Basin Modeling As A Hydrocarbon Explorat

Basin Modeling as a Hydrocarbon
Exploration Tool
Nov. 5, 2007
Brian Toelle
Principal Geophysicist
Schlumberger Consulting Services
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Consulting Services
Schlumberger Private
Overview Presentation for
Basin Modeling - Presentation Outline

What is Basin Modeling?
What is Exploration Basin Modeling?
1D, 2D and 3D Basin Modeling
Basin Modeling as an Exploration Tool

Available Basin Modeling Tools
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Basic Concepts and Considerations
What is Basin Modeling

Basin modeling is
through digital duplication of
the basins depositional and

structural history.
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the forward modeling of a

geologic basin

Forward modeling
Stratigraphy
Structure
Timing (structure and stratigraphy).

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Uses surface outcrop, well, and

seismic data to digitally recreate the
basins major attributes
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Digital
duplication
of the
Silurian of
the
Michigan
Basin
Basin Modeling - Depositional

A basins sedimentology;
primary structures and
internal architecture
can be synthesized into a basin fill
history.
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composition,

This synthesis can reveal;
how the sediment fill was
transported or precipitated,
and reveal sources of the sediment
fill.
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how the basin formed,

These models can help to explain
broad basin formation mechanisms.
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Examples of such
basinal
environments
include backarc,
forearc, passive
margin,
epicontinental, and
extentional basins.
STRATA: Freeware for analyzing classic stratigraphic problems

Source: http://hydro.geosc.psu.edu/Sed_html/strata_front_page.html
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Strata:
Free Basin
Modeling
Software
Basin Modeling Structure

Palinspastic reconstruction of the Outer
Western Carpathians.
Source: Geology and Hydrocarbon Resources of the Outer Western

Carpathians and Their Foreland, Czech Republic: Picha, 2006
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Basin Modeling Structure

Palinspastic reconstruction across the
southern Iberia abyssal plain.
Extension at 137 MYA

over a 9 my period
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What is Exploration Basin Modeling

Exploration Basin Modeling is
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the forward and inverse modeling of a

geologic basin
through digital duplication of the
basins
depositional, structural and
thermal history
in such a manner that the basins
thermal indicators are reproduced.
Exploration Basin Modeling

Inverse modeling
An attempt to validate or adjust the

characteristics of the forward model
specific attributes calculated by the
model
with the same attributes observed
within the basin.
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by matching
Exploration Basin Modeling
Exploration Basin Modeling is

Basin Modeling that incorporates
Petroleum System Analysis
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Typically the attributes used in the

inverse modeling process are:
Thermal history markers
The presence or absence of oil
and / gas.
Source: Organic Matter: Productivity, Accumulation, and Preservation in

Recent and Ancient Sediments, by Jean K. Whelan and John W. Farrington
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Hilt (1873) - described the carbonization of

coal with increasing time and temp.
Hilt's law - fixed carbon of coal
increased with depth and temp.
White (1915) - demonstrated a relationship
between oil and gas occurrence and coal
rank.
Oil fields found where fixed carbon
(coals) < 60%, gas fields, in the 60 to
65% range; > 70% no oil or gas fields.

Habicht (1964) - first attempt at modeling
petroleum generation.
Burial profile indicated oil generation

started ~ 90 MYA and ended ~ 10 Ma.
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Constructed a source rock burial

history curve to determine the time and
depth of oil generation in the Gifhorn
Trough of northwest Germany.
Poulet and Roucache (1969) - source rock

burial history curves describe the origin
of hydrocarbons in the North Sahara
Hassi Messaoud area.
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Philippi (1965) - documented increase

hydrocarbon yield from California source
rocks in the with increased time and
temperature.
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These studies indicated

Temperature alone cannot explain the
different examples of oil generation.
The exposure time a source rock
experiences at varying temperatures
must be taken into account
Rapid burial with high geothermal
gradients will not result in the same
level of maturation as slow burial with
low geothermal gradients.
Waples, 1980 Verified Lopatins TTI

method and correlated TTI values with
TAI and Ro data
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Two of the most significant modern works

on Basin Modeling
N. V. Lopatin, 1971 Developed a
method using time and temperature to
predict the thermal maturation of
Kerogen.
Time-Temperature Index (TTI) method
Basin Modeling Main Considerations

Forward Model - Basin Geometry
Forward Model - Sedimentation History
Predict - Hydrocarbon Maturation,

Expulsion and Migration Pathways
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Inverse Model - Thermal History
Basin Modeling Main Considerations
Basins Thermal History

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Forward Model - Basin Geometry

Current Structure Paleo Structure
Forward Model - Sedimentation History
Sedimentation History Event Timing
Inverse Model - Thermal History
Current Surface Temperatures
Predict
- Hydrocarbon
Current
GeothermalMaturation,
Gradient
Expulsion
Migration
Pathways
Current and
Thermal
History
Markers
Current Thermal History Markers
Conodonts
(Pre-Jurassic)
CAI Conodont
Alteration Index
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Kerogen
Is incorporated in with the sediment
matrix so the kerogen has the same
depositional and thermal history as
the sediment.
Kerogen
major starting material for most oil

and gas generation
made up from altered remains of

marine and lacustrine
microorganisms, plants and
animals
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most abundant form of organic

carbon (1000 x more than coal)
Kerogen
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Kerogen represents about

90% of the organic carbon
in sediments.
Increasing Heat
Increasing Depth
is insoluble in solvents (in

contrast, the fraction that
is soluble in organic
solvents is called
bitumen).
Kerogen is buried
with sediments
Kerogen Classification
Type
Source
Algal kerogen
Mainly algae
II
Liptinitic kerogen
Mainly plankton,
some algae
III
Humic
Mainly higher plants
Kerogen type and maturity can be

determined using the Rock Eval pyrolysis
method.
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Name
Kerogen Type and Maturity Determination
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Rock Eval Pyrolysis Method

Kerogen is heated in a pyrolysis oven in a
helium atmosphere.
The heating is increased until
Additional hydrocarbons are produced
by the kerogen.
CO2 is produced.
measures gas generating potential and
thermal maturation via Tmax (temp of
maximum pyrolyzable of organic matter.)
Rock Eval Pyrolysis Method
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Data produced from a Rock Eval Pyrolysis

the amount of free hydrocarbons
the amount of hydrocarbons generated
through thermal cracking of nonvolatile
organic matter
the amount of CO2 produced
the temperature at which the maximum
release of hydrocarbons from cracking
of kerogen occurs during pyrolysis.
Tmax is an indication of the stage of
maturation of the organic matter.
Type I Kerogen
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paraffinic kerogens (produce light oils)

H/C > 1.25
O/C < 0.15
found in boghead coals and shales
derived from lacustrine sedimentation or
tasmanite (marine equivalent)
primarily oil prone on maturation
very rare, merges with Type II during
maturation
only recognized at fairly low
maturation levels <0.8% Ro
Type II Kerogen
H/C < 1.3 (lower than Type I)
organic-rich ancient and recent lowmaturity marine sediments contain

predominantly Type II kerogen
generate a mix of oil and gas on

maturation
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O/C ~ 0.03 - 0.18 (equivalent or greater

than Type I)
Type III Kerogen

H/C < 1 (relatively low)
O/C ~ 0.03 - 0.3 (relatively high)
significant higher plant and woody

material contributions
woody, coaly, vitrinitic or humic
Gas prone
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planktonic remains are virtually absent

in reference Type III samples
Kerogen to
Vitrinite
Reflectance
Relationship
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Basin Modeling
Basic Workflow
Source: Burial History and Kinetic

Modeling for Hydrocarbon
Generation, Part I: The GALO Model
Makhous, Galushkin, and Lopatin
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1D Basin Modeling
Lopatins Time-Temperature Index (TTI)
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The rate of the chemical reactions

involved in thermal maturation of
organic material appears to double
with every 10oC (18oF) rise in
temperature.
Lopatin, 1971 - Time-Temperature Index

Threshold Values
15 Onset of Oil Generation
75 Peak Oil Generation
160 End of Oil Generation
~500 40o Oil Preservation Deadline
~1000 50o Oil Preservation Deadline
~1500 Wet Gas Preservation Deadline
> 65000 Dry Gas Preservation Deadline
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Source: Time and Temperature in Petroleum

Formation: Application of Lopatins Method to
Petroleum Exploration, Waples, 1980 AAPG Bull, V
64, No. 6, (June 1980) P. 916-926
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Waples, 1980
Established
relationship between
TTI and vitrinite
reflectance (Ro) and
thermal alteration
index (TAI).
Simple Thermal Modeling in Excel

Lopatin Analysis
Lopatin analysis
TTI vs Ro (Waples, 1980)
Temperature-time index
(TTI)
T = 20-30 C n=-8
T = 30-40 C n=-7
T = 40-50 C n=-6
Convert TTI to Ro
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1.6
Curve Fit: Ro = 0.3243*TTI^0.2701
1.4
1.2
%Ro
1.8
1.0
0.8
TTI = Si(Dti2n)
2.0
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0
0
200
400
600
TTI
800
1000
1D Basin Modeling
Stratigraphy
Timing
Temperature
Depth
Source: Platte River BasinMod
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1D Basin Modeling
Platte River BasinMod
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1D Basin Modeling
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1D Basin Modeling
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1D Basin Modeling
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2D Basin Modeling - North Slope of Alaska
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3D Basin Modeling
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3D Basin Modeling
Maturation
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3D Basin Modeling
Oil Expelled
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Trap and reservoir can be investigated
using standard exploration tools.
However, assessing the risk associated

with the generation and migration of
hydrocarbon is not a routine task for
most oil companies.
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Surface geology, seismic and well

data
Present day
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Basin begins to form 94 MYA

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Basin expands 81 MYA

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Basin center shifts.
Basin expands 69 MYA

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Source rock enters oil

generation window.

Migration begins
Source rock hits oil

maximum generation.
Basin expands, structuring begins 43 MYA
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No trap
Migration
continues
Trap
No trap
Trap
Structuring ends 27 MYA

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Oil generation stops.
No trap

Trap, no oil
Trap, no oil
Trap
Trap
Present day
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Requirements for Hydrocarbon Exploration
These must be in-place for a successful

exploration wildcat.
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Three main risks in exploration

Trap and seal
Reservoir
Hydrocarbon generation and migration.
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Geothermal Gradient Map
Source: Burial history and thermal evolution of the northern and

eastern Saharan basins: M. Makhous and Yu. I. Galushkin
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Paleostructure, generation and migration
Source: Petroleum generation and accumulation in the Berkine basin,

eastern Algeria: Yahi, Schaefer, and Littke
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Basin modeling tools

-Strata (Free)
http://hydro.geosc.psu.edu/Sed_html/strata_front_page.html
-Basin2 (Free)
http://www.rockware.com/catalog/pages/freebasin2.html
http://zetaware.com/products/index.html
-BasinView, BasinFlow, BasinMod

http://www.platte.com/software/basinmod-1d/
-PetroMod
http://www.ies.de/
-TerraMod
http://www.terramod.com/
-Temis Suite
http://www.beicip.com/index.php/bf/software/petroleum_systems_qu
antitative_evaluation
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-Trinity, Trinity 3D, Genesis (1D)
Commercial Software Modeling Tools
http://www.platte.com/
http://zetaware.com/index.html
IES-GMBH, IFP, Basin2

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Basin2
Free Basin Modeling Program
http://www.rockware.com/catalog/pages/freebasin2.html
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Basin2
Variables that can be calculated:
Porosity and permeability
Fluid pressure
Flow patterns
Temperature
Thermal maturation
Salinity
Cementation
Groundwater age
Transport of radiogenic and
radioactive isotopes
Conclusions
Basin models help geologists
address issues such as:
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Timing of hydrocarbon generation relative

to the timing a trap formation.
The volumes of hydrocarbons produced.
The hydrocarbon type (liquid vs. gas and
their relative proportions) likely to be
produced.
The physical properties of the
hydrocarbon charge.
Conclusions
Basin models help geologists
address issues such as:
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The possible migration paths to the

prospect.
The possible post-charge loss of
hydrocarbons from the trap (leakage
through seal, tilt and spill of trap, thermal
cracking, biodegradation, etc.).

Basin Modeling As A Hydrocarbon Explorat

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Basin Modeling as a Hydrocarbon

Overview Presentation for

Basin Modeling - Presentation Outline

1D, 2D and 3D Basin Modeling

Basin Modeling as an Exploration Tool

Basic Concepts and Considerations

What is Basin Modeling

through digital duplication of

the basins depositional and

the forward modeling of a

What is Basin Modeling

Timing (structure and stratigraphy).

Uses surface outcrop, well, and

What is Basin Modeling

Basin Modeling - Depositional

Basin Modeling - Depositional

how the basin formed,

Basin Modeling - Depositional

Basin Modeling - Depositional

STRATA: Freeware for analyzing classic stratigraphic problems

Basin Modeling Structure

Source: Geology and Hydrocarbon Resources of the Outer Western

Basin Modeling Structure

Extension at 137 MYA

What is Exploration Basin Modeling

the forward and inverse modeling of a

Exploration Basin Modeling

An attempt to validate or adjust the

Exploration Basin Modeling

Exploration Basin Modeling is

Typically the attributes used in the

Basic Concepts and Considerations

Source: Organic Matter: Productivity, Accumulation, and Preservation in

Hilt (1873) - described the carbonization of

Basic Concepts and Considerations

Burial profile indicated oil generation

Constructed a source rock burial

Basic Concepts and Considerations

Poulet and Roucache (1969) - source rock

Philippi (1965) - documented increase

Basic Concepts and Considerations

These studies indicated

Basic Concepts and Considerations

Waples, 1980 Verified Lopatins TTI

Two of the most significant modern works

Basin Modeling Main Considerations

Predict - Hydrocarbon Maturation,

Inverse Model - Thermal History

Basin Modeling Main Considerations

Basins Thermal History

Forward Model - Basin Geometry

Current Thermal History Markers

major starting material for most oil

made up from altered remains of

most abundant form of organic

Kerogen represents about

is insoluble in solvents (in

Mainly higher plants

Kerogen type and maturity can be

Kerogen Type and Maturity Determination

Rock Eval Pyrolysis Method

Rock Eval Pyrolysis Method

Data produced from a Rock Eval Pyrolysis