Chapter 3

Petroleum Prospecting
( )

References
for (Petroleum Prospecting)
Textbook 1
Fundamentals of Petroleum, Petroleum Extension Service,
The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas,1979.
chapter 2
Textbook 4
Hyne,N.J., Petroleum Geology, Exploration, Drilling and Production,
Penn Well Co., Tulsa, Oklahoma, 2001.
-- chapter 13 ; 14 (p. 195-232)

Textbook 1 chapter 2
SPE Energy Education

Text Books

Textbook 1
Fundamentals of Petroleum, Petroleum Extension Service, The
University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas,1979.
Textbook 2
Archer, J. S., and Wall, C.G., Petroleum Engineeringprinciples and
practice, Graham & Trotman, MD, 1986.

TextBook 3
Donohue, D.A.T., and Lang K.R., Petroleum Technology, International
Human Resources Development Corporation, Houston,1986.

Textbook 4
Hyne,N.J., Petroleum Geology, Exploration, Drilling and Production,
Penn Well Co., Tulsa, Oklahoma, 2001.

Textbook 5
Devereux, S., Drilling Technology, Penn Well Co., Tulsa, Oklahoma,
1999.
3


1. (Introduction)
Textbook 2 chapter 1
Textbook 4 chapter 1

2. (Petroleum Geology and Reservoir)

Textbook 1 chapter 1
Textbook 2 chapter 2
Textbook 3 chapter 4.1; 4.2

3. (Petroleum Prospecting)
Textbook 1 chapter 2
Textbook 4-- chapter 13 ; 14
SPE Energy Education

4. (Drilling Engineering)
Textbook 1 chapter 4
Textbook 2 chapter 3
SPE Energy Education
Textbook 3 chapter 1

Chapter 3 Petroleum Prospecting

( )
(Surface observation)
by observation on earth surface
(Geological exploration)
downward projection of geologic information
(Geochemical exploration)
--tracing hydrocarbons in soil and water
(Geophysical exploration)
physical measurements of gravity, magnetic
and seismic of subsurface

Chemistry

Geology

Geochemistry

Geochemical
Prospecting

Physics

Geophysics

Geological
Prospecting

Geophysical
Prospecting

(
)

 (Surface Observation)
( )

seeps (plate 13-1, 13-2, and fig. 13-1)

 --Seeps

 -- Seeps

(plate 13-3)

(fig. 13-2)

(fig 13-3; 13-4; 13-5; 13-6; 13-7)


(plate 13-3)


,
(fig. 13-2)

 --
Marker bed (fig 13-3)

 (Well logs)
Marker bed (fig
13-6)

 -- Well logs Marker bed

(fig 13-5)

 -- (Microfossils)
(fig 13-4)

 --
(fig 13-7)


Geochemical exploration

Geochemistry is the application of chemistry to the

study of the earth.

Geochemistry can be used to trace hydrocarbons in

soil and water indicating of the proximity of a
petroleum trap.

Geochemistry can also be used to identify the

source rock for a specific crude oil. The crude oils in
traps can then be correlated with source rocks to
determine the migration path for the petroleum.


to trace hydrocarbons
Traces

of hydrocarbons in soil and water

are often good indications of the proximity of
a petroleum trap (fig. 13-8).
-- microseeps
-- hydrocarbon halo( )
-- sniffers( )
-- Vitrenite reflectance


to trace hydrocarbons

Vitrenite reflectance

Play
A

play is a combination of trap,

reservoir rock, and seal that has been

shown by previous discovered fields to
contain commercial petroleum deposits
in an area.

Trend

trend or fairway

A
is the area along which the
play has been proven, and more field could be found. (fig
13-9).

Prospect -- definition

prospect is the exact location

where the geological and economic

conditions are favorable for drilling
an exploratory well.

Prospect -- geological factors

geological factors in the success of a

particular prospect.
There are four major

(1) There must have been a source

rock that generated petroleum.

(2) There must have been a reservoir

rock to hold the petroleum.

(3) There must be a trap. This includes a reservoir rock configuration

that has four-sided closure, a seal on the reservoir rock, and no breach
of the trap.
(4) The timing must be right. The trap had to be in position before the
petroleum migrated the area.

Prospect - economic
An

economic analysis of the prospect

should include reserves and risk
calculations.

(a)

(b)

* (Seismic method)

* (Gravity method )

* (Magnetic method)

(a)
(b) ( )
(c) ( )

(a) ( ) Electrical method

(b) ( ) Radioactive
method
(c) ( ) Well logging

 ( )
(Gravity Method)

m1

m1m2
F 2
r

m2

m1m2
m1a 2
r

m2
a 2
r

ag

(1)The gravity pendulum( )

( )

(2)The gravimeter( )
Hocks law,

(3)The Hoyt gravimeter

(4)The astatized gravimeter

(3)The Hoyt gravimeter

(4)The astatized gravimeter

(3)The Hoyt gravimeter

(4)The astatized gravimeter


( )
Anticline-structure

Higher density rock

Salt dome -structure

Less dense rock

Gravitational field


(
)

 (magnetic method)

:
(paramagnetism) :

(diamagnetism)

(ferromagnetism)


(magnetic method)
(B) & (H)
B=H
Flux=permfield strength

1947 North
magnetic pole
73oN 100oW

( )

1945 South
magnetic pole
68oS 146oE

(1)the permeability ( )
(2)the magnetization( )
(magnetite) ( );
;
( susceptibility),k,
k

 (Dome or anticline)

 / (Fault)


(Seismic Exploration)

(Seismic Exploration)

-- (Seismic reflection method)

-- (Seismic refraction method)

 (Seismic reflection
method)
Data

Acquisition

Data

Processing

Data

Interpretation


(Data acquisition)

( )

(Data processing)

(Data interpretation)

(Anticliness)
(Syncliness)
(Faults)
(Pinchouts)

Data Acquisition


(Data
acquisition)

( )


(Data
acquisition)

( )

Vibrator Truck

 Geophone

 Air gun
streammer

Data Processing

(Data processing)

 (Bright spot)

Data Interpretation

Seismic Profile (correlating with drilling data)

 (Salt dome)

 --
Marker bed (fig 13-3)

 (Well logs)
Marker bed (fig
13-6)

 -- Well logs Marker bed

(fig 13-5)

 -- (Microfossils)
(fig 13-4)

 (Isochron map)

 (Structure map)

D1

( )

( ) (
)

D2

D3

D4

Z1

V0

Z2

V1

Slope

1
V0

T
Slope

Xcrit

Xcros

1
V1


( ) Well Logging

(1)The Spontaneous-Potential (SP) Logs

(2)Conventional Resistivity Logs

(3)Focusing-Electrode Logs

(4)Induction Logs

(5)Microresistivity Logs

(6)Sonic Logs

(7)Formation density Logs

(8)Neutron Logs

(9)Gamma Ray Logs

(10)

SP Log

SP
Log

SP

GR Log

Clay

K40

Resistivity Log

(A)
(M N)

Sonic Log

Density Log

Neutron Log

Thermal
velocity

 (Stratigraphy)
(Rock Strata)
(Origin)
(Composition)
(Distribution)
(Succession)

---------


(Stratigraphic test, or strata test)


(Stratigraphic correlation)

-- (Strata)
-- (fossils)
--- (Rock hardness or softness)
--- (Electric data)
It is much easier to correlate wells because the data that are collected by
drillers logs,
sample logs,
electrical logs
enable the geologists to predict more precisely where similar rock
formations will occur in each case

Subsurface correlation
It is based primarily on

stratigraphic continuity, or

the fact that formations maintain the same

thickness from one well to another.

Any change in thickness can be a geologic indicator
of

a change in the conditions that formed the

strata, or

may be a signal of an event that could cause

petroleum to accumulate.

Structure Map

Oil and gas discoveries

1842

The presence of oil seep on anticline crests was observed

1859

The drilling of the famous Drake well in Pennsylvania

1885

I.C. White applied geological knowledge in search of gas

in Pennsylvania and nearby states.

Late
19t
century
1897

Geologist searched for oil in East Indians and Mexico

Geological departments were established by some U.S. oil

companies,
Many of subsequent discoveries in the mid continent, Gulf
Coast, California, and elsewhere were made with the
application of geology to the problem of finding
petroleum reservoir.

Gravity measurements

Seismic refraction

Seismic reflection

1915
&
1916

The torsion balance was

employed to detail the
structure in a oil field at
Egbell, now in
Czechoslovakia(
)

1919

Ludger Mintrop applied for a

German patent on
locating and measuring
depth to subsurface
features by refraction.

1919
~
1921

The earliest experiments

with the seismic
reflection method were
carried out by J.C.
Karcher in central
Oklahoma.

1917

Schweidar detailed a known

salt dome at Hanigsen in
Germany with a torsion
balance and the
predicted structure was
confirmed by
subsequent drilling

1923

The earliest work was in

Mexico, but later in the
year a refraction survey
was under takan along
the Mexico fault zone in
the Texac Gulf coast.

1924

The first oil discovery

1922

Shell surveyed the Horgada

field in Egypt with a
torsion balance

1924

Finding the orchard dome in

Texas

1927

The reflection method was

put to work for routine
exploration

Late
1922

The Spindletop field in Texas

was traversed by a
torsion balance yielding
a strike anomaly over
the known salt structure

1928

The seismic refraction

method was introduced
into the middle East by
the Darcy Exploration
Company (British
Petroleum)

1930

By the early 1930s

1922

The torsion balance was used

for the first time to
explore for oil over
areas where the
structure was
completely unknown.

Reflection become the most

widely used of all
geophysical techniques,
a status has maintained
ever since.

 wiggle trace

88