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Fracture attribute scaling and connectivity in the Devonian Orcadian Basin with implications for geologically equivalent sub-surface fractured reservoirs

Dichiarante, Anna M.; McCaffrey, Ken J.W.; Holdsworth, Robert E.; Bjørnarå, Tore I.; Dempsey, Edward D.

Fracture attribute scaling and connectivity in the Devonian Orcadian Basin with implications for geologically equivalent sub-surface fractured reservoirs Thumbnail


Authors

Anna M. Dichiarante

Tore I. Bjørnarå

Edward D. Dempsey



Abstract

Fracture attribute scaling and connectivity datasets from analogue systems are widely used to inform sub-surface fractured reservoir models in a range of geological settings. However, significant uncertainties are associated with the determination of reliable scaling parameters in surface outcrops. This has limited our ability to upscale key parameters that control fluid flow at reservoir to basin scales. In this study, we present nine 1D-transect (scanline) fault and fracture attribute datasets from Middle Devonian sandstones in Caithness (Scotland) that are used as an onshore analogue for nearby sub-surface reservoirs such as the Clair field, west of Shetland. By taking account of truncation and censoring effects in individual datasets, our multiscale analysis shows a preference for power-law scaling of fracture length over 8 orders of magnitude (10−4 to 104 m) and kinematic aperture over 4 orders of magnitude (10−6 to 10−2 m). Our assessment of the spatial organization (clustering and topology) provides a new basis for up-scaling fracture attributes collected in outcrop- to regional-scale analogues. We show how these relationships may inform knowledge of geologically equivalent sub-surface fractured reservoirs.

Citation

Dichiarante, A. M., McCaffrey, K. J., Holdsworth, R. E., Bjørnarå, T. I., & Dempsey, E. D. (2020). Fracture attribute scaling and connectivity in the Devonian Orcadian Basin with implications for geologically equivalent sub-surface fractured reservoirs. Solid Earth, 11(6), 2221-2244. https://doi.org/10.5194/se-11-2221-2020

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Sep 28, 2020
Online Publication Date Nov 23, 2020
Publication Date 2020
Deposit Date Nov 20, 2020
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Solid Earth and Discussions
Print ISSN 1869-9510
Electronic ISSN 1869-9529
Publisher European Geosciences Union
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 11
Issue 6
Pages 2221-2244
DOI https://doi.org/10.5194/se-11-2221-2020

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