Quantification and description of fracture network by MRI image analysis

Area of Science:

• Geophysics
• Petrophysics
• Reservoir Engineering

Background:

• Fractures significantly impact reservoir rock properties, influencing fluid flow and storage.
• Accurate characterization of fracture networks is crucial for effective reservoir management.
• Traditional methods for fracture analysis can be time-consuming and may lack detailed geometric insights.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the contribution of fractures to total porosity using advanced imaging techniques.
• To provide detailed geometrical descriptions of fractures within reservoir rocks.
• To compute essential petrophysical parameters related to fractures.

Main Methods:

• Application of Image Analysis techniques to 1H Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) data.
• Acquisition of reservoir data using Multi-Slice Multi-Echo (MSME) 2D quantitative and 3D sequences.
• Development and application of a custom image analysis procedure for quantitative assessment.

Main Results:

• Successful quantification of fracture porosity derived from MRI data.
• Detailed geometrical characterization of fracture networks was achieved.
• Computation of key petrophysical parameters, including fracture porosity and fracture density.

Conclusions:

• 1H MRI combined with Image Analysis is an effective tool for characterizing fracture networks in reservoirs.
• The developed methodology allows for accurate computation of fracture-related petrophysical parameters.
• This approach enhances the understanding of reservoir properties influenced by fractures.