Fracture Network Characterization of the Lower Cretaceous Shu’aiba Outcrops in Central Oman, Wadi Baw

Fractured carbonate reservoirs contain over 60% of the world’s proven oil reserves ( Schlumberger, 2007 ). Accurate descriptions of such reservoirs are one of the fundamental challenges in reservoir modeling. While reservoir architecture has been extensively investigated in terms of depositional facies and diagenesis, the integration of fractures based on reservoir data is much more difficult. However, the presence of fractures introduces variability in fluid flow properties and creates complex flow paths within the reservoir. Inadequate structural reservoir characterization can result in undesirable consequences leading to decreased production rates, increased operational costs and in some cases, early well abandonment ( Bourbiaux, 2010 ). Since direct observations of fracture networks under the reservoir’s conditions are impossible due to the limited resolution of commonly used subsurface investigation methods, field observations and measurements conducted on wellexposed outcrops can help bridge the scale gap between well and seismic data ( Ramdani, 2022 ).

In this study, we utilize carefully selected outcrops for quantitative fracture characterization as an analog for the Lower Cretaceous Shu’aiba Formation, which is part of one of the most prolific petroleum systems in the Middle East ( van Buchem et al., 1996 ).