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Predicting Permeability from Well Logs in Carbonate Formation Using Machine Learning


Authors : Ikeh, Lesor; Asimiea, N. W.

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 3 - March


Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/7t75shzv

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/u8b7j5cy

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26mar2050

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.


Abstract : The rate of fluid flow through reservoir rocks is determined by permeability, one of the key characteristics of a reservoir. Production forecasts, history matching, and robust reservoir simulation all depend heavily on accurate permeability estimates. It can be difficult to build trustworthy permeability models because of the inherent variety of permeability at various sizes and the scarcity of core data. To get above these obstacles, this work uses a variety of machine learning techniques, including Support Vector Regression (SVR), Random Forest (RF), XGBoost, and LightGBM, to predict lab-measured core permeability from frequently obtained well logs.A datasets that represented a carbonate platform (YField) was considered. The resilience of this technique under various geological settings could be assessed using the Y- field dataset, which consisted of 17 wells spread across a single reservoir. This approach relies heavily on feature engineering, especially when it comes to integrating vertical variability. Taking into account the smoothing effect of well logs over smallscale heterogeneities and the significance of spatial context, measurements from nearby well log readings were added into the models. By taking into consideration nearby depositional environments and shared geological history, this increased prediction accuracy. Results shows that the R2 values in Y- Field's blind tests were as high as 0.64, and the leave-one-wellout cross-validation technique produced validation R2 values as high as 0.8. The Yorla, Kpean, and Teera-ue formations had blind test R2 ratings of up to 0.82, 0.74, and 0.80 for the Y- Field, respectively. Even if these results are satisfactory, they demonstrate how machine-learning techniques can be used to accurately estimate permeability and emphasize the need for feature engineering. This work argues that although automated feature engineering using machine learning shows potential, human intervention more especially, the incorporation of geographical context can still greatly improve predictions. It may be the goal of future developments to incorporate this spatial awareness into machine learning algorithms.

Keywords : Permeability, Formation, Well Logs, Reservoir, Fluid, Porous Rock, Carbonate.

References :

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The rate of fluid flow through reservoir rocks is determined by permeability, one of the key characteristics of a reservoir. Production forecasts, history matching, and robust reservoir simulation all depend heavily on accurate permeability estimates. It can be difficult to build trustworthy permeability models because of the inherent variety of permeability at various sizes and the scarcity of core data. To get above these obstacles, this work uses a variety of machine learning techniques, including Support Vector Regression (SVR), Random Forest (RF), XGBoost, and LightGBM, to predict lab-measured core permeability from frequently obtained well logs.A datasets that represented a carbonate platform (YField) was considered. The resilience of this technique under various geological settings could be assessed using the Y- field dataset, which consisted of 17 wells spread across a single reservoir. This approach relies heavily on feature engineering, especially when it comes to integrating vertical variability. Taking into account the smoothing effect of well logs over smallscale heterogeneities and the significance of spatial context, measurements from nearby well log readings were added into the models. By taking into consideration nearby depositional environments and shared geological history, this increased prediction accuracy. Results shows that the R2 values in Y- Field's blind tests were as high as 0.64, and the leave-one-wellout cross-validation technique produced validation R2 values as high as 0.8. The Yorla, Kpean, and Teera-ue formations had blind test R2 ratings of up to 0.82, 0.74, and 0.80 for the Y- Field, respectively. Even if these results are satisfactory, they demonstrate how machine-learning techniques can be used to accurately estimate permeability and emphasize the need for feature engineering. This work argues that although automated feature engineering using machine learning shows potential, human intervention more especially, the incorporation of geographical context can still greatly improve predictions. It may be the goal of future developments to incorporate this spatial awareness into machine learning algorithms.

Keywords : Permeability, Formation, Well Logs, Reservoir, Fluid, Porous Rock, Carbonate.

Paper Submission Last Date
30 - April - 2026

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