Reservoir Description

To maximize the production and total recovery of hydrocarbons, oil companies must have a complete understanding of the reservoir rocks and fluids present in their producing fields. Core Laboratories is the only global provider of services that characterize the porous reservoir rock and all three reservoir fluids.

Our Reservoir Description technologies measure rock properties and the ways that reservoir fluids behave when a reservoir is being produced. For wireline and seismic data estimates to be used effectively in reservoir optimization, they must be calibrated with precisely measured petrophysical and fluid datasets such as those provided by Core Laboratories.

We begin by analyzing samples of reservoir rocks for their porosity to determine reservoir storage capacity and for their permeability to define the ability of the rock to permit fluid flow. These basic measurements, together with advanced rock properties analyses provide detailed input for log calibration, saturation distribution, and fluid flow parameters. Formation Damage analysis is conducted to provide detailed solutions to wellbore and production impairment problems and support investigation of stimulation and treatment effects.

The ability of Core Laboratories to combine all aspects of reservoir characterization allows us to develop critical input for the development of reservoir simulation models that are central to the appraisal and development of any hydrocarbon accumulation. Core’s fundamental and basic measurements provide the foundation for determining how much oil and gas are present in a reservoir and the rates at which the hydrocarbons can be produced. The more completely the properties of your oilfields’ reservoir systems are understood, the more oil and gas these fields will ultimately produce.

From the Reservoir to the Refinery

To identify and understand the type of crude oil in the reservoir and how it will interact with the natural gas and water as the field is being produced, the three reservoir fluids must be characterized to evaluate fluid-phase behavior properties. These data sets are critical elements for attempting to produce the maximum quantities of oil and gas daily and over the life of the field. Since the reservoir fluids change composition over the producing life of the field, the methods by which the field is produced need to change also. Core provides reservoir fluids data from separator and subsurface oil and gas samples that will help you decide what changes to make to optimize production and field recovery rates.

The value of the crude oil and natural gas is related to the hydrocarbon’s composition. So, in addition to our evaluation of the fluids as they leave the reservoir, we provide inspection, crudeoil assay, distillation, and sophisticated sampling services to determine the value of the crude oil and its derived products as they are transported to the refinery. Crude oil value is directly related to the quantity of gasoline that can be refined from it. Natural gas value is tied to its British Thermal Unit (BTU) content; the higher the BTU content, the higher the value of the gas. Core provides data sets to help determine the value of oil and natural gas. These values are then used to calculate the return on investment the oilfield development project may yield the operator.