Advanced Techniques and Applications for Characterizing the Hydrocarbon Potential in Carbonate Reservoirs

Although carbonate rocks encompass approximately half of hydrocarbon reservoirs worldwide, several open questions about their role as hydrocarbon-bearing intervals need answers. This is because carbonate rocks have a wide range of facies and deformational styles and display heterogeneity and complicated relationships between rock fabric and pore systems. Finding hydrocarbon zones in carbonate successions is challenging due to the carbonate reservoirs having a variety of primary and secondary porosity (intergranular, intracrystalline, vuggy, moldic and fractured). In addition, pore sizes in carbonate rocks range from micro- to mega-pores, depending on diagenetic processes and depositional conditions. Moreover, in carbonate hydrocarbon reservoirs, pore networks are vital components controlling the fluid pathways, reservoir quality and production. Fractured carbonate reservoirs are significant in producing oil and gas in numerous giant fields all over the world. Several types of fractures may be developed and lead to the heterogeneity of the hydrocarbon-bearing rocks. Open fractures increase the permeability of the hydrocarbon reservoirs; while, mineral-filled fractures may produce compartmentalization as they act as fluid barrier layers. Although fractures are very important in raising the permeability of the reservoirs, they are ignored in many reservoir studies. This is due to the complication in the interaction between fractures, matrix porosity and permeability and the overall deficiency of quantitative data covering fractures.

Therefore, applying advanced techniques in seismic acquisitions, processing, visualization and running the modern well log are required to adequately evaluate carbonate reservoirs.

This Research Topic will be principally dedicated to publishing a set of valued papers that focus on applying the advanced techniques in seismic acquisition, processing, visualization and running the modern well log to adequately evaluate carbonate reservoirs all over the world. Special regard will be given to studies focusing on the evaluation of the proceptivity of the fractured carbonate reservoirs. Research articles are expected to cover the effect of depositional environments, and diagenesis on the reservoir quality prediction of various carbonate depositional systems. We hope that the expected contribution of this Research Topic will interest researchers from both academic and industrial sectors who are working closely in the field of petrophysics, well logging, seismic interpretation, sedimentology, sequence stratigraphy and petroleum geology. The contribution of this Research Topic will ultimately help workers in the oil industry to develop a better understanding during the exploration, evaluation and the production of hydrocarbon from carbonate rocks.