Such heterogeneity, often manifested as compartments at the reservoir scale, hinders production if not properly anticipated. Varied techniques exist to assist operators in developing an accurate description of compartments and their distribution. Integrating results from varied techniques improves an operator s ability to predict reservoir compartmentalization, occurrence, distribution, and fluid types. Ultimately, this understanding will improve location of wells, allowing more efficient production of the reservoir. Thorough re-evaluations by multidisciplinary teams frequently reveal that geology is more complex than anticipated, with compartmentalization often the culprit.
Compartmentalization affects field economics at all stage.
But as field development continues, new techniques and information have become available to evaluate the impact of compartmentalization. Integrated reservoir description is by far the most useful method to identify compartmentalization. Other useful methods involve modeling of clay distributed along fault traces, and identifying altered pore systems. Reservoir compartments might be caused by various depositional and stratigraphic controls, such as flooding in paleovalley fills, and diagenesis related to exposure surfaces. Other factors include changes in pore-system connectivity related to diagenetic events or to depositional facies, intersecting structural and depositional patterns, hydrodynamic gradients, and overpressure.