Prospect Evaluation in Oil and Gas Exploration

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Sommaire

Day 1 :A – PROSPECT DEFINITIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS
Prospect definition
The prospect relative to the petroleum system and plays.
Prospect evaluation: where it stands in the exploration and production process
Reserves vs resources
Application exercise

Day 2 :
B – BACK TO THE BASICS: KNOWING THE GEOLOGICAL Characteristics of the prospect
Some of the following chapters can be developed or not, according to the geological background of the students.
Hydrocarbon charge
Source rock types, maturity, HC migration timing, relative to traps
HC fluids
Fluid properties according to source rock type, maturation and migration
PVT conditions
Alteration like biodegradation inside the reservoir. Non HC fluids H2S and CO2
Fluid contact determination

Day 3 :
Reservoir
Reservoir characteristics. Impact of the depositional environment on the reservoir body geometry and internal architecture
Diagenesis influence on reservoir characteristics
Seal
Top and lateral seal. Fault sealing. Examples
Surface seeps as the ultimate migration
Trap
Trap types; structural: fold and fault related. Stratigraphic and mixed traps. Trap occurrences according to basin types
Examples

Day 4 :
C – PROSPECT RESOURCES COMPUTATION
Deterministic approach
Calculating the oil or gas prospect resources using the gross rock volume, net/gross ratio, average
porosity, hydrocarbon saturation, formation volumetric factor, and recovery factor. Depth dependant gross rock volume
Introduction to uncertainties, affecting the different parameters used for the resource computation, with a specific focus on the gross rock volume
Probabilistic approach
Differences between risk and uncertainties. Basics of statistical concepts like the Monte Carlo simulation
Results of probabilistic volume assessment and their graphic representation
Application exercise

Day 5 :
Risk evaluation
How to make the risk evaluation based on 5 geological parameters: Source rock, hydrocarbon charge, and migration, reservoir, seal and trap
Multi objective prospect
How to cope with multi-objective prospect for evaluating the global risk
Risk dependency for multi objective prospect
Post mortem evaluation after the exploration well Prospect porto-folio management

Conclusions and recommendations
Exam: 20 multi-choice questions and exercises

Langue

Français & Anglais

Public visé

Students at BSc or Master level, in geology or geophysics who will work in exploration in their future professional lives It could also be instructive for other students who will work closely with exploration staff such as reservoir engineers or petrophysicists It will bring some industry examples and applications complements to their university academic courses.

Durée prévisionnelle

Five half-days, or a total of about 15 to 18 hr. Duration and content of the course can be adapted to the participants’ technical background, requirements, interests and needs.

Moyens Pédagogiques

One paper copy booklet (A4 size, with 4 color slides per page) in English only. One exercise booklet. No digital support provided (e.g. on CD or USB key) because problems of data confidentiality.

Prérequis

Objectifs

This 5 half day course explains how hydrocarbon volumes and risks can be assessed in a realistic manner, assuming that the geological parameters taken into account for the prospect in its regional setting are well understood. In addition of the volume and risks assessment, the crucial geological parameters for a prospect will be revisited.