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Petroleum Geosciences refers to the specific set of

geological disciplines that are applied to the search


for hydrocarbons.
principally concerned with the evaluation of seven
key elements in sedimentary basins

Source
Reservoir
Seal
Trap
Timing
Maturation
Migration

Introduction

A. The fundamental question in petroleum geology:


Where are there economically recoverable reserves of
hydrocarbons?
To answer this question requires understanding geological
processes in a regional context. Petroleum Geoscience uses
all of the fundamental geological (and chemical and physical
concepts) and applies them to finding oil reserves.

Some of the geologic processes include :

(1) Historical geology (timing of maturation, migration,


and trap formation),
(2) Structural, Sedimentology and Stratigraphic
geology- the origin and physical properties of reservoir
and source rocks,

(3) Geochemistry- what are hydrocarbons? where do they


come from? What are their properties?,
(4) Geophysics- seismics and well logs- subsurface
exploration techniques.

Although each of these are fundamental geologic disciplines, the


technology that allows them to be applied to petroleum geology have
changed:
Originally, field mapping- frontier areas, surface geology, was important.
This mapping in the field eventually evolved into geophysical (subsurface)
mapping, using both seismic techniques and well logging.
Now much mapping now done in the office. Data is collected remotely and
brought to the central office. Mapping done by computers, so the geologist
must have skills in many areas:
(1) the basic geologic sciences
(2) Ancillary sciences, particularly chemistry and physics, as well as maths
(2) computer science
(3) interpersonal skills

Geology is the science that deals with the history and structure of the
earth and its life forms, especially as recorded in the rock record. A basic
understanding of its concepts and processes is essential in the petroleum
industry, for it is used to predict where oil accumulations might occur. It is
the job of the petroleum geologist to use his/her knowledge to reconstruct
the geologic history of an area to determine whether the formations are
likely to contain petroleum reservoirs. It is also the job of the geologist to
determine whether the recovery and production of these hydrocarbons will
be commercially profitable.

The physical characteristics of a reservoir, how petroleum


originated and in what type of rock, what types of fluids exist in
the reservoir, how hydrocarbons become trapped, and basic well log
analysis are some of the concepts vital to the production and
recovery efforts of any exploration or energy service company

Cross Section Of A Petroleum System


(Foreland Basin Example)
Geographic Extent of Petroleum System

Stratigraphic
Extent of
Petroleum
System

Pod of Active
Source Rock

Essential
Elements
of
Petroleum
System

Overburden Rock
Seal Rock
Reservoir Rock
Source Rock
Underburden Rock

Petroleum Reservoir (O)


Fold-and-Thrust Belt
(arrows indicate relative fault motion)
(modified from Magoon and Dow, 1994)

Basement Rock
Top Oil Window
Top Gas Window

Sedimentary
Basin Fill

Extent of Play
Extent of Prospect/Field
O

Petroleum geology is the study of origin, occurrence,


movement, accumulation, and exploration of hydrocarbon fuels.
It refers to the specific set of geological disciplines that are
applied to the search for hydrocarbons.
Principles of Petroleum Geology are concerned with the
evaluation of seven key elements in sedimentary basins
1. Source
2. Reservoir
3. Seal
4. Trap
5. Timing
6. Maturation
7. Migration
Play - A particular combination of reservoir, seal, source and
trap associated with proven hydrocarbon accumulations

1. Source Rock: In Petroleum Geology, source rock refers to rocks from


which hydrocarbons have been generated or are capable of being
generated. They form one of the necessary elements of a working
petroleum system. They are organic-rich sediments that may have been
deposited in a variety of environments including deep water marine,
lacustrine and deltaic. Temperature and pressure of the source rocks
must be suitable to be able to generate hydrocarbons. Delineation and

identification of potential source rocks depends on studies of the local


stratigraphy palaeogeography and sedimentology to determine the
likelihood of organic-rich sediments having been deposited in the past

Source Rock

This Crocker shale typically contains >1% of organic carbon, by weight.


The shale is very widespread, underlying much of Sabah and most of
the NW Sabah sea, and is by far the most important source rock for the
oil that has been found in the NW Sabah basin.

2. The reservoir is a porous and permeable lithological unit or set


of units that holds the hydrocarbon reserves. Analysis of

reservoirs at the simplest level requires an assessment of their


porosity (to calculate the volume of in situ hydrocarbons) and
their permeability(to calculate how easily hydrocarbons will flow

out of them). Some of the key disciplines used in reservoir


analysis are the fields of structural analysis, stratigraphy,
sedimentology, and reservoir engineering. The existence of a
reservoir rock (typically, sandstones and fractured limestones)
is determined through a combination of regional studies (i.e.
analysis of other wells in the area), stratigraphy and
sedimentology (to quantify the pattern and extent of
sedimentation) and seismic interpretation

The reservoir rock (Sandstone)

An outcrop of pebbly sandstone (at base of cliff) overlain by red sandstone.


The Budleigh-Salterton pebble beds, of Triassic age. A few kilometres to the
east these beds dip into the subsurface, and form part of the oil reservoir at
the Wytch Farm Field, which is Britains largest onshore oil field.

The reservoir rock (Carbonate)

The Cairns Formation, of Devonian age, exposed near Canmore, in the


Front ranges of the Rocky Mountains, just east of Banff, Alberta. This is
one of the more important reservoir units in the subsurface of Alberta

3. The seal, or cap rock, is a unit with low permeability that


impedes the escape of hydrocarbons from the reservoir rock.
Common seals include evaporites, chalk and shales. Analysis of
seals involves assessment of their thickness and extent, such
that their effectiveness can be quantified.

4. The trap is the stratigraphic or structural feature that


ensures the juxtaposition of reservoir and seal such that
hydrocarbons remain trapped in the subsurface, rather than
escaping (due to their natural buoyancy) and being lost.
a) reef trap. The diagram shows a vertical
slice (cross-section) through the reservoir
and overlying rocks.

b) Stratigraphic traps are also formed in


clastic rocks: here, in a cross-section
through
a
continental
margin,
two
sandstone beds form traps within muddy
coastal deposits.
River channels may form long, thin traps
corresponding to the former position of the
river or delta distributary. Beach sands may
form sheet-like bodies along an ancient
shoreline etc.

c) Tilted fault-block traps are formed


where the upward flow of the petroleum is
prevented by impermeability along the
fault plane and by an overlying cap or seal:
common in the North Sea.
d) Anticlinal traps are formed by folding in
the rocks.
e) Unconformity traps are generated where
an erosional break in the stratigraphic
succession is followed by impermeable
strata.
f) fold-and-thrust belts trap at the front of
mountain ranges like the Rocky Mountains
of Alberta, where older rocks are pushed
sideways over younger rocks (e.g., the
yellow unit is here pushed over the lightblue unit).

5. Analysis of maturation involves assessing the thermal history


of the source rock in order to make predictions of the amount
and timing of hydrocarbon generation and expulsion.
Finally, careful studies of migration reveal information on how
hydrocarbons move from source to reservoir and help quantify
the source (or kitchen) of hydrocarbons in a particular area

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