Reservoir Characterization and Data Integration of Complex Mauddud-Burgan Carbonate Reservoir

Abstract Mauddud-Burgan is a complex carbonate formation that contains substantial amounts of proven crude oil and runs south-east in Kuwait. It is a thin carbonate reservoir when compared to other Burgan reservoirs, which make it a candidate for horizontal drilling. The Mauddud reservoir offers about 40 feet of net oil-pay. It shows high porosity, about 18%, and a low matrix permeability between 0.8–10 mD. Several horizontal wells have been drilled, yet development of the Mauddud-Burgan program was abandoned due to the complexity of this formation. In 1994, only one well was a success and other nine were failures. Due to the structural complexity, prospect was less favorable than anticipated. With the world's demand for oil and the price of oil increasing, Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) is expected to be motivated to develop this reservoir. The failed development of the past Mauddud-Burgan program involved a lack of understanding of this formation's complexity. Limited reservoir information for Mauddud- Burgan brought further development and planning to a standstill. This study proposes a detailed characterization of this formation to expedite future reservoir planning and development. The proposed analysis involves seven aspects of reservoir characterizations which include: geological, thin-section, XRD, SEM, core, well logging, and, well test analysis. Core samples and data for the proposed studies were supplied by KOC, in co-operation with the Kuwaiti ministry of oil. This paper reports results of several aspects of characterization, including geological and petrophysical analyses. The principal objective of the study is to integrate results manifested from experimental measurements of core samples and all other sources in support of a future development programs.