Title: Using electrofacies cluster analysis to evaluate shale-gas potential: Carynginia Formation, Perth Basin, Western Australia

Authors: Amir Karimian Torghabeh; Reza Rezaee; Reza Moussavi-Harami; Nuno Pimentel

Addresses: Department of Geology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Azadi Sq., Vakil Abad Blvd., 9177948974, Mashhad, Iran ' Department of Petroleum Engineering, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987 Perth, Western Australia 6845, Australia ' Department of Geology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Azadi Sq., Vakil Abad Blvd., 9177948974, Mashhad, Iran ' Department of Geology, Faculty of Sciences, Lisbon University, Fac.Ciências, Campo Grande, C-6, 4º. 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal

Abstract: Unconventional hydrocarbon resources are becoming increasingly important to keep pace with the global rising energy demands. Identification of reservoir electrofacies plays an important role in petro physical evaluation of hydrocarbon bearing intervals. In order to provide criteria to highlight the sweet spots for shale-gas in the Perth Basin, electrofacies analysis was done for Carynginia Formation, using cluster analysis techniques. This analysis was carried out by identifying electrofacies from wireline well log responses and from the available core data, focused in six selected wells. Three types of situations have been defined, regarding shale-gas potential and characteristic electrofacies identification - Type I, Gas-window wells with shale-gas; Type II, oil-window wells with shale-gas; Type III, non-mature wells with no shale-gas. From the 30 identified electrofacies, three appear as more promising in terms of shale-gas bearing layers of the Carynginia formation. This method may be used to help detecting shale-gas targets based on electrofacies analysis. [Received: January 2, 2014; Accepted: April 22, 2014]

Keywords: reservoir electrofacies; Carynginia formation; shale gas potential; Australia; cluster analysis; petro physical evaluation; hydrocarbon bearing intervals; electrofacies analysis.

DOI: 10.1504/IJOGCT.2015.071525

International Journal of Oil, Gas and Coal Technology, 2015 Vol.10 No.3, pp.250 - 271

Received: 04 Jan 2014
Accepted: 22 Apr 2014
Published online: 31 Aug 2015 *

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