Introduction to Petroleum Geology

Imperial College London

 Simplified Exploration & Production
Workflow & Data Acquisition

1. Global Basin Analysis

Acquire Regional G&G Data
2. Develop Play Concepts

3. Define Exploration Play Fairways

Acquire 3D Seismic Data

4. Evaluate Prospects

5. Identify Drillable Prospects

6. Drill Exploration Wells Acquire New Well Data

Appraisal
xReview Exploration Licence

FDP Reservoir, Trap

Revise Play Concepts
& Fluids Data
FFR
Development

Relinquish Farm-out Extend

Abandonment Licence Licence Licence

FDP: Field Development Plan FFR: Full Field Review X: Dry hole
 Exploration Workflow & Deliverables

Complete Basin Studies

1. Global Basin Analysis Acquire New Exploration Licences

2. Develop Play Concepts

3. Define Exploration Compile Full Lead &

Play Fairways Prospect Inventory

4. Evaluate Prospects
Drillable
5. Identify Drillable Prospects/
Prospects Well proposals

Drill
6. Drill Exploration Exploration
Wells Wells
= New Resources
 Typical Exploration Work Programme

BASIN STUDY EXPLORATION PHASE I EXPLORATION PHASE II

Basin Study
Seismic
Proposal
E Drill E Drill E&A Drill A Drill E Drill

3D Seismic Prospect Prospect Play Field Appraisal FDP

A&P Eval. Eval. Fairway
Review
Prospect Evaluation Block Review
Barrel Award Phase (Retain/Relinq)

1-2 Years 2-3 Years 2-3 Years

 Regional Geology/Basin Analysis

Regional geological studies are focused on identifying

potentially effective petroleum systems

Palaeogeography

Petroleum
Systems

Geographic
Opportunity

Exploration
Plays
 Plate Tectonic Setting & Tectonic Evolution-1

55
Note how petroleum
systems develop
Example: SE Asia

R. Hall, 2000
Plate Tectonic Setting & Tectonic Evolution-2

38

R. Hall, 2000
Plate Tectonic Setting & Tectonic Evolution-3

18

R. Hall, 2000
Plate Tectonic Setting & Tectonic Evolution-4

R. Hall, 2000
 Structural Geology
Understanding
Understanding the
the process
process of
of deformation
deformation of
of the
the subsurface
subsurface due
due to
to external
external forces
forces

Seismic
Interpretation

Physical Models

3D Kinematic
Model Building

Physical Models as Guides Oblique Slip Model

to Interpretation
Case Histories: Outcrop and Seismic
Modeling: Physical and Computer
Stratigraphic Consequences
 Stratigraphy
Understanding the processes & environments creating sedimentary units

Clastic Sedimentary Record missing due

MESOZOIC
CENOZOIC
to erosion:

&
Must reconstruct
history from regional
data
Shale/Wet Sand

Top of Gas Sand

Base of Gas Sand

U

C MA IRS SB . O N I F E R OP EU N SN . P E R M I A N
L

Rock Physics Upper

Permian

L M-U
Forward Pennsylvanian

Modeling Carbonate
Analogues
Sedimentary Modeling
Depositional Systems
Sequence Stratigraphy
Petrophysics and Paleontology
 A conceptual sequence stratigraphic
framework can improve prediction of
reservoir, source & seal distribution

From Posamentier & Allen, 1999

 Creaming Curves & Sequence Stratigraphy
Cumulative Discovered
Hydrocarbon Volume

Time or Number of Wells Drilled

Modified from
Snedden et al., 2003
 Exploration Geochemistry
Characterizing the type, history and origin of petroleum

Predict Oil Quality

Gas
Determine Lite
Heavy

G e nR e a rat e t i o n
Age of Oil
Gamma Density Resistivity
Oil
Oils

............................................................................ ... . .. .
........ .... ............... ........................................
. .. .. ..
................................................................. ............
100 my 0 my
Coaly
Source Model Source Rock Prediction
Leakage

Accumulation

Seal Sequence
Reservoir
Petroleum
Migration Stratigraphy
Petroleum
Charge

Inorganic and Organic

Source Rock

Migration Pathways Sedimentology

 Petroleum Systems Analysis
Key Play Elements

1. Petroleum Systems Elements 2. Petroleum Systems Processes

Source Rock Generation

Reservoir Rock Migration
Seal Rock Accumulation
Migration Route Preservation
Trap Timing = critical

Note: if just one element is missing = failure!

 Basin Modeling
Basin
Basin Modeling
Modeling is
is a key
key component
component in
in understanding
understanding Petroleum
Petroleum
Systems
Systems
Results
Components ?
?
?

Improved
cycle time
Faults
12
11 1
3D Miscible 10 2
1 2 3 4 9 3
8 4
7 5
Scale 6

Model

RegionalGeology
FluidFlowandGeochemicalKinematics
 Petroleum System, Play Definition and Risk Analysis

Trap
Play Maps
Source
Seal Extent Timing Sheets
Extent
Generation and Migration Time Present
Components
HC Charge
Reservoir
Extent Preservation

Critical Reconstruction

Present Past
Jeff Brown, Mobil, 1999
 Deer-Boar Petroleum System
at Critical Moment
250 Ma
Raven

A Marginal
A
Owens
Teapot

k
oc
ir R
rvo
Pod of Big Oil

se
Active Just

Re
Hardy Lucky
Source
Rock
David

Immature Source
Rock Zero Edge of
Reservoir Rock

Magoon and Dow, 1994

Petroleum System at Critical Moment
Critical Moment = Time of Expulsion/Migration

GEOGRAPHIC EXTENT OF PETROLEUM SYSTEM

A Trap 250 Ma Trap Trap A

STRATIGRAPHIC
EXTENT OF
PETROLEUM SYSTEM t
en
e m
s
Ba
Essential Overburden

Sedimentary
elements of

basin-fill
Seal
POD OF ACTIVE petroleum
SOURCE ROCK system Reservoir
Source
Petroleum accumulation Underburde
Top of oil window n
Bottom of oil window
Location for burial history chart

Magoon and Dow, 1994

 Present-Day Petroleum System

GEOGRAPHIC EXTENT OF PETROLEUM SYSTEM

Present-Day
A Trap Trap Trap A

STRATIGRAPHIC
EXTENT OF
PETROLEUM SYSTEM

ent
sem
Ba
Overburden
Seal
Petroleum accumulation Reservoir
Top of oil window
Source
Bottom of oil window
Underburden

Magoon and Dow, 1994

 Burial History Chart
400 300 200 100

Overburden
Depth (Km)

Reservoir
Lithology

Source
Rock

Seal
Paleozoic Mesozoic Cen.
Unit
D M P P TR J K P N

Thick 1
Fm
Generation

2
Placer Fm
George Sh
Top oil window Boar Ss
Top gas window Deer Sh 3
Elk Fm
Magoon and Dow, 1994
Critical Moment
Time of Expulsion and Migration. (Trap must already exist)
 Petroleum System Events Chart
Timing of Elements and Processes

400 300 200 100 Geologic Time

Scale
Paleozoic Mesozoic Cenozoic
Petroleum
D M P P TR J K P N System Events

Rock Units

Source Rock

Elements
Reservoir Rock

Seal Rock
Overburden Rock

Processes
Trap Formation
Gen/Migration/Accum

Preservation

Critical Moment
Critical Moment
Magoon and
Dow, 1994 Time of Expulsion and Migration (Trap must already exist)
 Concepts of HC migration & entrapment
(Balingian Province, offshore Sarawak)

Fault
Traps

Channel Pinch- Anticlinal

Out Traps Traps

Top of Oil Window

Sub-unconformity
truncation traps

Gas Generated
Deeper

Modified from Dolivo, 1991

 Quantitative Play Analysis
Statistical Estimate of Chance for Success
1.0
Probability of Finding

Most
Probable
Field Size

Sp
Ris ec
ked ula
Pot t ive
e ntia Po
l ten
tia
l

0 5000
MMBOE
 Barrel Award: aim, objectives & deliverables

General aim: to document the tectono-stratigraphy of a sedimentary

basin in order to assess its petroleum potential
Specific objectives:
Literature review to establish regional geodynamics/plate tectonics
Regional stratigraphic framework, depositional environments & palaeogeography
Basin type: classification and tectonic setting
Seismic interpretation (key horizons and associated maps)
Well log interpretation and correlation
Formation evaluation
Sequence stratigraphic analysis
Reservoir/source/seal evaluation (incl. reservoir thickness and quality maps)
Subsurface fluids and pressure regimes
Subsidence history and source rock maturation and migration (inc. 1D basin modelling)
Play fairway maps
Analysis of structural and stratigraphic traps
Prospect evaluation
Hydrocarbon volumetric and rick assessment.
2007 Barrel Award Datasets

North Sea

NW Australia
 Datasets: General Geological Setting

Cooper-Eromanga Basin, Australia (Compressional) Lower Indus Basin, Pakistan (Passive Margin)

Lower Congo Basin, West Africa (Salt-influenced basin) Bellatrix Basin, Bay of Biscay (Inverted Rift)
 What do we do now?
Get to know the Data Package: Seismic data, well data and other available
material
It is suggested that the team organize a data system to store additional
collated material alogn with those in the data package.
It is important to delegate work tasks to each group member early in the
project:
Data QC and preliminary seismic interpretation
Regional literature review
Preliminary well data analysis

after looking over the data, brainstormed ideas

 DATA ROOM VISIT CHECK LIST
This list attempts to assign certain tasks to the respective disciplines when attending
data rooms, but it should be recognized that some of the tasks may require cross-
discipline investigation.

Some general questions that the Team should address while considering or
attending any data rooms are as follows:
1. What has worked well, and not, in this basin/region?
2. What has been the exploration strategy in the area?
3. Is there any new technology that can be applied to this area to enhance chance of
geologic and commercial success?
4. What could be done differently that would improve success in this venture/proposal?
5. What are the key petroleum system elements of this opportunity and what data are
required to accurately represent this opportunity to management? Is there a source rock
and a vbiab;e reservoir?
6. What data havent they shown you that may be available?
7. Why is this opportunity available now?
8. Do we have the right people on this data room visit to accurately obtain/evaluate
subject data?
9. Has a confidentiality agreement been signed and does it conflict with other potential
Kufpec operations/projects?
10. What hard data are currently in-house and what is needed to improve our
understanding of the opportunity?
11. What has changed to improve the economics (better infrastructure, new laws and
fiscal terms, new discoveries, etc?)
12. Is a translator necessary for presentations and/or data review? Who will provide any
translations, if necessary?
13. Are we looking for oil or gas? Is this the appropriate basin to explore for oil or gas?
14. Which are the possible scenerios? Are there existing pipelines? What is their ullage?
Is there any spare capacity and what is it?
15. Are there any possible drilling problems in this area (e.g. shallow gas, overpressures,
ice, jungle, mountains, hurricanes, etc.)?