Facies and curvature controlled 3D fracture models in a Cretaceous carbonate reservoir, Arabian Gulf

Abstract

Abstract The Late Cretaceous Ilam Formation of the Arabian Gulf’s Fateh Field is a very heterogeneous, fractured carbonate reservoir. Porosity, matrix permeability and facies trends do not appear to be related, but fracture density exhibits a strong relationship to both facies distribution and structural curvature. Three-dimensional (3D) models of dip change, position with respect to the crest of the field, facies and porosity variation are combined to produce a qualitative 3D model of fracture density which matches empirical fracture density data from more than 16 750m of interpreted image log. The fracture model aids in transmissibility prediction for reservoir simulation, producing a better history match and decreasing uncertainty for future drilling programmes.