ModDRE: A program to model deepwater-reservoir elements using geomorphic and stratigraphic constraints

In deepwater-reservoir modeling, the proper representation of the spatial distribution of architectural elements is important to account for pore-volume distribution and the connectivity of reservoir sand bodies. This is especially critical for rock and fluid-volume estimates, reservoir-performance predictions, and development-well planning.A new integrated stochastic reservoir-modeling approach (ModDRE—Modeling Deepwater Reservoir Elements) accounts for geomorphic and stratigraphic controls to generate the deepwater-reservoir architecture. Information on stratal-package evolution and sediment provenance can be integrated into the reservoir-modeling process. A slope-area analytical approach is implemented to account for topographical constraints on channel and sheet-form reservoir architectures and their distribution. Inferred sediment–source statistics and architectural-element variability (from seismic, outcrop, and stratigraphic studies) associated with relative changes in sea level can also be used to constrain the deepwater-reservoir-element statistics. Based on these geomorphic and stratigraphic constraints, deepwater-reservoir elements (channels, lobes) are built into the model sequentially (in stratigraphic order).Integration of realistic geological and engineering attributes into deepwater-reservoir models is vital for optimal reservoir management. This approach is unique in that it is more directly constrained to geomorphic and stratigraphic parameters than traditional object- or surface-based techniques for stochastic deepwater-reservoir modeling.