18-21 May, 2026

5th Edition: AAPG/EAGE Hydrocarbon Seals of the Middle East GTW


Kuwait City, Kuwait

Call for Abstracts Open

Workshop Objectives

Traditionally, seal evaluations focused mainly on thickness and its relation to sealing capacity. However, with the discovery of various trapping styles such as stratigraphic, combined structural-stratigraphic, and diagenetic traps, also with the rise of CO₂ storage projects, other factors must be investigated to de-risk seals and assess their effectiveness.

This workshop aims to highlight elements such as rock mineralogy and lithofacies variations, brittle-ductile behavior driven by texture and diagenesis, hydrocarbon phase properties and column height, structural reactivation and tilted fluid contacts, pressure regimes, and field dynamics during production.

The workshop will showcase integrated, multidisciplinary techniques and workflows to quantify, predict, and evaluate seal effectiveness through regional case studies. The outcome will enhance collective understanding of hydrocarbon seals and improve CO₂ storage practices in the context of evolving energy demands.

The program will feature oral presentations and posters on a wide range of topics, including integration of seismic interpretation, structural evaluation, core analysis, mineralogical and petrophysical characterization, geochemistry, geomechanics, pressure, and production data.

Workshop Themes

  • Regional and intraformational seals with field analogues 
  • Sequence stratigraphy, facies, diagenesis, and their relationship to seal development 
  • Seal architecture and capacity in carbonate, evaporite, siliciclastic, and mixed sequences 
  • Static (capillary) and dynamic sealing capacity and hydrocarbon retention 
  • Integrating petrophysical, rock mechanics, seismic, and engineering data for seal assessment 
  • Impact of structural geology, geomechanics, and fluid tilting on seal behavior 
  • Fault seal capacity and implications for fluid flow modeling 
  • Evaluating seals for carbon capture and storage

Attendees & Benefits 

This workshop is designed for geoscientists, petrophysicists, geomechanics specialists, and reservoir engineers involved in seal evaluation and analysis. Attendees will have the opportunity to exchange ideas, share their experiences, learn new techniques, and benefit from a wide range of takeouts including:

  • Up-to-date insight into hydrocarbon seals in exploration and production 
  • Exposure to regional case studies and proven workflows for seal detection and capacity assessment 
  • An opportunity to network with peers, industry professionals, and academic researchers.

Sponsors Razor

Abstract Info
Call for Abstracts
Call for Abstracts ends in 60 days.

You are invited to prepare an abstract for oral or poster presentation at the workshop. If you are interested in participating, please send a short abstract to [email protected] by 12 February 2026. 

Call for Abstracts Open

Program

Workshop Objectives

Traditionally, seal evaluations focused mainly on thickness and its relation to sealing capacity. However, with the discovery of various trapping styles such as stratigraphic, combined structural-stratigraphic, and diagenetic traps, also with the rise of CO₂ storage projects, other factors must be investigated to de-risk seals and assess their effectiveness.

This workshop aims to highlight elements such as rock mineralogy and lithofacies variations, brittle-ductile behavior driven by texture and diagenesis, hydrocarbon phase properties and column height, structural reactivation and tilted fluid contacts, pressure regimes, and field dynamics during production.

The workshop will showcase integrated, multidisciplinary techniques and workflows to quantify, predict, and evaluate seal effectiveness through regional case studies. The outcome will enhance collective understanding of hydrocarbon seals and improve CO₂ storage practices in the context of evolving energy demands.

The program will feature oral presentations and posters on a wide range of topics, including integration of seismic interpretation, structural evaluation, core analysis, mineralogical and petrophysical characterization, geochemistry, geomechanics, pressure, and production data.

Workshop Themes

  • Regional and intraformational seals with field analogues 
  • Sequence stratigraphy, facies, diagenesis, and their relationship to seal development 
  • Seal architecture and capacity in carbonate, evaporite, siliciclastic, and mixed sequences 
  • Static (capillary) and dynamic sealing capacity and hydrocarbon retention 
  • Integrating petrophysical, rock mechanics, seismic, and engineering data for seal assessment 
  • Impact of structural geology, geomechanics, and fluid tilting on seal behavior 
  • Fault seal capacity and implications for fluid flow modeling 
  • Evaluating seals for carbon capture and storage

Attendees & Benefits 

This workshop is designed for geoscientists, petrophysicists, geomechanics specialists, and reservoir engineers involved in seal evaluation and analysis. Attendees will have the opportunity to exchange ideas, share their experiences, learn new techniques, and benefit from a wide range of takeouts including:

  • Up-to-date insight into hydrocarbon seals in exploration and production 
  • Exposure to regional case studies and proven workflows for seal detection and capacity assessment 
  • An opportunity to network with peers, industry professionals, and academic researchers.

Venue

Venue
Kuwait City, Kuwait
Kuwait City, Al Ahmadi Kuwait

Pricing

Type Price
Non-Member $1,850
Member* $1,650
Committee/Presenter $1,550
Young Professional** $850
$500 $1,850
Student (Masters) $350

* To avail the Member rate you must be an active member of AAPG, EAGE, DGS, GSO or KGS.
 ** To register as a Young Professional, you must be under the age of 35 with less than 10 years work experience.

Committee

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Bader Al-Ajmi
Chair
KOC
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Mohammed Rashid
Co-Chair
KOC
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Aisha Al- Hajri
Co-Chair
PDO
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Ali Al-Ghamdi
Aramco
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Jassim Al Safwani
 
Aramco
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Mohammed Al Saleh
Aramco
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Hemant Singh
Baker Hughes
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Said Al Balushi
 
CCED
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Nicolas Hawie
Halliburton
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Mohammad Al-Mershed
KOC
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Hamad Al-Hamad
Kuwait Oil Company
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Sayed Behbehani
Kuwait Oil Company
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Mohammad Al-Naqi
Kuwait University
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Laiyyan Al Kharusi
Occidental Oman
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Nestor Danilo Vasconez Noguera
SLB

Contacts
Paula Agata Hadro

Senior Events Manager, AAPG Middle East & Africa

Email
Cora Navarro

Marketing Manager, AAPG Middle East & Africa

Email

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