Structural Diagenesis:
Fundamental Advances and New Applications from a Holistic View of Mechanical and Chemical Processes

• Knut Bjorlykke, University of Oslo
• James Boles, University of Calif. at Santa Barbara
• Linda Bonnell, Geocosm
• Robert Burruss, USGS
• Peter Eichhubl, Stanford University
• Quentin Fisher, Leeds University
• Randall Marrett, University of Texas at Austin
• Kitty Milliken, University of Texas at Austin
• Wayne Narr, ChevronTexaco
• Richard Plumb, Schlumberger

Conference Goals:

Encourage cross-disciplinary discussion and sharing of experience in describing, quantifying, and modeling the interactions of mechanical and chemical processes and products in siliciclastic and carbonate rocks. Particular emphasis will be placed on:

• Reservoir characterization, drilling, completion strategies, and the modeling of fractured reservoirs
• Deep prospects: exploration and development
• Integration of geology, geophysics, geochemistry, and reservoir engineering
• Fundamental physical processes

Discussion:

The successful discovery and development of reservoirs in structurally complex settings requires a thorough understanding of the interaction between structural development, rock mechanics, geochemistry, diagenesis, thermal history, fluid flow, and timing. However, to date much of the work done in these areas has been descriptive and typically discipline specific. The future development of models to accurately predict reservoir quality and behavior away from well control in both siliciclastic and carbonate reservoirs requires communication and dialogue across geoscience and engineering disciplines to be successful.

The aim of the meeting is bring together researchers from a wide range of disciplines to discuss what we know and what we need to know, to understand these complex reservoirs. Emphasis will be on the mechanical and chemical processes that are active and the interrelationship between deformation, pore pressure, diagenesis, and fluid flow, as well as practical issues related to scale-up, horizontal drilling, and completion strategies.

This conference will consist of a mix of presentations in small groups (in order to facilitate discussion), core and poster workshops, and a field trip. Each presenter will have space to include core, posters, and other supporting material. Emphasis will be placed on content and the joint sharing of ideas by both geoscientists and engineers:

Session topics may include:

• Fractures, fluid flow, stress, and diagenesis
• Fault zone diagenesis
• Geomechanical modeling
• Rock property evolution
• Application of outcrop analogs to understanding reservoirs and flow simulation
• Reservoir characterization methods
• Reconciling geology to fluid flow