APPLIED STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY IN HYDROCARBON SYSTEM

For this course the participants are expected to have a working knowledge in the field of exploration and production geology. Basic structural geology knowledge is an advantage. Basic structural interpretation skills will be discussed for each tectonic regime.

  • Discipline: Geology
  • Level: Advanced
  • Duration: 5 Days

Objectives

  • Introduction to petroleum systems
  • The role of structures in petroleum systems
  • Fundamental aspects of structural geology and geo-mechanics and its application to general geological phenomena as encountered in the oil and gas business
  • Extensional tectonics: rifts, delta’s, domes and associated sedimentation patterns.
  • Theory, examples, analogue models, structural geometries and fault properties that are characteristic for extensional tectonic regimes will be treated during the morning session of day-2. Structural reservoir types and fault sealing mechanisms will be part of the material.
  • Strike-slip tectonics
  • Theory, case history, analogue models, seismic interpretation. Structural geometries and fault properties that are characteristic for strike-slip tectonic regimes will be treated during the afternoon of day-2. Structural reservoir types, in-situ stress analysis and fault sealing mechanisms (also in sand-sand juxtapositions) will be part of the material. The 3D nature of this tectonic setting including pitfalls and traps in structural interpretation will receive special attention
  • Compressional tectonics: fold-and-thrust belts.
  • Compressional tectonics: fault reactivation – multi-phase tectonics.
  • Theory, case histories, analogue models, seismic interpretation exercise. Structural geometries and fault properties that are characteristic for compressional tectonic regimes will be treated during the morning of day-3. Structural reservoir types and fault sealing mechanisms will be part of the material. During the afternoon session the mechanics of fault reactivation (inversion tectonics) will be discussed.
  • Pore pressure prediction and overpressure generation mechanisms.
  • Diapirs and associated structures.
  • Fault sealing and top seal integrity.
  • Aspects of salt-tectonics will be discussed during the morning of day-4. Examples from the North Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, including an interpretation exercise. The afternoon session will be used to discuss fault sealing mechanisms and approaches to evaluate top seal integrity in exploration and in production scenarios.
  • Fracture systems: fracture mechanics, reservoir examples and outcrop examples.
  • Analysis of fault and fracture systems, including fractal properties of fault and fractures and prediction of sub-seismic faults.
  • Theory, case histories, analogue models. The morning session will be used to discuss fracture mechanics, fracture types, natural fracture systems and their influence on reservoir characteristics and production strategies.

Audience

  • Geologists, Petrophysicists and Geophysicists.
  • Engineers, Managers and Supervisors.