Predicting of the Geometrical Behavior of Formations in Subsurface Based on the Analysis of LWD/MWD Data While Drilling Horizontal Wells

The successful penetration of oil and gas formations by a horizontal well depends on the accuracy of the forecast of the depth and angle of the layers’ dip at the entry point. Methods and mathematical algorithms for predicting the geometric behavior of formations during drilling of a horizontal well at the stage of its approach to the entry point into target productive horizons are developed. The relationship between the formation dip, their stratigraphic thickness, and apparent vertical thickness in vertical and sub-horizontal wells is considered. It is shown that even small angles of inclination can lead to a significant influence on the prediction of the point of formation opening by a horizontal well. A detailed correlation of the offset well section with a horizontal well one while drilling was used for the analysis. A method for predicting the depth of disclose of the target formation by a horizontal well based on the change in the apparent vertical thickness is shown. A mathematical algorithm for calculating the apparent bedding angle on the basis of initial and while drilling data has been obtained. The calculated bedding angle allows predicting the depth of the target formation penetration with a horizontal well. The proposed method for predicting the horizontal well landing point depth allows avoiding errors associated with non-horizontal layering. The use of the proposed technique when drilling a number of horizontal wells in the oil fields of the Dnieper-Donets Basin (DDB) and the Pre-Carpathian Foredeep made it possible to determine with high accuracy the apparent bedding angle, even at their small values. The calculations made it possible to predict the depth of entry into the target formation during drilling with high accuracy. This is especially important in the context of small oil deposits, where it is impossible to make significant adjustments to the lateral position of the horizontal part of the wellbore. The predicted depths of the entry points into the formations were confirmed by the drilling results. The use of the proposed method makes it possible to perform high-quality geosteering while drilling horizontal wells at the stage of approaching the target formation entry point using the minimum data set. The simplicity of the method allows you to quickly analyze the geological section penetrated by a horizontal well and determine its geometric behavior. This approach makes it possible to successfully open pay formations with horizontal wells even without using a pilot well.

SEISMIC RESONANCE: WAVELET-FREE REFLECTIVITY RETRIEVAL VIA MODIFIED CEPSTRAL DECOMPOSITION

Spectral decomposition is a proven tool in seismic interpretation, aiding interpreters to highlight channels, map temporal bed thickness and other geological discontinuities. Once seismic data is spectrally decomposed, notch patterns in the amplitude spectra are indicative of the reservoir layer’s thickness and/or its interval velocity. Additional cepstral decomposition will allow direct extraction of bed time-thickness or arrival time under particular reflectivity series setup. We build on these observations to establish a more generalized workflow for reflectivity retrieval method without the need to understand the details of the wavelet, provided the starting seismic is stably phased via phase correction during processing. We demonstrate reflector time and its ‘apparent strength’ can be identified in a transformed seismic resonance domain resulted from a modified cepstrum analysis. In this domain, each reflector can be characterized from obvious linear hot spots. The timing and strength of those linear hot spots will reveal reflector times and scaled reflectivity coefficients. This new method is subsequently applied for thickness prediction of a target reservoir in a complex geological setting, with large thickness variations and weak impedance contrast with underlying lithology previously complicating identification of base-reservoir. In a deep-water field blind test, the sand thicknesses evaluated from this method are found to be close to true vertical thickness found in wells.

Facies Analysis and Sedimentary Architecture of Hybrid Event Beds in Submarine Lobes: Insights from the Crocker Fan, NW Borneo, Malaysia

Hybrid event beds represent the combined effect of multiple geological processes, which result in complex depositional geometries and distinct facies distribution in marine environments. Previous work on hybrid event beds highlights the classification, origin, and types of hybrid facies. However, in the present study, we discuss the development of hybrid event beds in submarine lobes with an emphasis on the analysis of proximal to distal, frontal to lateral relationships and evolution during lobe progradation. Detailed geological fieldwork was carried out in the classical deep-marine Late Paleogene Crocker Fan to understand the relationship between the character of hybrid bed facies and lobe architecture. The results indicate that hybrid facies of massive or structureless sandstone with mud clasts, clean to muddy sand, and chaotic muddy sand with oversized sand patch alternations (H1–H3) are well developed in proximal to medial lobes, while distal lobes mainly contain parallel to cross-laminated clean to muddy hybrid facies (H3–H5). Furthermore, lateral lobes have less vertical thickness of hybrid beds than frontal lobes. The development of hybrid beds takes place in the lower part of the thickening upward sequence of lobe progradation, while lobe retrogradation contains hybrid facies intervals in the upper part of stratigraphy. Hence, the development of hybrid beds in submarine lobe systems has a significant impact on the characterization of heterogeneities in deep-marine petroleum reservoirs at sub-seismic levels.

Facies Heterogeneity and Lobe Facies Multiscale Analysis of Deep-Marine Sand-Shale Complexity in the West Crocker Formation of Sabah Basin, NW Borneo

Deepwater lobes constitute a significant volume of submarine fans and are primarily believed to exhibit a simple sheet geometry. However, recent studies interpret the geometries of these deep-marine lobes as distinct with respect to the complexity of the facies and their distribution. Hence, a conceptual model of deep-marine sediments is essential to discuss the deep-marine sediments associated with the fan and lobe architecture. The present study highlights the facies heterogeneity and distribution of various lobe elements at a multiscale level by considering a case study of the West Crocker Formation of Sabah in northwest Borneo. The formation was logged on a bed-to-bed scale from recently well-exposed sections, with a total vertical thickness of more than 300 m. The lithological characteristics, bed geometry, sedimentary textures and structures of individual beds were used to categorize the rock units into nine sedimentary lithofacies: five sandstone lithofacies (S1–S5), one hybrid bed facies (H), two siltstone facies (Si1 and Si2) and one shale or mudstone facies (M). These facies were grouped into four facies associations (FA1–FA4), which were interpreted as lobe axis (FA1), lobe off-axis (FA2), lobe fringe (FA3) and distal fringe to interlobe (FA4) facies associations. This study is applicable for the distribution of lobes and their subseismic, multiscale complexities to characterize the potential of hydrocarbon intervals in deep-marine sand-shale system around the globe.

Determination of Magnitudes and Orientation of the Paleostress of Bekhme Structure in Shaqlawa area, Northerneastern Iraq

This study presents the determination of the paleostress magnitudes and orientation of Bekhme Structure in Shaqlawa area, northeastern Iraq. Paleostress analysis of slip-fault measurements is performed using Right dihedral, Lisle diagram, and Mohr Circles methods. Depending on Mohr Circles, Bott law, and vertical thickness, the magnitudes of the paleostress at the time of the tectonic activity were determined. Firstly, Georient Software was used to estimate the orientation of the paleostresses (σ1, σ2, and σ3). Secondly, using the rupture –friction law, taking into account the depth of the overburden and the vertical stress (σv),the magnitudes of the paleostresses were calculated (σ1=4500 bars, σ2=1900 bars and σ3=700 bars). The high magnitudes of the principal stress axes may be attributed to the active tectonic events which led to the deformation of the area during the Cretaceous and Tertiary periods. The study area shows that the poles of the measured faults lie in the reactivated area of Mohr circles. This indicates the instability of the study area. The study area is estimated to have high importance, due to the possibility of the existence of deposited hydrocarbons. Fold- Thrust belt marks the deformation fronts of the major orogeny that forms from the collision of the Arabian Plate with the Turkish and Iranian Plates.

Low-temperature synthesis and growth model of thin Mo2C crystals on indium

Chemical vapor deposition is a promising technique to produce Mo2C crystals with large area, controlled thickness, and reduced defect density. Typically, liquid Cu is used as a catalyst substrate; however, its high melting temperature (1085 °C) prompted research groups to search for alternatives. In this study, we report the synthesis of large-area thin Mo2C crystals at lower temperatures using liquid In, which is also advantageous with respect to the transfer process due to its facile etching. SEM, EDS, Raman spectroscopy, XPS, and XRD studies show that hexagonal Mo2C crystals, which are orthorhombic, grow along the [100] direction together with an amorphous carbon thin film on In. The growth mechanism is examined and discussed in detail, and a model is proposed. AFM studies agree well with the proposed model, showing that the vertical thickness of the Mo2C crystals decreases inversely with the thickness of In for a given reaction time.

Layer-Thickness Dependence of Hardness and Local Bucking Behavior in Electrodeposited Ni-Co-Cu/Cu Multilayered Films

The effect of layer thickness on hardness and buckling behavior was investigated on Ni-Co-Cu/Cu multilayered films. The Ni-Co-Cu/Cu multilayered films were grown on annealed copper substrates by electrodeposition. We fabricated the multilayered films with various layer thicknesses ranging from 10 nm to 1000 nm. First, dependence of Vickers hardness on the Cu layer thickness was investigated. When the Ni-Co-Cu layer had the constant thickness of 75 nm and the Cu layer thickness was smaller than 75 nm, the hardness increased rapidly with decreasing Cu layer thickness. Subsequently, compressive tests were conducted on the multilayered films having the component layers ranging from100 nm to 1000 nm, where the hardness values did not change rapidly with layer thickness. The copper substrates coated with the multilayered films were compressed until 20% strain. From SEM surface observations after the compressive tests, formations of band-like structures having a certain thickness were recognized. Cross-sectional observation revealed that some band-like structures were formed as a result of local buckling of the multilayered film. The vertical thickness of the bank-like structures increased linearly with increasing component layer thickness.

Smoke with Induced Rotation and Lofting (SWIRL) in the Stratosphere

The Australian bushfires of 2019/20 produced an unusually large number of pyrocumulonimbus (pyroCb) that injected huge amounts of smoke into the lower stratosphere. The pyroCbs from 29 December 2019 to 4 January 2020 were particularly intense, producing hemispheric-wide aerosol that persisted for months. One plume from this so-called Australian New Year (ANY) event evolved into a stratospheric aerosol mass ~1000 km across and several kilometers thick. This plume initially moved eastward toward South America in January, then reversed course and moved westward passing south of Australia in February and eventually reached South Africa in early March. The peculiar motion was related to the steady rise in plume potential temperature of ~8 K day−1 in January and ~6 K day−1 in February, due to local heating by smoke absorption of solar radiation. This heating resulted in a vertical temperature anomaly dipole, a positive potential vorticity (PV) anomaly, and anticyclonic circulation. We call this dynamical component of the smoke plume “smoke with induced rotation and lofting” (SWIRL). This study uses Navy Global Environmental Model (NAVGEM) analyses to detail the SWIRL structure over 2 months. The main diagnostic tool is an anticyclone edge calculation based on the scalar Q diagnostic. This provides the framework for calculating the time evolution of various SWIRL properties: PV anomaly, streamfunction, horizontal size, vertical thickness, flow speed, and tilt. In addition, we examine the temperature anomaly dipole, the SWIRL interaction with the large-scale wind shear, and the ozone anomaly associated with lofting of air from the lower to the middle stratosphere.

New insights on the massive interacting binary UU Cassiopeiae

We present the results of our study of the close binary UU Cassiopeiae based on previously published multiwavelength photometric and spectroscopic data. Based on eclipse timings from the last 117 years, we find an improved orbital period of Po = 8.d519296(8). In addition, we find a long cycle of length T ∼ 270 d in the Ic-band data. There is no evidence for orbital period change over the last century, suggesting that the rate of mass loss from the system or mass exchange between the stars is small. Sporadic and rapid brightness drops of up to ΔV = 0.3 mag are detected throughout the orbital cycle, and infrared photometry clearly suggests the presence of circumstellar matter. We model the orbital light curve of 11 published datasets, fixing the mass ratio and cooler star temperature from previous spectroscopic work: q = 0.52 and Tc = 22 700 K. We find a system seen at an angle of 74° with a stellar separation of 52 R⊙, a temperature for the hotter star of Th = 30 200 K and, for the hotter and cooler stars, respectively, stellar masses of 17.4 and 9 M⊙, radii of 7.0 and 16.9 R⊙, and surface gravities log g = 3.98 and 2.94. We find an accretion disk surrounding the more massive star that has a radius of 21 R⊙ and a vertical thickness at its outer edge of 6.5 R⊙; the disk nearly occults the hotter star. Two active regions hotter than the surrounding disk are found, one located roughly in the expected position where the stream impacts the disk and the other on the opposite side of the disk. Changes are observed in parameters of the disk and spots in different datasets.

Paleostress Analysis of Chia Gara Structure in Dohuk Area, Northern Iraq

The use of Right dihedral method, Lisle graph, and Mohr diagram allows the analysis of the paleostress. Fault slip data were measured for eighteen data of two stations located within Chia Gara structure in Dohuk area in the High Folded Zone, Northern Iraq. Depending on Mohr diagram, Bott equation, and vertical thickness, the magnitudes of the paleostress at the time of the tectonic activity were determined. Firstly, Georient Software was used to estimate the orientation of the paleostresses (σ1, σ2 and σ3). Secondly, using the rupture –friction law, taking into account the depth of the overburden, the vertical stress (σv) was calculated to determine the magnitude of the paleostresses in the study area. The values in station one (hinge area, eight data) were σ1=7100, σ2=4121.5, and σ3=1143 bars, whereas the values in station two (the north limb of structure, ten data) were σ1=3740, σ2=1585, and σ3=570 bars. The high magnitudes of the principal stress axes may refer to the active tectonic events which led to the deformation of the area during the Mesozoic Era and the Tertiary period. The study area shows the existence of two types of the faults, the first type is the reactivated faults, the poles of which lie between the sliding line and Mohr envelope. The second type is the inactive faults, with poles lying on the great circle of Mohr diagram