Fractured reservoir: An example from the Late Permian mixed carbonate-siliciclastic of Western Australia
Muhammad Ridha Adhari, Marwan, Husni Husin, Nazli Ismail

Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh

Abstract

The Beekeeper Formation is known as a proven fractured reservoir in the Woodada gas field, Perth Basin, Western Australia. Even though this formation has produced a significant amount of gas, much is not known especially about the characteristics of its fracture systems. This study tries to fill this gap and aim to better understand the evolution and development of the fracture systems of the Late Permian Beekeeper Formation. Fracture system characterisation was carried out on three wells that have abundance fracture systems across the northern Perth Basin (Beekeeper-1, Woodada-3, and Woodada-14). Results show that the Beekeeper Formation has spectacular multi-size and multi-episode fracture systems that were fully/partially infilled with calcite cements. Size of fracture^s aperture is ranging from <1mm up to 1.5 m. Majority of the fracture systems of the Beekeeper Formation are sub-vertical oriented, and rarely horizontal oriented. Morphology of the fracture systems of the Beekeeper Formation is dominated by the straight and arched morphology in majority of the studied cores. Cross cutting, displaced, stepped, and branching morphology were also identified within the Beekeeper Formation. Evolution and development of these fracture systems are interpreted to be associated with the extensional-transtensional evolution of the Perth basin, strongly influenced by various tectonic processes that occurred mainly during Mesozoic. A better understanding of these fracture systems is expected to provide some new insight into the development of a fractured reservoir in general, and especially the Beekeeper Formation. It is also expected that the knowledge/findings of this study may benefit many hydrocarbon fields with fractured reservoir around the world.

Keywords: Fractured reservoir- Mixed carbonate-siliciclastic- Fracture systems- Beekeeper Formation- Perth Basin

Topic: Geodynamic and subsurface geology