The complete paper uses a feasibility study to present the potential application of a three-axis gravimeter borehole measurement in the Libra presalt reservoir in the Santos Basin offshore Brazil. The authors’ findings suggest that an annual survey with a limited well stock could be effective in monitoring this type of reservoir and that a wireline-deployed three-axis gravity tool is likely to provide significant additional surveillance to constrain a reservoir production strategy through better appreciation of the direction of water movement.
Introduction
The giant Brazilian presalt reservoirs are in ultradeep water (greater than 2000 m) and buried at a depth surpassing 5000 m. In order to conduct reservoir monitoring and achieve successful reservoir management, borehole-based geophysical technologies are preferred because the measurements can be made closer to the reservoir mass. The development of a borehole gravimeter suitable for use in deep reservoirs, however, poses significant technical challenges, and breakthroughs have been limited by the sensor form factor (size) and measurement stabilization.
By use of microelectromechanical-system (MEMS) vibrating-beam technology, the authors introduce a borehole gravimeter that enables the recording of gravitational acceleration at very high sensitivity.
