Database technology for deep marine clastic characterisation: upscaling for impact

地下沉积岩的地质特征控制着其中存在的石油、天然气和/或水（如碳氢化合物储层或含水层）的数量，以及这些流体的流动方式。石油地质学家建立三维数值模型来评估石油和天然气的可能数量和流量以及最佳井位。这些模型最终决定了油气开采是否成功。（水文地质学家开发相应的地质模型来预测水量或污染物运输，以便为含水层开采和清理提供信息；这种模型也需要用于评估地下碳捕获和储存方案的可行性）。当这些模型建立起来后，地质学家只能得到有限的直接地下数据来约束地下地质体的类型和几何形状，从而约束它们的流体流动特征。为了补充稀疏的直接数据，类似类型岩石的裸露露头，或沉积类似沉积物的现代沉积环境，可以用作碳氢化合物储集层或含水层的“类似物”。这些类似物提供了有关决定储层或含水层非均质性的地质特征的替代信息。在储层或含水层中，这些地质非均质性对井的连通性、流速以及生产或清理策略的行为起着主要的控制作用，从而决定了储层可能产出多少石油或天然气，或者污染物是否成功地从地下水中去除。这些地质非均质性的定量模拟数据需要作为约束地下地质模型的输入。从数据库中导出这类数据是地下建模工作流程的一个组成部分，但由于现有数据库中存储的数据数量和质量有限，并且与现有建模工具的集成能力较差，目前的方法是不充分的。利兹IP由三个不同的关系数据库组成，这些数据库包含有关构成储层或含水层地质模型基石的岩石体积类型的模拟数据；每个数据库都与特定的地质环境有关。所有的数据都以一种能够产生定量输出的格式存储，这种格式可以输入到用于建立地下非均质性模型的所有常用数值方法中。IP的技术在数据质量和格式方面都超过了同类数据库。事实上，通过这些数据库可以更全面地描述沉积非均质性，从而可以根据现有的建模算法推导出所需的输出，这使得IP在同类产品中独一无二。然而，目前合并IP的价值受到深海碎屑数据库相对欠发达的限制，并且目前无法与用于生成和管理地下地质模型的软件平台（如斯伦贝谢的Petrel）完全集成。因此，扩大这个数据库的规模，开发一个接口，将深海碎屑数据库与海燕数据库进行最佳整合，是使这个知识产权具有市场价值，并充分利用集成数据库的全部价值的关键要求。一旦开发成功，该IP将使深海碎屑领域的大量高质量数据与其他环境的数据同时易于访问和应用。这项技术将帮助油气和水资源管理行业的地质学家和工程师建立地质上合理的油藏和含水层模型。该项目将由Marco Patacci承担，他目前是利兹大学的PDRA，并由Bill McCaffrey和Nigel Mountney（沉积学家）监督，Bill McCaffrey是沉积学家和浊积岩研究小组的主任。

The geological characteristics of subsurface sedimentary rocks control the amount of oil, gas and/or water present within them (as hydrocarbon reservoirs or aquifers), and how such fluids will flow. Petroleum geologists build three-dimensional numerical models to assess the likely amount and flow rates of oil and gas and optimum well locations. These models ultimately determine whether hydrocarbon production is successful. (Hydrogeologists develop corresponding geological models to predict water yield or contaminant transport, in order to inform aquifer exploitation and clean-up; such models are also required to assess the feasibility of programmes of underground carbon capture and storage). When these models are built, geologists have available only limited direct subsurface data with which to constrain the type and geometry of subsurface geological bodies and thus their fluid-flow characteristics. To complement the sparse direct data, exposed outcrops of similar types of rocks, or modern sedimentary environments where comparable sediments are deposited, can be used as 'analogues' to hydrocarbon reservoirs or aquifers. These analogues provide proxy information regarding geological features that determine reservoir or aquifer heterogeneity. Within a reservoir or aquifer, these geological heterogeneities exert a primary control on well connectivity, flow rates, and behaviour to production or clean-up strategies, thereby dictating how much oil or gas is likely to be produced from a reservoir, or whether contaminants are successfully removed from the groundwater. Quantitative analogue data on these geological heterogeneities are required as input for constraining geological models of the subsurface. The derivation of this type of data from databases is an integral part of subsurface modelling workflows, but current approaches are inadequate because of the limited volume and quality of data stored in existing databases, and their current poor integration with existing modelling tools.The Leeds IP consists of three different relational databases that contain analogue data about types of rock volumes that constitute the building blocks of geological models of reservoirs or aquifers; each database relates to a particular geological setting. All data are stored in a format that allows quantitative output to be produced, in forms that can be fed into all the common numerical methods used to build models of subsurface heterogeneity. The technology of the IP surpasses similar databases in terms of data quality and format. The fact that a fuller characterisation of sedimentary heterogeneity is achieved by these databases enables the derivation of the output required by existing modelling algorithms: this makes the IP unique in its class.However, the current value of the combined IP is limited by the relative underdevelopment of the Deep Marine Clastic database, and its current inability to integrate fully with software platforms employed to generate and manage geological models of the subsurface, such as Schlumberger's Petrel. Thus, the up-scaling of this database and the development of an interface for the optimal integration of the Deep Marine Clastic database with Petrel are key requirements for making this IP marketable, and leveraging the full value of the integrated databases. Upon successful development, the IP will enable easy access and application of large volumes of high-quality data in the area of Deep Marine Clastics, in parallel with that from other environments. This technology will aid geologists and engineers in the hydrocarbon and water-management industries in the generation of geologically sensible reservoir and aquifer models. The project will be undertaken by Marco Patacci, currently a PDRA at Leeds, and supervised by Bill McCaffrey, who is a sedimentologist and director of the Turbidites Research Group, and Nigel Mountney (sedimentologist).