RESQML Version 2.0.1 Makes it Easier To Update a Reservoir Model
Authors: Morandini Francis , Rainaud Jean-Francois , Poudret Mathieu , Perrin Michel , Verney Philipp , Basier Florian , Ursem Rob , Hollingsworth Jay , Marcotte Donna 
Published: March 2017

Objective/Scope

Exploration and production (E&P) work flows continue to evolve in completeness and complexity. Multidisciplinary teams use a variety of software packages to perform the many tasks required to build and update accurate and comprehensive earth models used over the life of a field. Continued data-gathering and iterations to characterize the range of uncertainty is an integral yet challenging part of the process. Incorporating new data into an existing model can be "painful"—time consuming, tedious, and error prone—which inhibits our ability to easily and accurately update a model.

Methods, Procedures, Process

RESQML is the industry-defined data-exchange standard used in E&P to transfer earth models between software applications in a vendor-neutral, open, and explicit format. In Version 2.0.1 (published in September 2015), RESQML defines a richer, more complete set of data objects (than Version 1) across the subsurface work flow. RESQML now also defines precise classifications of data objects and the relationships between them to create a knowledge hierarchy of: abstract subsurface features, human interpretations of those features, the data representations of those interpretations, and the properties indexed onto those representations. These and other new features now make it easier to exchange data, iterate, and update models along the entire subsurface work flow.

Result, Observations, Conclusions

This paper presents a work flow—using actual data from the Alwyn North Field—for adding "one more fault" to a structural interpretation after a preliminary unsatisfactory history-matching exercise in a flow simulator. The paper describes how the RESQML v2.0.1 data-exchange standard can support a repository for geological knowledge and how multiple RESQML-enabled software packages (structural and stratigraphic interpretation applications and reservoir modeling systems) can share, transfer, and iterate on a coherent model. The work flow is based on a test case used to demonstrate interoperability of multiple software packages from various member-companies (operators and service/software companies) of Energistics, the upstream oil and gas data standards organization. All along the reservoir model cycle, Energistics members exchanged: individual interpretations (e.g., for horizons, faults, wellbore trajectories and formation markers), their individual representations (e.g., scattered points, surfaces, wellbore logs, and blocked wellbores), composite interpretations (e.g., structural, stratigraphic, and reservoir organizations) with their framework and grid-based representations and properties. The paper explains how the members produced a reservoir model, then updated and exchanged only the model elements required to change when a poor history match indicated an important fault was missing from the initial structural interpretation and had to be added to the model.

Novel/Additive Information

The new RESQML v2.0.1 design and capabilities mean E&P professionals can now transfer complete models with all data in context and/or logically transfer (update) only the parts of a model that have changed. This new v2.0 functionality is a significant improvement over RESMQL v1.1 and its precursor, RESCUE, both of which could only exchange a smaller set of individual elements and none of the relationships between them.