Simulation of Petrophysical Property Trends within Facies Geobodies

Multiple-Point Statistics (MPS) simulation has emerged recently as a practical facies modeling technique to simulate complex geological patterns, such as sinuous channels, that cannot be modeled using conventional (two-point statistics) variogram-based techniques. MPS simulation consists of first extracting patterns from training images describing the type of facies heterogeneity expected in the reservoir under study, and then reproducing similar patterns conditionally to well and seismic data in the simulation grid. MPS facies models are then populated with porosity and permeability using variogram-based techniques, typically Sequential Gaussian Simulation (SGS). However, SGS does not allow reproducing intra-facies geobody petrophysical trends, such as upwards decreasing porosity/permeability trends, which are commonly observed in channels, and which may have a significant impact on reservoir flow behavior. <br>In this paper, we propose to adapt the original and most used MPS simulation program snesim to the modeling of continuous properties, and to use this new continuous snesim program along with facies boundary information to simulate porosity/permeability trends within facies geobodies.<br>