Basin and Petroleum System Modeling in the Middle East: Applications and Case Studies
11-13 October 2010 | Dubai, UAE | Register Now!
Agenda: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3
Over the last decade, three-dimensional (3D) imaging and modeling of the subsurface through time have co-evolved and emerged as a major research focus of the petroleum industry. Virtually all major oil companies and government and academic institutions recognize the need for 3D petroleum system models because they:
- Facilitate integration and visualization of geologic processes and communication with stakeholders
- Add value by converting static data to dynamic processed data and interpretations
- Help to reduce exploration risk and to highlight prospective exploration areas
- Archive data (data loss due to personnel attrition and reorganization is a major cost factor).
3D petroleum system modeling is rapidly growing as a tool to better understand the generation, migration, accumulation, and preservation of petroleum. The approach can be used to predict the pod of active source rock, thermal maturity of the source rock, and the timing of petroleum generation. It is currently less successful as a means to predict volumes of trapped petroleum, their detailed compositions, or the effects of post-generation processes. However, solutions to these questions could have major impact on domestic and world economies. 3D modeling is a tool that will continue to attract new users because of the potential for high-impact solutions to these problems with respect to exploration, development, and assessment.
Major applications of 3D geologic models include developing predictive exploration and reservoir models, integrating sequence stratigraphy and assessment units, predicting the extent and timing of petroleum generation in source rocks, pore pressure prediction, structural deformation that disturbs basin architecture, migration patterns, locations of potential traps and accumulations, and analysis of risk based on different geologic, geochemical, or fluid-flow scenarios. Thus, 3D geologic models can provide a basic geoscience framework to conduct and record a wide variety of applied and basic research.
In addition, petroleum system models can serve as evolving databases that provide surface and subsurface geologic information for various practical research needs. They allow users to figuratively look within the earth to examine data, appraise the reliability of geologic data and concepts, models, or geochemical input, and extract needed information.
With a focus on the Middle East, which hosts enormous hydrocarbon reserves, this GTW aims at providing an overview of the state of the art in petroleum systems modeling as well as highlighting open questions and new techniques.
Session 1: Basin Evolution, Geodynamics and Heat Flow Mechanisms
Crustal and lithosphere architecture and dynamics, tectonic and paleogeography evolution, heat flow mechanism and its assessment are the starting points of any sound petroleum system analysis. Despite the long-lasting exploration effort in the Middle East, many challenges do subsist in our understanding of the large scale evolution of the Arabian-Plate which leads to accommodation space creation, facies distribution and heat flow history. Where are we and where do we want to be? These are the questions this session will address.
Session 2: Source Rocks – properties, processes and modeling of hydrocarbon generation and expulsion
This session will focus on depositional characteristics and preservation processes of the source rocks. It includes kinetic modeling, hydrocarbon generation, expulsion, migration and oil-oil and oil-source correlations, with emphasis on quantifying these processes in the petroleum system modeling. Papers addressing variations, from basin to basin, in source rock properties, maturation, expulsion and hydrocarbon migration under different depositional and structural styles illustrate the complexity in petroleum system modeling. Special emphasis on challenges facing modeling hydrocarbon phases versus source rock properties under each basin’s unique geothermal history will provide supporting evidence for the importance of basin modeling applications. Presentations linking the source rock properties and hydrocarbon generation modeling to the other variables in the petroleum system analysis process such as basin geodynamics and uncertainty are also welcomed.
Session 3: Petroleum Systems Evaluation from Regional to Reservoir Scale
This session covers a wide spectrum of topics related to petroleum systems evaluation including advanced algorithms used in basin modeling. Of special interest are prediction of geomechanical and flow/seal properties of host and fault rocks, approaches that combine basin modeling with seismic methods, pre-drill pressure prediction, resource assessment, and case studies demonstrating integrated approaches that address both low resolution basin models and high resolution reservoir models.
Session 4: Uncertainty and Risk Analysis in Petroleum Systems Analysis
Uncertainty description and risk assessment are two critical components of petroleum systems analysis. This session invites papers presenting example applications of existing uncertainty-oriented methods, and addressing different aspects of petroleum systems including structural and tectonic evolution, heat flow variation, rock properties, hydrocarbon generation and expulsion, hydrocarbon migration efficiency and volume of hydrocarbons left behind vs. delivered to traps, and maturation and pressure implications of poor imaging and time-depth conversion, and other. Welcomed are papers presenting a comparison of pre-drill uncertainty analysis and prospect risking vs. post-drill results.
Session 5: Petroleum System Analysis of Unconventional Gas – Basin Center, Shale and Sour Gas
While petroleum system modeling of conventional resources is well established the application to unconventional systems is still in its infancy. Especially the modeling of low-permeability reservoirs, shale gas potential, and sour gas risk and its impact on fluid properties (GOR, CGR, API, %H2S/CO2) are topics on which this session will focus. Here refined hydrocarbon generation, retention, expulsion and migration modeling approaches, taking both organic and inorganic reactions and interactions, are required. Papers presenting case histories as well as the development and application of new methods are welcome.
Snapshot
Where: Kempinski Hotel
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