At the forefront of energy geoscience...
Cross Border Exploration Between UK & Norway: Comparisons, Contracts and Collaborations
27-28 November 2017
Can additional high value barrels be discovered through improved collaboration between UK and Norway?
The objective of the conference was to enhance technical understanding of the status of key plays on each side of the border, to establish points of similarity and difference in both activity and success, and to highlight new opportunities. Important recent discoveries on either side of the border were examined and the conference sought to establish where new plays in one country have not yet been understood or exploited across the border.
Abstract book:
Handling Fault Seals, Barriers, Baffles and Conduits: Cost Effective and Integrated Fault Seal Analysis
15-17 November 2017
Faults are a key component of heterogeneity in reservoirs. They can trap/seal hydrocarbons or be barriers/baffles to fluid flow in a producing field. Whether or not they seal or act as a barrier to fluid flow is crucial in every part of the petroleum value chain – from prospect generation to development well planning. Characterizing the fluid flow properties of faults is often seen as a specialist subject, requiring dedicated software, and is often overlooked. However, most aspects of fault seal analysis draws upon the skills of an integrated geoscientist who can utilize all available data (e.g. seismic, well log, core, thin-section, outcrop, laboratory, PVT, and dynamic data) and assess uncertainty in both input data and interpretation.
There are relatively simple and well established workflows (i.e., juxtaposition analysis, shale gouge calculations, which may or may not work depending on reservoir architecture and geomechanical conditions) that a geoscientist should follow that help characterize fault seal potential, but how to address more detailed challenges related to the intrinsic properties of fault rocks (i.e. other than shale gouge), fault geometries (i.e. segmentation) and setting (i.e. non-clastic lithologies, geomechanical effects, neotectonics) is not well established.
This meeting built upon previous meetings to consider the most-cost effective ways of carrying out an integrated fault seal analysis in today’s environment, in order to understand the uncertainties, risks and upsides associated with faultrelated fluid flow. All parts of the petroleum value chain from exploration and appraisal to – development and production will be considered.
Abstract book:
Fold and Thrust Belts: Structural Style, Evolution and Exploration
31 October- 2 November 2017, The Geological Society
Fold and thrust belts occur worldwide and have long been the focus of research of structural geologists. They have formed in all eras of geological time and, represent some of the planet’s most complex geological environments.
This three-day meeting aimed to bring together leading academic and industry geoscientists to discuss new techniques and case studies, and to capture an up to date assessment of our understanding of fold and thrust belts globally.
Fold and thrust belts have been widely recognised as the most common mechanism to accommodate shortening in the crust through the development of enormous heterogeneity of structural characteristics. Deformation styles may evolve spatially and temporally according to the type of sedimentary sequence involved, the presence of main detachment zones, and the orientation and evolution of the stress field with respect to the plate boundaries.
At the same time, fold and thrust belts contain many substantial producing fields and some of the world’s largest remaining hydrocarbon reserves. The complex interaction of fold and thrust processes, and their effects on potential reservoir quality and deliverability makes accurate characterization of such fields and reserves extremely difficult.
New technologies and approaches developed in the last 10 years are helping to advance understanding of fold and thrust belts, opening new exploration opportunities in these systems. The digital era has heralded a renaissance for the collection of traditional structural field data, which can now be integrated, analysed and stored in the digital domain.
New structural methodologies, such as geomechanical restoration, have been developed to complement existing geometric construction and restoration techniques. Simultaneously, advanced acquisition technologies are helping to reduce uncertainties in the characterization and evaluation of subsurface structures and reservoirs.
Abstract book:
Subsurface Sand Remobilzation and Injection
22-23 March 2017, The Geological Society, London
Evidence of sand fluidization and injection as significant shallow crustal processes is increasingly common in outcrop and subsurface studies. Regionally-developed giant sand injection complexes develop in areas of 100’s to 1000’s km2 and locally reservoir commercial volumes of hydrocarbons, act as fluid migration routes, compromise seals and record major periods of focused fluid flow.
The non-stratiform character of sandstone intrusions requires original solutions for the successful quantitative modelling, drilling and completion of wells and accentuates the need for a better understanding of these often enigmatic features. Sand injection and fluidization occurs on many scales both within giant complexes and as small, discrete features.
We invite presentations on the characterization and interpretation of sandstone intrusions and associated facies, from grain to basin scale. Presentations on process and reservoir modelling and other practical applications were also encouraged as we consolidate knowledge from improved subsurface imaging, exploration and development drilling and outcrop-based research and identify areas for future investigation.
Abstract book:
Applications of Analytical Techniques to Petroleum Systems Problems
28 February-1 March 2017, The Geological Society, London
Petroleum systems cover a broad range of topics from source, reservoir and seal development through to the generation, migration and accumulation of hydrocarbons. Continually improving analytical techniques are increasing the understanding of these complex multiphase geochemical systems and how they develop through time. Current industry applications demonstrate how analytical techniques can affect business decisions.
Accurate and precise geochemical measurements using X-ray absorption spectroscopy and clumped isotopes are revolutionising our understanding of mineral and fluid interactions. High resolution imaging and petrophysical analysis utilising neutron scattering, X-ray computed tomography, focused ion beam SEM and automated mineralogy facilitate the quantification of fine-grained and complex geological systems on a scale which could not be imagined a decade ago.
Real-time geochemical analysis of fluids can enable detailed analysis of fluid compositions, the detection of reactive fluids such as CO2 and H2S, the geosteering of wells to potential sweet spots and identify reservoir compartmentalisation. This conference sought to align both academia and industry in demonstrating the current application of geochemical and imaging techniques and to highlight the potential of emerging techniques including:
- Imaging – electron microscopy, automated mineralogy, cathodoluminescence and neutron scattering
- Isotopes – radiogenic isotopes, stable isotopes, clumped isotopes, non-traditional isotopes and noble gases
- Geochemistry at varying scales – infrared spectroscopy, raman spectroscopy, organic analysis, synchrotron spectroscopy and fluid inclusions
- Applications/Case Studies – wellsite applications, reservoir studies, chemostratigraphy, pore scale imaging and 3D modelling
Abstract book:
Deepwater Depositional Systems: Advances and Applications
25-27 January 2017, The Geological Society, London
Deep-water deposits continue to provide major reservoir targets for oil and gas exploration around the world as well as presenting a series of challenges within developing and producing fields. Considerable effort has been devoted to the understanding of these deposits both in terms of reservoir architecture and quality across the academic-industry interface.
Progress has been made in understanding of whole-system source to- sink relationships and controls, the mechanics of erosional and depositional processes, and the fine-scale architecture of the resultant deposits. Allied to this progress has been the advancement in characterisation techniques/technologies, which has impacted upon workflows and the ability to analyse uncored as well as cored intervals at a greater level of refinement.
The conference has an exciting programme with over 70 contributions covering a full range of deep-water topics relevant to academia and industry. This 3-day international conference brought academic and industry geoscientists, petrophysicists and engineers together, to share new developments in the following thematic areas:
- Depositional processes – sediment gravity flows to bottom currents
- Source to sink – deepwater systems
- Canyons and channels
- Confined slope systems – mobile substrates/structure and sedimentation
- Mass transport deposits
- Distributive systems
- Impact on exploration and production outcomes
- New techniques in reservoir characterisation and modelling
Abstract book: