Practice Test Geeks(SPE) Society of Petroleum Engineers Certification Practice Test
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Reservoir Characterization Flashcards

7 cards from real SPE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

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  1. What is the Archie equation primarily used to calculate in petrophysics?

    Answer: Water saturation from resistivity and porosity measurements

    Archie's law relates formation resistivity, porosity, and water resistivity to calculate water saturation (Sw) in clean formations.

  2. In geostatistical reservoir modeling, what is the key difference between Sequential Gaussian Simulation (SGS) and Kriging?

    Answer: SGS produces multiple equiprobable realizations while Kriging produces a single smooth best-estimate

    SGS generates stochastic realizations that honor data and reproduce variogram statistics, whereas Kriging produces a unique smoothed estimate that under-represents heterogeneity.

  3. Which core analysis technique directly measures the three-dimensional pore network geometry without destroying the sample?

    Answer: Micro-CT scanning

    Micro-CT (computed tomography) scanning creates 3D images of pore space at micron resolution without altering the sample.

  4. What is the primary driving force for fluid flow in a petroleum reservoir according to Darcy's Law?

    Answer: Pressure gradient

    Darcy's Law states that flow rate is proportional to the pressure gradient across a porous medium, adjusted for fluid viscosity and rock permeability.

  5. In a carbonate reservoir, which diagenetic process most commonly creates secondary porosity after deposition?

    Answer: Dolomitization and dissolution (karstification)

    Dolomitization replaces calcite with smaller dolomite crystals, creating intercrystalline pores, while dissolution creates vugs and fractures in carbonates.

  6. What does the 'net-to-gross' (NTG) ratio represent in reservoir description?

    Answer: The proportion of the gross reservoir interval that meets minimum petrophysical cutoffs for pay

    Net-to-gross is the ratio of net pay thickness (meeting porosity/saturation/permeability cutoffs) to the total gross reservoir interval thickness.

  7. Which seismic attribute is most sensitive to changes in fluid content within reservoir sands?

    Answer: Amplitude versus Offset (AVO) anomaly

    AVO analysis exploits the variation of seismic amplitude with source-receiver offset, which is sensitive to fluid type (gas vs. brine) and lithology.