deepwater sedimentary systems: exploration and production

Course Description

Sandstones deposited in deep marine environments form important hydrocarbon reservoirs in many basins around the world. Interbedded mudstones can be important as source rocks, as well as acting as barriers, baffles and seals. Deepwater reservoirs are currently the principal target for oil and gas exploration, with over 1600 existing turbidite fields and plays. Driven by technological advances and much improved scientific understanding, the pace of exploration and discovery in this realm is fast accelerating. Keeping pace with these developments and with the new knowledge base is essential for all those involved in deepwater systems. What began as the turbidite reservoir has matured into the more varies deepwater play of the 21^st century that no company can afford to ignore.

This course is designed to give the participant a state-of-the-art review and update, thereby providing an overall understanding of the complexity of the deep marine system. It will outline the processes and facies and how they evolve on the slope and in the open ocean; discuss how these facies build into distinctive architectural elements and how they can be recognized in the subsurface. The course also covers analysis and interpretation of seismic records, sea floor images, well logs (including borehole image logs), core materials, and outcrop characteristics of the component elements of deepwater reservoirs, emphasizing internal architecture as related to reservoir performance. Hands-on data packages from different deepwater plays around the world will be used to further illustrate their exploration, appraisal, development and reservoir management.

Audience

All geologists, geophysicists and petroleum engineers involved in the exploration and development of deepwater plays. Project managers for deepwater plays and reservoir production.

Prerequisites

Understanding of basic petroleum geology, basic stragraphy and basic sedimentology.

Course Schedule

1	Deepwater Overview and Building Blocks GLOBAL OVERVIEW Global and historical perspectives, technologies and current trends Deepwater systems with hydrocarbons or hydrocarbon potential Ancient and modern analogues of deepwater systems Process-facies overview and state-of-the-art DOWNSLOPE SYSTEMS Mass transport processes and facies: slides, slumps, debris flows Turbidity currents: massive sands and thin-bedded turbidites Hyperpycnal flows: new deepwater models Subsurface recognition, examples and reservoir characteristics ALONGSLOPE SYSTEMS Contour (bottom) currents: processes and facies Deepwater tides, waves and other bottom currents Subsurface recognition, examples and reservoir characteristics OPEN-OCEAN SYSTEMS Pelagic-hemipelagic processes and facies Deepwater black shales: nature, occurrence and examples Petroleum perspective: barriers, baffles and source rocks
2	Architectural Elements - Nature and Recognition CHANNEL STYLE AND GEOMETRY Overview of deepwater architectural elements Channel style, geometry fill characteristics Mass transport complexes in channels and basins Subsurface wireline logs and reservoir examples LOBES, MOUNDS AND SHEETS Turbidite lobes and sheets Contourite drifts and sheets Subsurface wireline logs and reservoir examples DEEPWATER MASSIVE SANDS Case studies: modern, ancient and subsurface examples Reservoir size, homogeneity and connectivity Deliberate search for the perfect deepwater reservoir THIN-BEDDED TURBIDITES Case studies: modern, ancient and subsurface examples Reservoir potential and development issues The problem of shales and shale dimensions DEEPWATER DRILLING Special issues for drilling in deepwater Slope instability and hazard mapping Turbidity currents and bottom currents: potential hazard
3	Seismic/ Sequence Stratigraphy and Deepwater Plays Workshop SUBSURFACE MODELS Synthesis of deepwater models and their features Seismic characteristics of deepwater elements and systems Wireline log characteristics and borehole image logs Sea-level, tectonic, sediment supply and other controls Sequence stratigraphy and depositional models DEEPWATER PLAYS WORKSHOP Hands-on data packages from different turbidite plays around the world Lessons from established turbidite plays: North Sea, California, Bohai and others Lessons from current deepwater provinces: Gulf of Mexico, West Africa, NW UK Continental Margin, Brazil, North Slope Alaska, Nile Delta and others ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION & BREAK-OUT SESSIONS Interactive discussion session to consider implications for exploration, appraisal, development and reservoir management; to share and discuss individual datasets, experience, questions and problems The new frontiers…current targets and expectation Course summary and take-home lessons
4	DAY 4: OPTIONAL – dependent on field/core availability An optional additional day can be included where practical to allow examination of deepwater systems either in the field and/or in borehole cores.

Instructor

Prof. Dorrik Stowe

Instructors may vary based on location and schedule.

Classes

No classes are currently scheduled for this course.

Add yourself to the waiting list

We will schedule a class for this course, when there are enough participants on the waiting list.