) analyzer. sample descriptions or lower quality im-
semi-automated workflow. A key aspect of the process is that all ages from wellsites. These images also
analyses are conducted on the same 1-gm can be made available to well site person-
rock sample with an automated system, nel on subsequent wells to aid in sample
DON HALL, MIKE STERNER and ROHIT thus preserving interrelationships among description and recognition of key strati-
SHUKLA, Fluid Inclusion Technologies, Inc. rock type, fluid type and rock chemistry. graphic markers.
Automation and rapid analytical cycles Trapped fluid analysis. Petroleum
allow collection of large data sets, and en- migration, reservoir charging, and local
Exploration and exploitation of in- courage analysis of entire wellbores from generation of hydrocarbons from mature
creasingly complex reservoirs, along first returns to TD. Individually, the tech- source rocks leave trace evidence as fluid
with technical challenges associated with niques are useful. Together they provide inclusions: micron to sub-micron sized
optimizing horizontal wells into tight or unique insights into controls on hydrocar- sealed fluid-filled cavities in diagenetic
unconventional pay sections, benefits bon, reservoir and pay distribution, repre- cements and healed microfractures.1
from new approaches involving addi- sent an additional tool for well placement, Fluid inclusions are not identified dur-
tional data collected in a cost- and time- and allow organized archival of rock type, ing conventional show analysis and are
fluid and rock chemistry information that commonly present even in the absence
is easily retrieved and studied in the con- of these classical shows. In addition to
An ultra-high-resolution photographic
profile of the borehole lithology recorded text of future wells, even in the absence of migrated fluids, Adsorbed or free-phase
from drill chip cuttings. the original rock material. volatiles within converted kerogen nano-
World Oil/April 2013163
geological & geophysical technology

pores can comprise an appreciable com- provide a full wellbore profile of trapped bearing intervals within kilometers of
ponent of trapped fluid in mature, organ- fluids that document trapped petroleum petroleum reservoirs, and produce dif-
ic-rich rocks.2 Destructive bulk analysis distribution within the stratigraphic sec- fusion halos centered on these deposits.4
of trapped organic and inorganic fluids tion, the chemistry of migrated or locally Within unconventional reservoirs, FIS
is accomplished via the Fluid Inclusion generated petroleum, the location and can infer sweet spots, calculate likely pro-
Stratigraphy (FIS) technique.3 Samples effectiveness of seals and evidence of duced-fluid characteristics and help dis-
are crushed in a vacuum system, and proximal charged reservoirs that may not tinguish poor completions from poorly
liberated fluids are analyzed via direct have been penetrated by the borehole. placed laterals. FIS provides a convenient
quadrapole mass spectrometry for C1- The latter application relies on entrap- geochemical screening tool for follow-up
C13 petroleum species, and inorganic ment of water-soluble organic species petrographic and microthermometric
volatiles (e.g., CO2, H2S, He). Mass spec- such as acetic acid and benzene. These work. These techniques help identify spe-
tra and depth profiles of critical species compounds are concentrated in water- cific hydrocarbon charge events, quan-
titative API gravities, saturation state of
Fig. 1. Static image from an interactive software program that allows mud gas hydrocarbon fluid, and salinities for log
compositions, rock and fluid chemical data, electric logs and rock images to be viewed calculations of water saturation.5
and manipulated. Elemental analysis. XRF of rock ma-
terial has been shown to have a number of
invaluable applications to petroleum ex-
ploration, with more recent focus toward
unconventional systems.6,7 XRF analyzers
determine the chemistry of a sample by
measuring the spectrum of the character-
istic fluorescence X-rays emitted by the
different elements in the sample when it
is illuminated by X-rays of sufficient en-
ergy. The data provide information that
can be related to rock and cement type
via computer programs,8 although quan-
titative analysis also benefits from spot
analyses via additional techniques (e.g.,
XRD, QEMSCAN).9 Historically, chemi-
cal stratigraphy via XRF and ICP-MS has
been used to correlate monotonous strati-
graphic intervals with unclear or variable
lateral extent and thickness, particularly in
the absence of sufficient biostratigraphic or
lithostratigraphic markers. Trends in ele-
Fig. 2. Selected XRF and FIS data from a horizontal well within Cardium sandstone. Data ment abundance and ratios have also been
document a sweet spot which was found to have highest initial production. used to infer depositional environment,
anoxic events conducive to preservation of
organic matter, transgressive vs. regressive
cycles and sediment provenance. Empirical
correlations can provide semi-quantitative
indications of TOC, and elemental sum-
mations have been proposed as a means
of quickly determining relative brittleness.
The latter is relevant to completions. Once
delineated from vertical penetrations, key
chemostratigraphic markers can be used to
steer the wellbore in real time,10 or, in the
case of the present method, retrospectively
determine or confirm the wellbore path.
Viewer. The results of these three steps
are loaded into a viewer that allows the
user to rapidly assess relationships among
the various image and chemical data sets,
Fig. 1. Although not a data analysis tool in
the strict sense, the software has virtually
no learning curve and is uniquely suited
to this specific dataset. LAS files and stan-
164april 2013/WorldOil.com
geological & geophysical technology

dard image files are created as well, which


are compatible with virtually all other in- Fig. 3. FIS, XRF and image data from a vertical well illustrating three zones.
dustry programs. XRF FIS
a) Si Al K Fe S Ca Sr CO2 C1 C4 C7
EXAMPLES Zone 1
Figure 2 shows selected XRF and FIS 2,000

data from a horizontal well within Car- 3,000


dium sandstone. The wellbore encoun-
tered an unexpected fault, and drilled 4,000
out of section into the overlying shale in
the lower part of the well. The transition 5,000

from sandstone to shale and back again


6,000
is clearly identified in the XRF data as an
increase in Al and K (dominantly related 7,000
to clay minerals in this case), and a con-
comitant decrease in Si (reflecting lower 8,000

bulk quartz percentage). A simple cross


9,000
plot of Al vs. Si defines the basic rock
types here. However, of greater interest
0
60,000
120,000
180,000
240,000
0
8,000
16,000
24,000
32,000
0
8,000
16,000
24,000
32,000
0
25,000
50,000
75,000
100,000
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
0
90,000
180,000
270,000
360,000
0
150
300
450
600
0
262,5000
525,0000
7875,000
10,500,000
0
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
0
30,000
60,000
90,000
120,000
0
1,250
2,500
3,750
5,000
is the relationship between Fe, Ca, Si and
FIS petroleum indications (represented Si Al K Fe S Ca Sr CO2 CH4 Parafins 57 AlkNaphtha
by C1 and C7). The highlighted interval XRF FIS
b)
is characterized by increased Fe and Ca, Si Al K Fe S Ca Sr CO2 C1 C4 C7
decreased Si and increased light oil in-
2,000
dications in FIS data. Petrographic work
indicates that the zone contains increased 3,000
visible porosity related to the presence of
siderite cement. High visible petroleum 4,000
inclusion abundance is consistent with
high petroleum saturation, in this case 5,000

42 gravity undersaturated light oil (de-


6,000
rived from fluid inclusion petrography Zone 2
and microthermometry). This zone was 7,000
tested independently and found to be the
best producing interval in the wellbore. 8,000
If laterally continuous, it may represent a
9,000
target for future wells in the area. FIS ace-
tic acid anomalies are present throughout
the well, consistent with the presence of
0
60,000
120,000
180,000
240,000
0
8,000
16,000
24,000
32,000
0
8,000
16,000
24,000
32,000
0
25,000
50,000
75,000
100,000
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
0
90,000
180,000
270,000
360,000
0
150
300
450
600
0
262,5000
525,0000
7875,000
10,500,000
0
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
0
30,000
60,000
90,000
120,000
0
1,250
2,500
3,750
penetrated liquid petroleum charge with 5,000
Si Al K Fe S Ca Sr CO2 CH4 Parafins 57 AlkNaphtha
probable elevated water saturation. XRF FIS
Figure 3 illustrates FIS, XRF and com- c) Si Al K Fe S Ca Sr CO2 C1 C4 C7
pressed image data from a vertical well,
along with three zones that will be dis- 2,000
cussed in more detail. The upper zone is
3,000
siliciclastic dominated with thin carbon-
ate-enriched intervals, some of which have 4,000
distinctive UV fluorescence. Two Fe-S
anomalies correlate with what appear to 5,000
be thin red beds or exposure surfaces, as
images indicate the presence of hematite- 6,000

stained rock. Covariance of Ca and Sr is 7,000


noted in carbonate bearing beds, and, in
this well, distinguishes limestone from do- 8,000
lomite. Thin, dry to wet gas FIS anomalies Zone 3
correspond to these carbonate-enriched 9,000

intervals, and indicate petroleum migra-


tion through these zones. Overall, how-
0
60,000
120,000
180,000
240,000
0
8,000
16,000
24,000
32,000
0
8,000
16,000
24,000
32,000
0
25,000
50,000
75,000
100,000
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
0
90,000
180,000
270,000
360,000
0
150
300
450
600
0
262,5000
525,0000
7875,000
10,500,000
0
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
0
30,000
60,000
90,000
120,000
0
1,250
2,500
3,750
5,000

ever, the upper section appears to have lim- Si Al K Fe S Ca Sr CO2 CH4 Parafins 57 AlkNaphtha
ited petroleum prospectivity, contains no
World Oil/april 2013165
geological & geophysical technology

Fig. 4. Correlation of elemental sulfur response with gamma ray response suggests Fig. 5. Cross plot of Zr and Si illustrating
variation in source potential, and correlates with visual organic matter in images and the difference between biogenic silica
thin section. (chert in this case) and terrestrial derived
silica (quartz associated with sandstone
Gamma Sulfur and siltstone). Sample point colors are
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000 16,000 grouped according for formation.
5,750 5,750
500

Bio
6,250 Source rock 6,250 400 ge
nic
sili
ca
300
6,750 6,750

SI, 10A 3
200 end
-Zr tr
l Si
100 t ria
7,250 7,250 res
Ter
Mature oil-prone 0
organic matter
7,750 7,750
-100
0 100 200 300 400 500
Zr
8,250 8,250

proximity to pay indications and reported


8,750 8,750 no significant drilling shows. Shallow CO2
is interpreted to be bacterial in origin and
is interpreted to have been formed by bac-
9,250 9,250
terial sulfate reduction in the presence of
vertically seeping light thermogenic hydro-
carbons. These FIS microseeps are statisti-
cally correlated to deeper liquids potential
in many instances, and here are consistent
with FIS and mud gas indications of pen-
etrated liquid petroleum deeper in the well.
The middle of the well is carbonate-
dominated with little or no covariance of
Ca and Sr. The zone is dolomitic, and re-
cords UV fluorescence. FIS hydrocarbon
indications increase, with the bulk trapped
phase varying in character from dry gas to
oil. Thin, dry gas zones and decoupled C1
and C7 behavior imply at least two dis-
tinct charges, consistent with petrographic
work described below. FIS CO2 response
is elevated through this zone, but does not
covary with hydrocarbons; thus, a separate
source (probably diagenetic) is suggested.
FIS data suggest the upper and lower thirds
of this section have better prospectivity,
and petrographic analysis documents the
presence of liquid petroleum inclusions
PetroFecta from Fluid Inclusion Technologies in high abundance within these high FIS
response zones. High petroleum inclu-
is a unique approach combining XRF (PDQ-XRF ), Trapped Fluid Analysis (FIS ), and
sion abundance implies high oil saturation
High Resolution Photography (RockEye ) of the entire wellbore from well cuttings or core samples
or paleo-saturation. Moderate to upper-
of any age. All analyses are conducted on the same 1 gram sample (up to 575 samples per well)
moderate gravity (~30 to low 40 gravity),
with an analytical cycle of four days. Data provided on a DVD with previewer software.
undersaturated oils are inferred from fluid
inclusion relationships, consistent with
Information about PetroFecta and the umbrella of FIT services,
produced fluids in the area. A dual porosity
call 918.461.8984 or visit www.fittulsa.com
system is indicated, with intergranular and
Visit Us at: NAPE East Booth #122; GeoConvention Booth #1004; fracture porosity being significant.
AAPG Booth #2033; SPWLA Booth #500 The lower section contains mixed silici-
clastics and carbonates with some covari-
166april 2013/WorldOil.com

FIT_UmbrellaThird.indd 1 3/11/13 10:45 PM


geological & geophysical technology

ance of Ca and Sr consistent with a mixed mentioned dry, mature gas from depth. cation of inorganic whole-rock geochemistry to shale
resource plays: an example from the Eagle Ford Shale
limestone and dolomite interval. Elemen- Compositional calculations of the bulk Formation, Texas, The Sedimentary Record, vol. 10, no.
tal sulfur response correlates with the gam- FIS volatiles in this lower interval suggest a 2, pp. 49, 2012.
ma ray curve in this zone and throughout slightly lighter bulk petroleum phase in the 8. Cohen, D., and C. R. Ward, SEDNORM a program
to calculate a normative mineralogy for sedimentary
this well, Fig. 4, and likely reflects source deeper zone as compared to the lower sec- rocks based on chemical analyses, Computers &
potential.11 Mature oil-prone kerogen is tion of the middle interval described above. Geosciences, vol. 17, no. 9, pp. 12351253, 1991.
9. Butcher, A. R., Getting the most out of ditch cuttings:
identified in thin section. A flat to negative Find out how a new technology is revolutionizing the
Si/Zr profile through the upper portion of CONCLUSIONS way we can automatically quantify mineralogy, texture
this section is consistent with biogenic sili- The combination of photography, and lithotype on a cutting-by-cutting basis, Petroleum
Exploration Society of Australia, PESA NSW, Sydney,
ca, Fig. 5, in contrast to the generally posi- trapped fluid chemistry and bulk rock Australia, Sept. 12, 2008.
tive relationship obtained in siliciclastics,12 elemental analysis has been shown to 10. Marsala, A. F., A. M. Loermans, S. Shen, C. Scheibe
and phosphorus anomalies are consistent provide valuable and otherwise unobtain- and R. Zereik, Real-time mineralogy, lithology and
chemostratigraphy while drilling, using portable
with the presence of apatite in thin section, able information with broad application, energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence, Saudi Aramco
a near-shore depositional environment including present and past petroleum Journal of Technology, Summer issue, p. 1824, 2011.
with relatively low sedimentation rates and distribution, source and chemistry, rock 11. Berner, R. A., Sedimentary pyrite formation: an
update, Geochimica et Cosmochmica Acta, vol. 48, pp.
elevated surface productivity. and cement type, chemical stratigraphy 605615, 1984.
The most promising zone, based on and mineralogical trends necessary for log 12. Wright, A. M., D. R. Spain and K. T. Ratcliffe, Applica-
FIS response, is at about 9,000 ft, corre- calculations, depositional environment tion of inorganic whole rock geochemistry to shale
resource plays, CSUG/SPE Paper 137946, Calgary,
sponding to a fractured cherty carbonate, and likely source rock potential, and rock 2010.
which also displayed significant mud gas properties relevant to completion. Data
anomalies while drilling. CO2 covaries are all collected on a single approximately Don Hall received BS (1982)
and MS (1985) degrees in
with hydrocarbons, and was also recorded 1-gm aliquot of washed and dried rock geology from the University of
in the mud gas, suggesting that some CO2 material, with an analytical cycle of four California at Riverside, and a
will be present in the produced petro- days. Approximately 600 samples per well PhD (1989) in geology from
Virginia Tech. He joined Amoco
leum. The source of CO2 and intermittent can be analyzed. Data can be used to help Production Research in 1990 as
sulfur species is thought to be related to understand petroleum systems in conven- a research scientist, where he worked on
thermochemical sulfate reduction at high tional and unconventional reservoirs, and development and implementation of novel fluid
inclusion instrumentation and techniques. He
temperature. As it is unlikely that maxi- optimize wellbores and completions. left Amoco in 1997 and co-founded Fluid
mum burial temperature at this depth ex- Inclusion Technologies, Inc.
REFERENCES
ceeded the threshold for local TSR (about 1. Hall, D. L., Fluid Inclusions in Petroleum Systems: A Mike Sterner has a BS in
130oC), influx of mature gas from deeper Compendium of Influential Papers, AAPG Getting chemistry from the University
in the basin is suggested. This is consis- Started Series, vol. 15, 2008. of Michigan and a PhD in
2. Kausik, R., C. C. Minh, L. Zielinski, B. Vissapragada, geology from Virginia Tech.
tent with the presence of discrete dry gas R. Akkurt, Y. Song, C. Liu, S. Jones and E. Blair, Char- After post-doctoral research
phase in the FIS data. High visible liquid acterization of Gas Dynamics in Kerogen Nanopores positions in Germany and at
petroleum inclusion abundance is docu- by NMR, SPE, Denver, 2011. U.C. Berkley, he joined Pacific
3. Hall, D. L., W. Shentwu, S. M. Sterner and P. D. Wag- Northwest Laboratory where he was involved in
mented here, and suggests high saturation ner, Using fluid inclusions to explore for oil and gas, thermodynamic modeling of electrolyte
of light oil and gas-condensate in frac- Harts Petroleum Engineer International, pp. 2934, solutions. Mike co-founded Fluid Inclusion
tured cherty carbonate. 1997. Technologies, Inc.
4. Burtell, S. G., and V. T. Jones, Benzene content of
There is evidence from fluid inclusion subsurface brines can indicate proximity of oil, gas, Rohit Shukla received his
data that the reservoir contains both gas Oil and Gas Journal, June 3, pp. 5963, 1996. Bachelors in Mechanical
and condensate or light oil. Lower inclusion 5. Munz, I. A., Petroleum inclusions in sedimentary ba- Engineering from the University
sins: systematic analytical methods and applications, of Mumbai in May 2005, and his
abundance and presence of tar-like dead oil Lithos, vol. 55, pp. 195212, 2001. Masters in Mechanical
deeper in the section represents residual 6. Hildred, G. V., and C. R. Rice, Using high resolution Engineering from the Oklahoma
chemostratigraphy to determine well-bore pathways in State University in December
oil. Some of this dead hydrocarbon may multilateral drilling campaigns: an example from the 2007. He started working at FIT in March 2008.
have been sourced via gas-deasphaltening Horn River Formation, British Columbia, Canada,
during emplacement of the previously Geoconvention 2012: Vision, pp. 14, 2012.
7. Ratcliffe, K. T., A. M. Wright and K. Schmidt, Appli-

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