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The AAPG/Datapages Combined Publications Database

CSPG Bulletin

Abstract


Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology
Vol. 39 (1991), No. 2. (June), Pages 215-215

"Horizontal Drilling of a Pinnacle Reef: A Geologist's Perspective [Abstract]"

Jones, G.S.1

ABSTRACT

In the winter of 1990, Husky Oil drilled a second horizontal well in the Rainbow Basin. The wells were drilled into Keg River pinnacle reefs "G" and "E" pools, which are on secondary miscible flood. These wells are forecast to have twice the economic viability of vertical wells, with accelerated benefits and incremental recovery. A horizontal well in "E" pool was proposed for 1990 to reduce water and solvent coning.

A geological reef model was developed by means of 3-D seismic, a core study, and detailed petrophysical analysis. Integration of facies and petrophysical data showed distinctive porosity and permeability distribution. Slice maps of the reef were used to portray rock volume and fluid distribution. A drilling program was designed to both deplete known undeveloped reserves and evaluate potential reserves in an interpreted reef "skirt". Techniques such as MWD logging, TEC sampling, selective coring, and FMS logging maximized technical data acquisition.

Revision of the reef model was required after drilling the well. Although the postulated "skirt" was thinner than predicted, hydrocarbons were encountered beyond previously mapped reserves. The horizontal well was open-hole completed and is producing at several times the productivity of a vertical well.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND ASSOCIATED FOOTNOTES

1 Husky Oil Limited, Calgary, Alberta T2P 3G7

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