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Acoustic image log facies and well log petrophysical evaluation of the Barra Velha Formation carbonate reservoir from the Santos Basin, offshore Brazil

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Abstract

The Barra Velha Formation encompasses the most important hydrocarbon reservoirs of the Pre-salt section of the Santos Basin, SE Brazil, and its lacustrine carbonates have drawn much attention in the past decade due to their sedimentological complexity and overall heterogeneity. Among the main challenges in the characterization of such rocks are the great depth of the reservoirs and the difficulty to characterize geological features in non-cored intervals. Additionally, the relationship between facies and petrophysical properties is difficult to establish with conventional well log evaluation routines. In this study, a continuous ultrasonic borehole image log (UBI) is integrated with conventional logs, nuclear magnetic resonance logs (NMR), and core samples to support the detailed geological interpretation and petrophysical evaluation of the lacustrine carbonates of the Barra Velha Formation (wholly Aptian). The systematic interpretation of the UBI log resulted in the identification of acoustic image log facies (AIFs), which were then translated into lithofacies. The entire studied interval was divided into eight zones, characterized by particular facies associations and petrophysical properties. Each zone was interpreted to have formed in depositional environments ranging from deep subaqueous to emergent conditions. A general shallowing and cleaning upward pattern was identified for the Barra Velha Formation, with a main reservoir zone associated with intermediate-to-shallow subaqueous conditions. This work aimed to explore the applications and limitations of the acoustic image log in the context of the Brazilian pre-salt and establish the relationship between image log facies and reservoir properties retrieved from NMR data.

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Fig. 1

(adapted from Basso et al. 2020). Santos outer high limits and Santos hinge line were retrieved from Ysaccis et al. (2019)

Fig. 2

(adapted from Moreira et al. 2007) B Schematic NE-SW section of the location of the well SB-A1, highlighting the pre-salt formations and the target interval

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Adapted from Basso et al. (2020)

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Equinor for the productive partnership and financial support during this project, and for granting permission to publish this study. ANP is also acknowledged for the support and granting permission for publication. This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior – Brasil (CAPES) – Finance Code 001. The authors are grateful for the important contributions by the anonymous reviewers. We are also grateful to Lloyd’s Register and Interactive Petrophysics (IP) software. Finally, special thanks to Francine Cristofoleti for the assistance with numerical data and to Raquel R. M. Cardoso for the language review.

Funding

This study was supported by a governmental foundation of the Ministry of Education Brazil (CAPES) and by the energy company Equinor.

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Author notes

  1. Bruno César Zanardo Honório & Aline Maria Poças Belila

    Present address: Presently Equinor ASA, Rua do Russel 804, Glória, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22.210-010, Brazil

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology and Natural Resources, Geosciences Institute (IG), University of Campinas (Unicamp), Campinas, SP, 13083-855, Brazil

    Mateus Basso & Alexandre Campane Vidal

  2. Center for Energy and Petroleum Studies (CEPETRO), University of Campinas (Unicamp), Campinas, SP, 13083-970, Brazil

    Mateus Basso, João Paulo Ponte Souza, Guilherme Furlan Chinelatto & Alexandre Campane Vidal

  3. Formerly CEPETRO, University of Campinas (Unicamp), Campinas, SP, Brazil

    Bruno César Zanardo Honório, Leandro Hartleben Melani & Aline Maria Poças Belila

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  1. Mateus Basso
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  2. João Paulo Ponte Souza
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Contributions

Mateus Basso (Methodology: lead; software: supporting; writing and editing: lead), João Paulo Ponte Souza (methodology and software: supporting), Bruno César Zanaro Honório (methodology and software: supporting), Leandro Hartleben Melani (software: supporting), Guilherme Chinelatto (writing and editing: supporting), Aline Belila (writing and editing: supporting), Alexandre Vidal (project administration: lead; writing and editing: supporting).

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Correspondence to Mateus Basso.

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Basso, M., Souza, J.P.P., Honório, B.C.Z. et al. Acoustic image log facies and well log petrophysical evaluation of the Barra Velha Formation carbonate reservoir from the Santos Basin, offshore Brazil. Carbonates Evaporites 37, 50 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13146-022-00791-4

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