Water-Oil Contact Estimation without Penetrating it by First Exploration Well

Summary This paper presents a method of estimating a Free Water Level (FWL) and Water-Oil Contact (WOC) in oil and gas fields based on the data obtained from the first exploration well which made a hydrocarbon discovery, but did not penetrate the WOC in the reservoir. Significant drilling costs traditionally required to delineate and apprise a field and assess hydrocarbon volumes can be saved. This approach improves also chances of success in exploration drilling, since the first well can be placed in the mapped "sweet spot" location, not targeting to prove, in the same time, commercial hydrocarbon volumes of the prospect.