145 • Alternating high‑ and low‑permeability units that capture the interbedding of sands, silts, clays, and evaporites characteristic of mature, heterogeneous salar systems. • Elastic and geomechanical properties relevant for drilling, enabling assessment of borehole stability in unconsolidated sediments. This integrated model will first be used to evaluate the mechanical and operational feasibility of constructing horizontal wells in a shallow salar setting, focusing on trajectory constraints, torque and drag limits, dogleg severity, and borehole instability risks. Subsequently, dynamic reservoir simulations will be performed to compare development strategies. Two scenarios will be analyzed: 1. A production and injection configuration utilizing vertical wells only 2. A production and injection configuration utilizing horizontal wells only designed to maximize reservoir exposure. These simulations will quantify differences in reservoir contact, inflow performance, and predicted production behavior. Cost analysis—based on well count, pad infrastructure, and drilling/completion requirements—will be integrated to evaluate the overall economic impact of vertical versus horizontal well strategies within the same geological framework. MODEL BUILDING To evaluate the feasibility and performance of horizontal drilling in a shallow clastic– evaporite salar environment, we constructed a synthetic geological model based on typical lithological and petrophysical characteristics observed in mature salar systems. A synthetic lithological well log was designed using representative facies distributions that capture the strong vertical heterogeneity documented in these settings. The well profile alternates between fractured halite, evaporites, a permeable “target sand” unit, fine–medium clastics, and volcanic units—all lithologies commonly encountered in basin‑margin brine systems. Using these facies, we generated a 1D geologic column, which was then extrapolated laterally to create a 3D synthetic model covering 10 x 15 km area and extending to 300 m depth. The top of the model corresponds to surface elevation, while the base is represented by a gently tilted structural surface, mimicking regional structural asymmetry and depositional variability typical of salars. Figure 5 shows a cross section of the model.
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