Speaker
Description
Fluid transport in porous media is commonly predicted using petrophysical properties derived from geophysical well logs, which provide indirect proxies for porosity, permeability, and fluid saturation at the reservoir scale. In many sedimentary reservoirs, these log-derived properties form the basis for static and dynamic modeling workflows. However, in sandstone-hosted uranium deposits extracted by In-Situ Leaching (ISL), standard logging techniques such as resistivity and gamma-ray logs, often prove inadequate in lithologically heterogenous parts of the reservoirs.
The study investigates a Paleocene–Eocene fluvial, uranium-bearing succession at the South Tortkuduk ISL mine in Kazakhstan. By analyzing cores and coeval outcrop analogues, we identify sedimentary facies and intra-formational reservoir architecture that cannot be deduced from log responses alone. Features such as inclined heterolithic strata (IHS) and paleo-chute channel deposits play a significant role in controlling hydraulic connectivity, but are often overlooked in log-based interpretations.
Reservoir-scale numerical simulations of fluid migration are performed to evaluate the impact of sedimentologically constrained permeability distributions on fluid flow. Simulation results show that log-based models and uniform categorization of poro-perm properties overestimate hydraulic connectivity and underestimate flow anisotropy within sand-dominated intervals. In contrast, models that incorporate sedimentological controls better reproduce restricted vertical flow, preferential lateral transport, and localized bypassed zones.
The results demonstrate that integrating sedimentological interpretation in reservoir-scale simulation significantly improves prediction of fluid migration in heterogeneous sedimentary porous media and provides a more reliable basis for ISL flow and reactive transport modeling. This improvement, in turn allows for more effective development and production optimization strategies.
This study is logistically and financially supported by KATCO JV LLP.
| Country | Kazakhstan |
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