Reservoir modelling of complex geological systems - A multiple-point perspective

Accurate characterization of sub-surface oil reservoirs is an essential prerequisite to the design and implementation of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) scenarios. Specifically, in reservoir characterization, integrating static and dynamic data into reservoir models to construct accurate and realistic models has received considerable attention. Unlike most of the conventional geostatistical approaches of integrating data into reservoir models that are based on semi-variograms (two-point statistics) as a measure of spatial connectivity, a complete multiple-point (MP) statistic framework is presented in this paper. In contrast to two-point statistic methods, MP statistics-based methods are capable of reproducing curvilinear geological structures. The algorithm starts with extracting MP statistics from training images (TI) using an optimal spatial template. After collecting different patterns and building the MP histogram, the pattern reproduction process commences. This process begins from data locations and then grows to fill the whole reservoir domain. The algorithm accounts for three main practical issues: uncertainty in geological scenarios, scanning template and non-stationarity. The MP statistics algorithm (growthsim) is capable of integrating data from multiple data sources. Among these data types is dynamic data or flow history. The conventional approach to integrate production information ; into reservoir models is by iterative perturbation of the reservoir model until the production history of the reservoir is matched. Iterative methods have been applied to random fields that are completely characterized by a two-point co-variance function. In contrast, this paper presents a forward modelling approach that investigates history matching within a MP modelling framework. A novel technique implemented in this research is based on the merging of MPs inferred from history matched and geological models. Pattern growth is performed subsequently by sampling from the merged MP histograms. History matched models using the presented approach show an excellent agreement with underlying geological descriptions and match production history.