Fold and Thrust Belts

The study of gas hydrates in nature has been ongoing for over 40 years. Significant strides have been made in our understanding of the occurrence, distribution, and characteristics of marine and permafrost associated gas hydrates.

It has been suggested that gas hydrates may represent an important future source of energy; however, much remains to be learned about their characteristics and occurrence in nature. This lecture reviews recent successes in exploration and production of natural gas from gas hydrate accumulations.

The Indian National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition 02 (NGHP-02) was conducted from 3-March-2015 to 28-July-2015 off the eastern coast of India. The primary goal of this expedition was the exploration and discovery of highly saturated gas hydrate occurrences in sand reservoirs that would be targets of future production testing.

This lecture presents the findings of recent international gas hydrate exploration efforts that are using new advanced technologies to identify and characterize the properties of gas hydrate prospects. Case studies from the Alaska North Slope, Gulf of Mexico, Japan and India demonstrate how standard oilfield technologies are helping to identify and evaluate gas hydrate accumulations.

Some of the world’s most spectacular and geologically fascinating sights will be showcased in nine field trips planned in conjunction with September’s AAPG-SEG International Conference and Exhibition (ICE) in Melbourne, Australia, Sept. 13-16.

Take a first hand look at the basic working tools to explore and develop hydrocarbons in salt basins. This introduction to salt tectonics is intended for geoscientists, engineers, and managers who need review or update on this constantly evolving field. The course is appropriate for those working in any salt basin globally and assumes abasic familiarity with structural geology concepts and terminology

Participants will examine illustrative outcrops of thrusts, fault-related folds, stratal architectures and facies of depositional systems affected by growing structures, which are good analogues for hydrocarbon reservoirs. Objectives include interpreting complex thrust structures, identifying and understanding strain and fracture systems in fold-thrust belts, and analyzing patterns of growth strata in areas with synsedimentary folding.