Critical Heterogeneities in a Barrier
Island Deposit and Their Influence on
Various Recovery Processes
Bljon Sharma, SPE, M.M. Honarpour, SPE, M.d. Szpaklewlcz, and R.A. Schatzlnger,
Natl. Inst. for Petroleum & Energy
Summary. This paper synthesizes geologic information, acquired from the literature and field studies, and provides detailed maps
of geologic heterogeneities, obtained from log and core data, of the Bell Creek field, MT. Geologic heterogeneities were correlated
with fluid production data to identify the heterogeneities that have a dominant effect on fluid production. Integration of new and existing
information from various geological, geophysical, and engineering disciplines allowed us to identify heterogeneities that influence pro-
duction during different recovery operations.
Introduction
The shallow marine barrier-island/strand-plain deposystems are
among the most important and are the habitat of at least six giant
fields (with an ultimate recovery > 100 million bbl [15.9 x 10 6
m 3 ]) in North America.! There is, therefore, considerable eco-
nomic merit in research that provides an understanding of the mag-
nitude and type of geologic heterogeneities likely to be encountered
in exploitation of shallow marine barrier-island/strand-plain
deposits.
The distribution, continuity, and internal characteristics of ma-
rine sandstones are controlled by the depositional environment and
tectonic setting, as well as by subsequent erosional, tectonic, and
diagenetic processes. Understanding the depositional history of a
reservoir helps to predict the genesis, distribution, magnitude, and
frequency of occurrence of the various heterogeneities. The most
important geological heterogeneities controlling fluid production
are identified on the basis of a spatial description of reservoir fluid-
flow properties and analysis of production performance and pres-
sure distribution during different recovery stages. 2,3
The barrier island oil field selected for analysis is Bell Creek field
in Carter and Powder River counties, MT, on the northeastern flank
of the Powder River basin (Fig. 1). This field, discovered in 1967,
consists of six hydraulically isolated Lower Cretaceous Muddy sand-
stone reservoirs (Units A through E and Ranch Creek). The origi-
nal oil in place (OOIP) for the field was calculated as 242.9 million
STB [38.6x10 6 stock-tank m 3 ] with an ultimate primary recov-
ery of 48.4 million STB [7.69 x 106 m 3 ] or 19.9% OOIP.4
A linedrive waterflood pattern began in Aug. 1970, and the ulti-
mate secondary recovery from Unit A-the northernmost and largest
of the six units-was estimated at 49.8 million STB [7.918x 10 6
stock-tank m 3 ], or about 39% OOIP. Two tertiary recovery pilot
projects have been completed within Unit A since 1976. The north-
ernmost pilot (Fig. 1) was only marginally successful because of
unanticipated geologic complexity, while the southern pilot, im-
plemented through the U.S. DOE Tertiary Oil Incentive Program
(TIP), was more successful because it is in a more homogeneous
part of the field. 5,6
The characterization of Bell Creek field may help identify heter-
ogeneities in similar barrier bar deposits from different geologic
ages and geographic locations. 7 For detailed geological and
production-performance studies, we selected four sections from Unit
A, including the TIP pilot area, as our 4-sq-mile [1O.36-km2 ] study
area (Fig. I), and acquired log, well-test, production, and core data
for detailed analysis.
Influence of Geological Heterogeneities
on Fluid Production
Because of variations in the depositional and diagenetic processes,
the effect of tectonic forces, and the variable interstitial fluid prop-
erties, the distribution of fluid-flow properties in a petroleum reser-
voir are rarely uniform. The nonuniform flow patterns are observed
Copyright 1990 Society of Petroleum Engineers
SPE Formation Evaluation, March 1990
vertically in the reservoir pay zone and laterally in the sandstone
deposit. "Heterogeneity" implies any change in geologic reser-
voir properties that causes a variation in fluid-flow parameters (e.g.,
permeability, porosity, fluid saturation, and capillary pressure) that
results in modification of the flow regime.
A spectrum of geologic heterogeneities affect fluid movement
and oil recovery in reservoirs subjected to EOR. 6 We restrict our
analysis to those geologic heterogeneities that have a dominant ef-
fect on fluid production patterns in the barrier island sandstone
studied. Earlier studies 2,3 of barrier island and other sandstone
deposits grouped the most important geologic heterogeneities affect-
ing fluid production into three classes according to the different
scales of the heterogeneities (Table 1).
Muddy Formation Geology
The Lower Cretaceous Muddy formation, which produces oil from
Unit A in Bell Creek field, is composed of two genetically differ-
ent, major sandstone reservoir units interpreted as barrier islands
(littoral marine bars) and valley fills. The entire Muddy sandstone
assemblage and its related depositional environments (lagoonal, es-
tuary, tidal flat, tidal channel, and valley fIll) are under- and over-
lain by marine shales; i.e., Skull Creek and Shell Creek/Mowry
shale, respectively.
Hydrocarbon production in Unit A is controlled by at least five
geological factors 6 ,8-1O: (1) stratigraphic relation of the barrier
sandstones to the valley-fill deposits; (2) development and architec-
ture of the barrier island facies, such as internal distribution of fa-
cies within the dominant sedimentary cycle, and stacking or
overlapping of subsequent fragmental cycles of barrier deposition;
(3) depth and width of erosional cuts into the top of the barrier is-
land and their infIlling type; (4) distribution, type, and degree of
importance of diagenesis (clay filling and compaction); and (5) lo-
cal faulting that appears to modify fluid flow patterns between in-
dividual wells and groups of wells.
Depositional History. Paleogeographic and paleotectonic recon-
structions of the Muddy formation show the interrelationship be-
tween continental (delta channels and deltaic plain), brackish marine
(lagoon, estuary, and tidal flat), and coastal marine (barrier islands)
sedimentation in the northeastern Powder River basin where Bell
Creek field is located. Incision of valley fills into the top of barrier
deposits is commonly observed in Bell Creek cores,8-1O giving
strong support to Weimer'slO concept that valley-fill deposits are
stratigraphically younger than barrier island deposits.
Therefore, in the Bell Creek area, the Muddy formation is a com-
plicated system of barrier sandstones with channel cuts and subse-
quent valley tills superimposed unconformably. This model!! finds
numerous recent analogs along the Texas gulf coast and elsewhere.
Holocene patterns of barrier island sedimentation in the U. S. indi-
cate that valley-fill sediments, either underlying or incised into the
tops of barrier island sandstone, commonly occur with barrier
deposits and are typical of this type of near-shore sandstone deposit.
103
 Original Tertiary Pilot Project

.
22-3 22-2

22-1

23-4

233

23-2

23'
+J TaS
227

22-8

0'3-5

23-6

23
23-7

23-8
~

24
2311

2310

23-9

23-14 2315 23-16

L--...J
0 2
Unit Boundary
Unil"A"
Miles

~-,
River
Basin Bell Creek
j X

26
X'
L_ 2S
~
I
28-9
MO_N_TANA 27-1, 26_11 2610 n,
-t
WYOMING. 0 I

2113

261.

26-1~

2616
~
I
",
'"
344

'" 353

'"0
34
POWDER AIYER COUNTY
3S L,
R54E

MIles

Fig. 1-lndex map of units In the Bell Creek field and well control. P = production wells, W = water injection wells, and C = chemical
Injection wells.

Architecture and Depositional Characteristics of Barrier Island

TABLE 1-GEOLOGIC HETEROGENEITIES COMMON
and Valley-Fill Deposits. We constructed the geologic model of
IN CLASTIC RESERVOIRS FROM
BARRIER ISLAND AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTS the barrier island deposit at Bell Creek by interpreting the deposi-
tional framework. More detailed investigation of the stratigraphy,
Scale of lithology, sedimentary and biogenic structures, grain-size distri-
Heterogeneities Type of Geologic Heterogeneity bution, and cementation distribution of different facies was based
Small Depositional/diagenetic clay, type on examination of 26 completely or partially preserved cores from
(single well) and distribution the northern part of Bell Creek field. Fig. 2 shows a typical strati-
Leaching of minerals graphic cycle of major barrier island facies, and Table 2 presents
Grain compaction sedimentologic features of genetically related barrier-island-
Local cementation sandstone facies.
Mineralogy In a series of events subsequent to and independent of barrier
building, valley cuts locally removed significant portions of the up-
Moderate Minor facies changes
(interwell)
per part of the barrier complex. In extreme cases, the entire barri-
Depositional/diagenetic clay, type
and distribution er was removed by erosion, which strongly affected their storage
Sand particle size, size-distribution, capacity and fluid transmissivity. In certain cases, complete hydrau-
shape, sorting/fines lic disconnection of the reservoir may occur, as in the case of the
Cements ribbon-like incision between Units A and B, which is filled with
High-permeability channels very-low-permeability, shaly/clayey sediments. Different pressure
Faults regimes and positions of water/oil and gas/oil contacts (WOC and
Compaction; mechanical properties GOC) on both sides of the barrier reflect effective isolation of the
like rock compressibility two production units by the deep valley incision. Thickness of
Mineralogy
barrier-island-sandstone units decreases west of the deep incision
Large Facies changes (Fig. 3). This section suggests that the position of the barrier front
(several wells) Clays, type and distribution is west of Unit A. No significant faulting between Units A and B
Valley fills/unconformities is indicated.
Faults and fractures The barrier and nonbarrier facies documented in Bell Creek cores
Sand/shale boundaries are grouped into Classes A, B, and C according to the decreasing
Formation water quality and distri- energy of the depositional environment (Table 3). Most valley fills
bution; salinity, conductivity, etc. depicted in Bell Creek cores from Unit A are nonmarine, have very
Oil property variations
fine mean grain size (75 to 125 /Lm), and contain abundant clay
Mineralogy
matrix. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses of barrier island and

104 SPE Formation Evaluation, March 1990

 Morine Shale

;- Aeolian

'"
'"
;:; Foreshore

...
<l and Backshore

Woshover
:::'"
I-
~-:::::s
0
::> Depositional Groin SortinQ Shaliness Burrows Productivity
0
0 Energy Size
a:

t t -
a..

!!1
High
Upper and Middle
Medium
Shoreface

......
Lower Shoreface

::;:.-

Transition and
r==== Low

Marine Shale

Fig. 2-Typical depositional sequence of barrier Island facies and variations In their deposi-
tional energy and geologic characteristics.

X DATUM: TOP OF
SECOND SILT
X'

WEST

UPPER PARALIC FACIES OF ESTUARY,LAGOON OR NONBARRIER

CHANNEUVALLEY FILL AND DEEPER MARINE DEPOSITS
BARRIER ISLAND SANDSTONES COMPRISED OF FORESHORE, UPPER &
MIDDLE SHOREFACE, EOLIAN & WASHOVER FACIES

LOWER SHOREFACE FACIES OF RELATIVELY POORER QUALITY

RESERVOIR ROCK

1320' HIGHLY CEMENTED ZONES

~ LAGOONAL FACIES

I!J POROSITY FROM DENSITY LOG

Fig. 3-Dlp-orlented stratigraphic cross section across barrier Island deposit at Bell Creek
field from core and log correlations. See Fig. 1 for location.

valley-fill sandstone samples from the subsurface and from analo-
gous outcrops reveal significantly different clay assemblages, 11 In
barrier island sandstones, kaolinite and illite predominate with only
traces of smectite, while smectite and kaolinite occur commonly
in valley-fill sandstones and siltstones,
Valley-fill sandstones in Unit A may immediately overlie the bar-
rier island sandstone or may be separated by shaly or silty lagoonal,
estuarine, or low-energy, inactive, alluvial, silty channel deposits,
The vertical sequences of valley-fill and barrier sandstones sug-
gest possible local hydraulic communication between the two ge-
netically distinct Muddy sandstones. Table 4 summarizes the
sedimentologic features of typical valley-fill sandstones overlying
the barrier island complex in Bell Creek field.
Reservoir Description
Sedimentary facies identified in cores were correlated laterally with
typical responses from gamma ray, spontaneous potential, resistivi-
ty, sonic, and density logs. These "core-calibrated log responses"

SPE Formation Evaluation, March 1990 105

 TABLE 2-SEDIMENTOLOGICAL FEATURES IDENTIFIED TABLE 3-CLASSIFICATION OF PRODUCTIVE AND
IN BARRIER-ISLAND-SANDSTONE FACIES CORES FROM NONPRODUCTIVE FACIES OF MUDDY FORMATION
MUDDY FORMATION AND NEW HAVEN OUTCROPS" SEDIMENTS IN BELL CREEK RESERVOIR"

Upper foreshore Sandstone 150 to 200 ~m, swash deposit Class Productive Facies Type
Moderately to well sorted, low-angle to A Foreshore, upperllower B
subhorizontal stratification Eolian B
Trace to 5% burrowed (Skolithos, Eolian flat B
Corophioides, and Diplocraterion) Upper shoreface B
Trace of shale (rip-up clasts) and Middle shoreface B
siltstone Washover, tail and core B
Interruptions in sedimentation (subunits), Channel-cut fill, high energy NBt
poorer sorting, more burrowing and Marine valley fill, high energy NB
local bioturbation may indicate back-
shore deposit B Lower shoreface B
Washover, into lagoon B
Lower foreshore Sandstone 125 to 150 ~m, intertidal Marine valley fill, low energy NB
deposit Channel-cut fill, low energy NB
Moderately to well sorted Alluvial valley fill, high energy NB
Sub horizontally laminated to low-angle Estuary fill NB
troughs, wavy-bedded, not swash- Wind-blown sand in lagoon NB
laminated
< 10% burrowed Nonproductive Facies
Trace of shale laminae
C Lagoon fill NB
Washover Sandstone 100 to 175 ~m, storm Alluvial valley fill, low energy NB
overwash deposit Swamp and marsh NB
Poor-to-fair sorting Marine transition to barrier NB
Massive appearing or subhorizontally-to- .. Dominant facies.
horizontally laminated planar beds; **B=barrier.
possible ripple-form bedding t NB = non barrier.
Typically non burrowed and clean

Upper shoreface Sandstone 125 to 175 ~m, fair weather

current and/or wave deposit (subtidal);
occurs rarely
Fair sorting
Cross bedded or massive appearing,
swaly cross-stratification (SCS), wave
and current ripples, hummocky cross
stratification (HCS) absent
Few burrows (Diplocraterion, Rosellia,
and Ophiomorpha)
s 25% shaly siltstone
Middle shoreface Sandstone 100 to 175 ~m, wave-
dominated deposits at depth into which
long shore bars and trough ridges
have migrated
Poor or moderate-to-good sorting
Mostly massive as result of burrowing
(s 60%) or bioturbation (> 75%)
Very low relief troughs to subhorizontal
lamination
Shale drapes common but discontinuous
TABLE 4-SEDIMENTOLOGICAL DIVISION OF TYPICAL
VALLEY-FILL SANDSTONES ASSOCIATED WITH
BARRIER ISLAND DEPOSITS IN MUDDY FORMATION
(Dominant features identified in Bell Creek
cores and nearby New Haven outcrops")
Continental
Fluvial channel fill, Sandstone 100 to 200 ~m, alluvial
high energy deposit
Fair-to-moderately-well sorted
Abundant troughs, horizontally or
subhorizontally laminated in thin sets;
massive appearing where thoroughly
rooted, sometimes recognizably rooted
or burrowed; 5 to 10% current ripples
associated with shale
Carbonaceous (5%)
Trace of shale as rip-up clasts or drapes
on ripples
Lower boundaries erosional and abrupt

Lower shoreface Sandstone 100 to 150 ~m Brackish Marine

Poor sorting; shale and siltstone = 25 to Sandy estuary Sandstone 75 to 125 ~m interlaminated
60% and increase downward open lagoon with 30% silt and 30% shale
Low-angle to subhorizontal stratification, Very poorly sorted
HCS, and rippled Massive appearing or horizontally to
Commonly bioturbated, and 10 to 90% subhorizontally very finely laminated;
burrowed (Thallasinoides, Asterosoma, subordinate wavey bedding; low-
Rosellia, and Corophioides) amplitude current ripples; common
soft sediment deformation
Burrowed (5 to 50%); locally thoroughly
bioturbated or rooted
provided the basis for maps and cross sections that describe the Carbonaceous (15%)
geologic heterogeneities or fluid-flow properties in the barrier is-
land sandstones and associated facies. Tidal channel Sandstone 150 to 175 ~m, current
and delta deposit
Reservoir Framework. Fig. 4 indicates that the top of the sand- Poorly sorted
stone generally dips to the northwest at about 90 to 100 ft/mile [17 Crossbedded or low-relief planar tabular
to 19 m/km]. Fig. 5 indicates that the maximum thickness of the laminations; poorly burrowed
(Skolithos)
barrier deposit is about 32 ft [9.8 m] in the central part ofthe study
area, with thickness gradually decreasing to the northwest and south-
east. Sharp flexures occur in the contours of both maps, suggest-
ing structural heterogeneities such as faults or valley incisions.

106 SPE Formation Evaluation, March 1990

 Fig. 4-Structural contours (in feet below mean sea level) on the top of barrier island sand-
stones. Dashed lines indicate locations of possible faults or valley incisions. Contour inter-
val=10 ft.

A A
sw HE
Well No C-8 WeliNo P-2

o 10 20 30 o 10 20 30 o 10 20 30 40
<t> (%) 41 ("!o) q, (%)

! '!I'!!
I

1 " 469 10 20 50 10 20 50
X 10' X 10' Xl0'
K (md) K(rnd) K (mdl

8 8'
NW SE
Well No W-14 Well No. 21-16

BS
(USF& F)
lSF
Gamma Ray

o 10 20 30
I(%) <1>1%)

t ! II ! ! I I II! ! 1 tl! 1

3592030 10 20 50 10 20 50
X 10' XW' X 10'
Fig. 5-lsopach map of the barrier island sandstones in the K(rnd) K (rno) K (md)

study area. Contour interval = 2 ft.

1000 2000

HORIZONTAIL SCALE, Feet

The extension of some of these dislocations farther to the west

(Fig. 4 or 5) almost coincides with flexures in the western bounda-
ry of Unit A and are interpreted as deep valley cuts in barrier is-
land deposits, 9 as shown in Fig. 3. Some flexures in the structural
contours (Fig. 4) also could represent diagenetic boundaries associat-
ed with faults. It is evident from Figs. 4 and 5 that the top of the
barrier island sandstone is not a smooth surface and that structural
heterogeneities identified could alter fluid-flow patterns significantly.
Barrier Sandstone Development and Reservoir Quality. Fig. 6
shows the high-permeability barrier island sandstone (consisting
predominantly of foreshore and shoreface facies), low-permeability
lower shoreface, and lagoonal sediments that were confirmed by
core descriptions. Because the porosity, permeability, and capil-
Fig. 6-Stratigraphic cross sections parallel (AA') and per-
pendicular (BB') to the depositional strike of the bar. (See Fig.
1 for location.) US = upper sandstone, BS = barrier sandstone,
USF = upper-shoreface facies, F = foreshore facies, LSF =
lower-shoreface facies, and M = marine shale.
lary pressure ranges in the foreshore and upper-shoreface sandstone
facies are similar, the two facies are combined into a single flow unit.
Cross Section AA' indicates that the thickness and reservoir qual-
ity of the barrier island sandstone improves from southwest to north-
east near the central part of the barrier deposit. Good reservoir
quality and high oil production rates in Well P-2 result from the
crossbedded-to-massive-appearing sandstones in the upper-shoreface

SPE Fonnation Evaluation, March 1990 107

 A A'
sw NE
Well No. 27-'4 Well No.W-16 WeIlNo.C-8 WeIlNo.P-2
K X 10'\mdJ K X 101md) K X 10 Imd)
K X lO'(rnd) 0 10 20 0 2 4 0 2 4

-G:l,
-~~t '-F'z';;l- ~ : : C~=-~l
i _~. ~',,~~t i ::>t:~,;~: .". ,~~~
o 1020 10 20 30 0 20 15 25 0 20 2530 0 20 0 20 40
TOTAL $(%) TOTAL I (O'oj TOTAL $(0'0) TOTAL $(%)
CLAY CLAY CLAY CLAY
("Ie) ("!oj ("!o) (%)

Subarkose Quartzarenite and Silty mudstone, 5ubarkose, Silty shale and sUbarkose
subl itharenite and quartzareni te
Moderate sorting floderate sorting moderate sorting I""derate-poor sorting
1-6% clay matrix 0-2% clay matrix 0-3% clay matrix in sands 0-2% clay matrix in sanas
Averages 13% clay Averages 9% clay Averages 2.2% c1ay cement Averages 21'h clay cement in
cement (N=7) cement (N=3) in sands (N=7) sp 1ay sands and 2. clay
cement ; n foreshore ana
shoreface sands

8 8'
NW SE
Well No. W14 Well No. W-16 Well No. 27-16
K'X 10'(mdl K X lo'rmdl K X lO'(md)

o 1 2
4300...----r-r-r--r-;r-----,

4300

~L1. ~.
4300 4310

>-
w
>- w
w
w
4320

4310

LS

4330 L..L-L-L_ _ _-LJL..L---'-.J

o 10 20 15 20 25 30 01020 15 20 25 30 20 40 25 30
TOTAL I (O'oj TOTAL TOTAL
CLAY CLAY CLAY
('oj (%j 1%)

.Quartzareni te and Quartzareni te and subl i thareni te Silty shale and subarkose
subarkose

Poor sorting I""derate sorting r~oderate sorting

0-2% clay matrix 0-2% clay matrix 0-5% clay matrix in sands
Averages 7% c1 ay Averages 9% clay cement (!l=B) Averages 3% clay cement
cement (N=3) in sands (ll=3)

Fig. 7-Petrographlc summary of Fig. 6. ID = interdune, D = dune, F = foreshore, US = upper

shoreface, LS=lower shoreface, SF=shoreface, S=splay, W=washover, L=lagoon, and
MS = middle shoreface.

and the foreshore facies of the bar in this well. In Well C-8, the meability and percentage of clay, which varies among deposition-
facies development and related sedimentary structures within the al facies within individual wells.
barrier are similar to those encountered in Well P-2, but the top Foreshore and upper-shoreface sandstones have similar petro-
of the sandstone is more silty and clayey, and as a result, the reser- graphic characteristics. In wells west of Well C-8 in Fig. 7, the
voir quality deteriorates in this part of the field. Farther southwest average clay content increases with distance from Well C-8 in most
in Well 27-14, the reservoir quality in the barrier is diminished be- facies. Among the wells studied, Well 27-14 contains the highest
cause of a still higher percentage of clay cementation through much percentages of clay (matrix and clay cement). Total clay content
of the productive interval. averages 16% (3% matrix and 13% authigenic clay) in Well 27-14;
Along Section BB', the reservoir quality is influenced strongly however, permeability fluctuates greatly (36 to 948 md).
by cementation of different clay types and by compaction, as indi- Our observations indicate that although changes in percentage
cated by the porosity, permeability, and log profiles. of total clay generally reflect permeability trends and indicate
changes in depositional facies (low k in lagoonal and lower-shoreface
Petrographic Evidence. Fig. 7 shows the vertical variations in per- facies, higher k in upper-shoreface and foreshore facies), compac-
centages of total clay, permeability, and porosity. These data are tion may be a very important diagenetic heterogeneity locally and
from cored samples in the six wells shown in Fig. 6. The available thus affect permeability.
data in Fig. 7 are mostly from barrier island sandstones. Clay con- Petrographic data from wells in Section BB' (Fig. 7) indicate a
tent and descriptive rock parameters are from 42 petrographic thin- relatively high total clay percent (9 and 11 %) in both of the north-
section analyses and seven quantitative XRD analyses in five wells. ern wells. Well 27-16 has only 3% clay cement, but has as much
Air-permeability and porosity data were laboratory measurements as 5% clay matrix-almost as much as Well 27-14 samples (the
of core samples. A general inverse relationship exists between per- most argillaceous of the wells studied).

108 SPE Formation Evaluation, March 1990

 TSS
Fig. 8-Distrlbution of Dykstra-Parsons coefficients from air-
permeability data in the study area. Large circles indicate
wells with permeability data.
Quantitative XRD analysis lI confirms the high quartz (quartz-
arenite and subarkose) composition of the barrier island sandstones.
Within the study area, clays exhibit a 2 : 1 ratio between kaolinite
and illite and range to a maximum of 16 %. Smectite clays are present
in only trace amounts throughout all samples.
Similar results were obtained by Stone,12 who concluded that
clays in the shale units are dominantly illite and montmorillonite
(smectite group), while clays in sandstones are almost exclusively
kaolinite. Most of the clays in the sandstones are diagenetic kaolinite
and are derived from the decomposition of feldspars and other less-
stable grains such as rock fragments.
Porosity and Permeability. Permeability variations along the two
sections (Fig. 6) suggest that the continuity of individual low-
permeability streaks is limited and that, within the TIP area, the
reservoir heterogeneities do not subdivide the foreshore and upper
shoreface of the barrier sand into separate flow units.
Fig. 8 shows that the central part of the bar deposit and the area
slightly east of it are the most homogeneous (low Dykstra-Parsons
values), and that the area immediately southwest of the bar axis
is the most heterogeneous. The area northwest of Section 22 is again
relatively more homogeneous.
Crossplots of core air-permeability and porosity data indicate
strong correlation between porosity and permeability in most parts
of the study area, except for heavily cemented areas where the rela-
tionship becomes less clear. The geometric means of the limited
. . +J TSS
. +
I
L_"
."
~~~~~~~~~~+~
L-,
R54E
Fig. 10-Average log-derived porosities (%) of the barrier is-
land sandstones in the study area.
SPE Formation Evaluation, March 1990
. . +J TSS
. ';' +
.',.
Fig. 9-Distrlbution of the geometric means of air-permeability
data for wells In the study area. Large circles Indicate wells
with permeability data. Contour interval = 1,000 md.
core-derived air-permeability data from foreshore and shoreface
facies (Fig. 9) indicate that the highest geometric mean permeabil-
ities trend northeasterly in the central part of the study area.
Log Interpretations. We analyzed data from 51 density logs to
determine the areal distribution of average porosity from high-
permeability barrier-island-sandstone facies in the study area.
The logs run at Bell Creek were affected to various degrees by
dispersed clays filling the pores. 13,14 The density logs seem least
affected by clay infilling because laboratory tests found clay den-
sity to be between 2.60 and 2.63 g/cm 3, near the matrix density
of quartz 13 (2.65 g/cm 3).
Average porosities of the barrier sandstone are contoured in Fig.
10. Zones with the highest porosity are located slightly east of the
bar axis. Intervening zones with low porosity values are between
these highly porous zones. Immediately west of the axis are elon-
gate zones with distinctly lower porosity. Porosity distributions were
affected in certain areas by structural features and clay distributions.
Clay Distribution. Combined density and sonic log analyses were
performed to estimate clay content in different parts of the bar
deposit.
In loosely consolidated sandstone, such as the barrier island sand-
stone at Bell Creek, 15,16 the sonic log measures the total porosity
of the rock (including fluid and clay-filled zones) because the dis-
I
I
I
Fig. 11-Log-derived clay volume Indicator of the barrier is-
land sandstone In the study area. Dotted lines Indicate ex-
trapolation in areas of limited data.
109
 TABLE 5-ROCK AND FLUID PROPERTIES AND
PRODUCTION DATA FROM UNIT A

General Information
Location northeast flank, Powder
River basin, MT
Date discovered June 29, 1967
Formation Muddy sandstone (Lower
Cretaceous)
Depositional environments barrier-island/valley-fi"
sandstones
Average depth, ft 4,500 (range 4,300 to
4,700)
Type of trap stratigraphic (OWC with
updip pinchout)
Regional dip WNW 100 ftImile
Average gross pay, ft 25.7
Average net pay, ft 22.9
Productive area, acres 7,219
Bulk volume, acre-ft 86,189 Fig. 12-Dlstribution of primary reserves in the study area
Primary producing on the basis of production decline analysis.
mechanism solution gas drive
Gas-cap size/oil-zone size, % 3.9
Initial GOC, ft subsea 550 (Sections 25 and 26)
650 (Section 6)
671 (Section 7) TIS
Initial WOC, ft subsea 797 (Section 11)
784 (Sections 21 and 22)
714 (Sections 28 and 29)
Reservoir temperature, OF 110
Initial reservoir pressure at
800 ft subsea, psi a 1,204
Bubblepoint pressure at
800 ft subsea, psia 1,204
OOIP, MMSTB 127.0

Fluid Properties
Oil gravity, API 32.5 (range 31.5 to 40)
Solution GOR, scf/bbl 200
Original FVF, vol/vol 1.112
FVF at start of waterflood 1.05
Viscosity at initial reservoir
R54E
pressure and temperature
of live crude, cp 2.76
Viscosity at 300 psia, cp 4.4 Fig. 13-lnitlal primary oil production rates (BID) in the study
Oil type paraffinic area.
Formation water TOS, ppm 6,400 to 7,400
Injected water TOS, ppm 1,070 to 1,200
mally much thinner and has a higher percentage of clays, much
'Total dissolved solids.
lower porosity, and significantly lower permeability. Laboratory-
measured and log-derived initial and postwaterflood oil saturation
values indicate, on average, higher oil saturation in the barrier sand-
persed clays respond like slurries to the sonic tool and transit times stone than in the upper sandstone. For example, in Well 26-4 (one
are dampened in the clay-filled zones. 15-18
of the best producers in the field), the average initial oil satura-
In a clayey sandstone formation, an estimate of the distribution tion, obtained with Simandoux's method, was about 88%, while
of total clay content in the sandstone is obtained from a plot of the in the upper sandstone, the oil saturation averaged only about 50%.
clay volume indicator 15: On average, the upper sandstone is estimated to contribute about
one-eighth of the total production from the Bell Creek field. Table 5
gives average rock, fluid, and production statistics.
Fig. 12 maps the 4 sq miles [10.36 km 2 ] of primary reserves
in Sections 22, 23, 26, and 27 from production-decline analyses
Because permeability in the study area is affected strongly by clay of all the producing wells extrapolated to 1 STB/D [0.16 stock-
content and compaction, the distribution of V values (Fig. II) is tank m 3/d] per well. The highest primary reserves are in areas with
expected to correlate with fluid recovery trends. Elongate, rela- the best porosity (Fig. 10) and good barrier thickness (Fig. 5).
tively clay-free zones are indicated in the central and eastern parts Fig. 13 shows initial primary production rates for the same sec-
of the study area, with intervening zones of high clay content. In tions. These initial production rates strongly depend on the prod-
the central part of Section 27, the clay content increases directly uct of effective permeability and pay thickness of the producing
north and to the west and southwest. zone. Fig. 13 indicates that highest initial production is along a
northeast/southwest trend in the central part of the study area and
Production Performance Analysis is close to the depositional axis of the bar. The lowest production
Primary Production Analysis. In most cases, production from the is in areas with thick lagoonal sediments, areas of small pay thick-
Muddy sandstone has been from the upper sandstone (made up of ness because of proximity to the western WOC, and areas along
nonbarrier valley-fill and low-permeability paralic facies like la- a zone in the west-central part of the study area where severe dia-
goon and estuary) and the main barrier island sandstone (made up genesis has drastically reduced reservoir productivity. The sharp
of foreshore, shoreface, and high-energy washover eolian facies). changes in the initial production-rate-contour pattern also coincide
Compared with the barrier sandstone, the upper sandstone is nor- with some of the structural heterogeneity locations in Fig. 4.
110 SPE Formation Evaluation, March 1990

R54E
Fig. 14-Cumulative waterflood production through Sept.
1986 In the central part of Unit A.
Secondary Production Analysis. Fig. 14 shows cumulative water-
flood production through Sept. 1986 for water cuts exceeding the
90% level for most of the study area. Initially, injection wells were
located in the western part of Sections 22 and 27, and eventually
injectors were placed in the eastern part of Unit A. In 1978, a line
of injectors in Section 23 was extended northward into Section 14,
and most of the injection wells were recompleted to improve flood-
ing of the barrier island sandstone. 4 Waterflooding of Unit A suc-
ceeded in recovering > 37 % OOIP, much more than was possible
with primary production alone.
Heterogeneities around Wells 26-6 and 26-11 and extending
toward Wells 26-10 and 26-9, however, interrupted the high-
waterflood-sweep-efficiency trend in the middle of Section 26. An
anomalous low-production zone between Sections 22 and 23 seems
to be caused by a sharp north/south-trending structural or diagenetic
discontinuity .
Tertiary Production Analysis. Fig. 15 shows tertiary cumulative
production from Dec. 1980 to May 1986 in the TIP area. Chemi-
cal flooding during the tertiary production phase was done with
20-acre [8.09-ha] well spacing. 5 ,13,14 A series of water injectors
placed around the pilot prevented the injected chemical and mobi-
lized crude oil from escaping. Examination of Fig. 15 shows that
the highest oil production occurs where clay content is lowest
(Fig. 11).
Pressure-Transient Analysis. Pressure-pulse and falloff tests 19
conducted in the TIP area during late waterflood indicate that flow
capacity is reduced at the boundaries between Sections 22 and 27
and between Sections 22 and 23 and in the middle of Section 27.
Tests indicate good flow capacity around Wells 26-4, C-6, and C-8,
where fluid production is also high.
Correlation of Geologic Heterogeneities With
Fluid Production for Determination of
Critical Heterogeneities
We can assess the effect of various heterogeneities on oil produc-
tion by comparing primary, waterflood, and chemical flood pro-
duction results to mapped geologic heterogeneities. As discussed
earlier, both upper and barrier-island sandstones contributed to to-
tal production, but analysis of geologic heterogeneities was primarily
for the barrier island sandstones. Because there is some produc-
tion contribution from the upper sandstone, we do not expect exact
correspondence between production data and geologic heterogenei-
ties. Various types of production problems also introduce additional
uncertainty into our correlation. In this study, the major geologic
and production anomalies were observed in the following areas.
1. Structural heterogeneities, such as the fault or deep valley in-
cisions marked close to the boundary between Sections 22 and 27
and Sections 23 and 26 (Fig. 4), affected distribution of primary
SPE Formation Evaluation, March 1990
+J TO"
. +
@
UnllBounlfuy
.,. Unit"""
~
. IL_"
T~o" ..nd.oj
aa" ...
I
+ I
. . . . .
'S" + I
. . . . . . . L-,
33~un~:.~ry
POWUliJI RI'II!II COlIN"
R54E
Fig. 15-Tertiary cumulative production in the TIP area as of
May 1986. See Fig. 1 for location.
reserves, initial oil production rates, and waterflood production to
various degrees.
2. Petrographic studies indicate only minor variations in grain-
and pore-size distributions within individual facies. The dominant
effect on reservoir quality is the distribution of depositional and
diagenetic clays. Diagenetically affected areas near Wells W-16,
27-11, and 27-13 and near the eastern edges of Sections 23 and
26 have a higher percentage of clays of these types, and consequently
show poor primary and waterflood oil production.
3. Areas with low clay content (Fig. 11) coincide with areas of
highest permeability and porosity and good barrier development
(Figs. 5,9, and 10). These areas (i.e., the northeast/southwest linear
trend near the junction of Sections 27 and 23) show maximum ini-
tial primary oil production and primary reserves (Figs. 12 and 13).
4. Because of interfmgering of back-barrier and clay-rich lagoonal
facies, the reservoir quality, primary reserves, and oil production
rates sharply deteriorate in the eastern part of the study area (Le.,
the linear trend near Wells 25-5 and 25-13) as indicated by porosi-
ty distributions (Fig. 10), clay content (Fig. 11), and Dykstra-
Parsons coefficients (Fig. 8). A low oil-productive trend in the
western part of the study area results from proximity to the WOC
and consequent reduction in thickness of hydrocarbon-bearing sand-
stones.
5. Cumulative waterflood production is highest along a
north/south linear trend between the high-permeability central part
of the barrier sandstone and the low-permeability lagoonal and back-
barrier facies. Low-permeability sandstones barred the advancing
waterfront during waterflood production. The high production trend
(i.e., Wells 26-4, 23-11, and 23-14 in Fig. 14) sometimes is
disturbed locally by the presence of clays (Le., near Well 26-3,
Fig. 14).
6. Areas with maximum tertiary oil production (Le., around Wells
27-1 and 27-8, Fig. 15) coincide exactly with areas having the least
clays (Fig. 11). This demonstrates the high sensitivity of chemical
flood production to clay content in sandstone reservoirs.
Conclusions
1. Geologic heterogeneities resulting from different deposition-
al, diagenetic, and tectonic processes are responsible for the non-
unifornl fluid recovery patterns in the study area of Bell Creek field.
Geologic heterogeneities affected primary, waterflood, and tertiary
operations.
2. The highest-quality reservoir sandstone is in the central part
of the barrier island deposit. Toward the lagoon in the distal parts
of the barrier, where thinner and lower-energy facies interfinger
with barrier sandstones, the reservoir quality deteriorates and oil
production diminishes. A similar low-oil-production trend occurs
in the extreme western edge of the study area.
3. Clay content of barrier sandstones is the predominant hetero-
geneity affecting fluid production by primary, secondary, and ter-
III
tiary recovery methods. While both depositional and diagenetic clays 6. Szpakiewicz, M., McGee, K., and Sharma, B.: "Geological Problems
affected porosity and permeability, large-scale clogging of pore Related to Characterization of Clastic Reservoirs for Enhanced Oil
throats by the more abundant diagenetic clays drastically reduced Recovery," SPEFE (Dec. 1987) 449-60.
permeability. 7. Davies, D.K., Ethridge, F.G., and Berg, R.R.: "Recognition of Bar-
rier Environments," AAPG Bulletin (1971) 55, No.4, 550-65.
4. There are indications that erosional features such as valley in- 8. Szpakiewicz, M., Iackson, S., and Tillman, R.: "Sedimentologic
cisions and faulting may have affected local fluid-flow patterns by Description of Barrier Island and Related Deposits in the Bell Creek
reducing the reservoir net pay thickness or by acting as semiperme- Cores, Montana and Analogous Outcrops Near New Haven, Wyoming,"
able or impermeable barriers or fluid-flow conduits if fracturing NIPER Open File, Bartlesville, OK (1986-87).
occurred with faulting. Pulse test results, which show drastic vari- 9. McGregor, A.A. and Biggs, C.A.: "Bell Creek Field, Montana: A Rich
ations in flow capacity in regions of suspected structural anoma- Stratigraphic Trap," AAPG Bulletin (1968) 52, No. 10, 1869-87.
lies, confirm the presence of structural heterogeneities. 10. Weimer, RJ.: "New Age Interpretation of Bell Creek Sandstone, Pow-
5. The area showing the best waterflood performance lies be- der River Basin, Montana and Wyoming," abstract, AAPG Bulletin
tween the central part of the barrier deposit and the back-barrier (1985) 69, No.5, 870.
11. Szpakiewicz, M.R. et al.: "Geological/Engineering Evaluation of Het-
facies. This is attributed to low-permeability facies barring the oil erogeneity, Petrophysical Properties and Productivity of Barrier Is-
bank that was swept by the advancing water during waterflood landlValley Fill Lithotypes in the Bell Creek Field; Muddy Sandstone,
recovery. Powder River Basin, Montana," Petrogenesis and Petrophysics of
6. The best chemical-flood performance is from areas with the Selected Sandstone Reservoirs of the Rocky Mountain Region, Rocky
least clay content. Mountain Assn. Geologists, Denver (1989) 159-82.
12. Stone, W.D.: "Stratigraphy and Exploration of the Lower Cretaceous
Nomenclature Muddy Formation Northern Powder River Basin, Wyoming and Mon-
tana," The Mountain Geologist (1972) 9, No.4, 355-78.
F cp = compaction factor 13. "Engineering and Geological Report, Bell Creek Field, Unit A," Gary
k = permeability, md Operating Co. (Dec. 1969) available at NIPER, Bartlesville, OK.
keh = effective permeability-thickness product, md-ft 14. "A Reservoir Engineering Study To Determine Feasibility of Tertiary
[md'm] Recovery Operations, Bell Creek Field," Gary Operating Co. (June
V = clay volume indicator 1974) available at NIPER, Bartlesville, OK.
15. Log Interpretation, I. Principles, Schlumberger, New York (1972) I.
Vd = dispersed clay volume, %
16. Geertsma, J. and Smit, D.E.: "Some Aspects of Elastic Wave Propa-
if>im = intermatrix porosity, including space occupied by gation in Fluid Saturated Porous Solids," Geophysics (1961) 26, No.
fluids and dispersed clays 2, 169-82.
if>s = sonic porosity 17. Wyllie, M.R.J., Gregory, A.R., and Gardner, L.W.: "An Experimental
if> p = density porosity Investigation of Factors Affecting Elastic Wave Velocities in Porous
Media," Geophysics (1958) 23, No.3, 459-93.
18. Crain, E.R.: The Log Analysis Handbook, PennWell Publishing Co.,
Acknowledgments
Tulsa, OK (1986).
This work was done for the U.S. DOE under Cooperative Agree- 19. Honarpour, M.: "Integrated Reservoir Assessment and Characteriza-
ment DE-FC22-83FE60149. We thank the Gary-Williams Operat- tion," Publication No. NIPER-390, Contract No. DE-
ing Co. for providing laboratory and field data for this research. FC22-83FE60149, U.S. DOE, Bartlesville, OK (Feb. 1989).
We also thank Fred Burtch of the U.S. DOE and Min Tham and
M.P. Madden of NIPER for their critical reviews and valuable sug- SI Metric Conversion Factors
gestions, and Roderick Tillman for his assistance in the geologic acres x 4.046873 E-Ol ha
investigations and useful suggestions. API 141.5/(131.5+ API) g/cm 3
bbl x 1.589 873 E-Ol m3
References cp x 1.0* E-03 Pa's
1. Moody, I.A., Mooney, I.W., and Spivak, J.: "Giant Oil Fields of North ft x 3.048* E-Ol m
America," Geology of Giant Petroleum Fields, M.T. Halbouty (ed.), OF (OF-32)/1.8 C
AAPG Memoir 14, Tulsa, OK (1970). in. 3 x 1.638706 E+Ol cm 3
2. Alpay, O.A.: "A Practical Approach to Defming Reservoir Heteroge- md x 9.869233 E-Ol JLm 2
neity," paper SPE 3608 presented at the 1971 SPE Annual Meeting, psi x 6.894757 E+OO kPa
New Orleans, Oct. 3-6.
3. Venuto, P.B.: "Tailoring EOR Processes to Geologic Environments,"
World Oil (Nov. 1989) 61-68. SPEFE
'Conversion factor is exact.
4. Burt, R.A., Haddenhorst, F.A., and Hartford, J.C.: "Review of Bell
Creek Waterflood Performance-Powder River, Montana," JPT (Dec.
1975) 1443-49.
Original SPE manuscript received for review Sept. 27,1987. Paper accepted for publica-
5. Hartshorne, J.M. and Nikonchik, J.S.: "A Micellar/Polymer Flood tion Dec. 20, 1989. Revised manuscript received Dec. 8, 1989. Paper (SPE 16749) first
Success in Bell Creek Field," paper SPE 13122 presented at the 1984 presented at the 1987 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition held in Dallas,
SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Houston, Sept. 6-9. Sept. 27-30.

112 SPE Formation Evaluation, March 1990