Exploration Field Geology in the Middle East
Date: Thursday, 28th February 2013
Venue: YHA Conwy, Larkhill, Sychnant Pass Road, Conwy, LL32 8AJ @ 6:30pm. Bar open from 6:00pm.
Abstract: Reservoir characterization of Middle Eastern carbonate reservoirs is challenging, primarily due to the occurrence within carbonates of a wide range of heterogeneities occurring at a wide range of scales. Sources of heterogeneity in carbonate reservoirs can be divided into 3 main categories: i) Primary (depositional) heterogeneity; ii) Secondary (diagenetic) heterogeneity; iii) Structural (fracture) heterogeneity. In the case study presented here we focus on the prolific Mid Cretaceous Sarvak and Mishrif formations of the Mesopotamian Foreland Basin and Zagros Fold Belt of Iran and Iraq. In the subsurface these reservoirs are buried to depths of 1000-5000m, and datasets available for prospect development or reservoir characterisation typically comprise 2D and sparse 3D seismic and well/core data of variable vintage and quality. However, rapid Tertiary uplift associated with river incision has resulted in spectacular pseudo-3D outcrops of the same reservoir units in the Zagros Mountains. The outcrops are often located between 10-40km from the subsurface exploration and production targets, and expose an almost identical stratigraphic and depositional succession. In addition, the outcrop diagenetic and structural template is often comparable to the subsurface. An integrated approach utilizing traditional geological field work with remote sensing and VGR (Virtual Geological Reality) techniques has been employed.
The main drivers for the VGR work has been to:- 1) Develop efficient exploration workflows in onshore frontier basins; 2) Allow rapid quantification of large outcrop geological datasets; 3) Access and utilize the inaccessible (many of the outcrop sections are km high vertical cliffs); 4) Time – Allow the field geologist to focus on observation and interpretation as opposed to traditional repetitive data collection (e.g. systematic line sampling of fracture systems); 5) To allow better bridging of the outcrop to subsurface gap.
The resulting dataset and predictive framework has formed the cornerstone for all further work in the reservoir interval of interest, including Exploration (farm ins, block bidding rounds), Field Development (reservoir modelling template), Forward Stratigraphic Modelling (e.g. Dionisos), Fracture modelling (e.g. FRED, Fracperm), Diagenetic modelling (fracture controlled dolomites), Seismic Modelling and Basin Modelling.
Speaker Biography:
Ian Sharp is a senior specialist at Statoil working a range of basins and a Professor at Bergen University. He gained his BSc at the University of Hull (1988) and PhD at the University of Edinburgh (1994). Ian has worked in industry for the last 15 years (Norsk Hydro1998-2007, Statoil 2007-2013), primarily in the field of applied industrial research and technology development/implementation. He has worked on exploration and production projects globally, but with a focus on carbonate reservoir systems of the Middle East and the South Atlantic and clastic reservoirs of NW Europe. Prior to joining Norsk Hydro Ian worked as an industry sponsored post doctoral research associate at the Universities of Manchester and Edinburgh (1994-1998), and as a mapping geologist with the British Geological Survey (1988-1989). Ian has published over 30 scientific articles and presented numerous papers at international conferences. He is an active member of AAPG, GSL, SEPM, PESGB, NPF and is an IUGS reviewer for UNESCO’s program for the conservation of globally outstanding geological heritage.
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