Abstract
This study investigates the use of machine learning techniques and the proper selection of input data to estimate permeability in geosciences, using six types of input logs: gamma ray (GR), resistivity (RT), effective porosity (PHIE), density (RHO), sonic (DT), and compensated neutron porosity (NPHI). A total of 57 models were constructed using combinations of these logs and tested using five machine learning methods: Extreme Learning Machine (ELM), Random Forest (RF), Gradient Boosting (GB), K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), and Multilayer Perceptron (MLP). This approach produced 285 unique permeability predictions. RF had the highest correlation coefficient (0.925) and average error (0.196), indicating a precision-correlation trade-off. The ELM approach had the lowest average error, 0.083, and a correlation value of 0.871. Testing on a blind well revealed that the GB and RF approaches were highly effective in predicting permeability, with R² values of 0.92 and 0.90, respectively, even in untested settings. The findings emphasize the need of using appropriate machine learning algorithms and input data to improve model accuracy and reliability.