Basin and Petroleum Systems Modelling: Applications for Conventional and Unconventional
Petroleum Exploration Risk and Resource
Assessments
By Dr Bjorn Wygrala Schlumberger
21-22 November 2013
3. Structural Complexity
Education Days Moscow 2013
2
1. Opening Session: Industry Challenges and Opportunities
Conventional Petroleum Systems
2. Deepwater and Salt
3. Structural Complexity
4. Reservoir in Petroleum Systems Modeling
Theoretical Aspects
5. Temperature and Pressure
6. Petroleum Generation and Migration
Unconventional Petroleum Systems
7. Shale Gas/Oil
8. Gas Hydrates
9. Closing Session: Petroleum Systems Modeling in Context
3 3
Petroleum Systems Modeling 'Structural Workflows'
Structural Modeling Interpretation
Interpretation and
reconstruction of present and
paleo-sections
Simulation
Select simulation method;
control and run simulation
Output
Display simulation results
Input Editing (gridded model)
Edit gridded model with table
and section viewers
Seismic Interpretation
Data loading from seismic and
well database
Interpretation, depth conversion
and property assignment on
present section
Input Editing (gridded model)
Data loading from structural
models
Edit gridded model with table
and section viewers
Geometry control!
The geometry of the
structural reconstruction
directly controls the
geometry of the PetroMod
model for generation and
migration modeling
throughout the entire
geologic history!
'Normal' Modeling: 'Structural' Modeling:
4 4
Structural Reconstruction
Fold and thrust belt restoration
(After Parra et al., 2010, The Monagas Fold–Thrust Belt of Eastern Venezuela. Part I: Structural and
thermal modeling, in Marine and Petroleum geology)
Collaborative work with PetroMod* team (Aachen, Germany)
5 5
Structural Reconstruction
Fold and thrust belt restoration
0 5 10 15 20 km
Subsidence 0 Ma
NW
Ma
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
6 6
Structural Reconstruction
Fold and thrust belt restoration
0 5 10 15 20 km
Subsidence 5.3 Ma
NW
Ma
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
7 7
Structural Reconstruction
Fold and thrust belt restoration
0 5 10 15 20 km
Subsidence
Erosion
10.5 Ma
NW
Ma
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
8 8
Structural Reconstruction
Fold and thrust belt restoration
0 5 10 15 20 km
Compression
Erosion
13 Ma
NW
Ma
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
9 9
Structural Reconstruction
Fold and thrust belt restoration
0 5 10 15 20 km
Compression
Erosion
15 Ma
NW
Ma
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
10 10
Structural Reconstruction
Fold and thrust belt restoration
0 5 10 15 20 km
Compression
20 Ma
NW
Ma
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
11 11
Structural Reconstruction
Fold and thrust belt restoration
0 5 10 15 20 km
Compression
22 Ma
NW
Ma
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
12 12
Structural Reconstruction
Fold and thrust belt restoration
0 5 10 15 20 km Subsidence
24 Ma
NW
Ma
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
13 13
Structural Reconstruction
Fold and thrust belt restoration
0 5 10 15 20 km Subsidence
65 Ma
NW
Ma
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
14 14
Structural Reconstruction
Fold and thrust belt restoration
0 5 10 15 20 km Subsidence
99 Ma
NW
Ma
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
15 15
Structural Reconstruction
20 Ma
24 Ma
65 Ma
99 Ma
0 5 10 15 20 km
22 Ma
0 Ma
5.3 Ma
10.5 Ma
13 Ma
15 Ma
16 16
Linking Structural and Petroleum Systems Modeling
Background:
- Geological models in complex geological
(compressional) environments such as
thrustbelts cannot be directly simulated
with petroleum systems modeling software
- A structural reconstruction needs to be
performed first !
Original and compressed (present-day) 3D model
showing maturation in potential source rocks Image courtesy Repsol
Solution:
- Present and paleo-sections (2D) and
paleo-models (3D) from structural
reconstructions can be loaded into the
petroleum systems modeling software
- Full 2D/3D thermal and maturation
histories can be determined in the most
complex models, as well as fully PVT-
controlled, 3-phase petroleum migration
simulations using the entire range of
flow simulators
Structural Reconstruction
17 17
Detailed Analysis: Petroleum Generation and Migration History
Ma
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Subsidence
Deposition of source rock
(San Antonio, Querecal Fm)
Biogenic gas
Oblique collision megasequence Passive margin megasequence
18 18
Detailed Analysis: Petroleum Generation and Migration History
Ma
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Subsidence
First transformation
of kerogen to HC
First HC accumulations
within source rock
Onset of hangingwall petroleum system
Oblique collision megasequence Passive margin megasequence
Biogenic gas
19 19
Detailed Analysis: Petroleum Generation and Migration History
Ma
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Subsidence
Querecual source rock:
Transformation ratio
reaches 50%
« Critical moment » of hangingwall petroleum system
Oblique collision megasequence Passive margin megasequence
20 20
Detailed Analysis: Petroleum Generation and Migration History
Ma
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Subsidence
« Critical moment » of hangingwall petroleum system
Oblique collision megasequence Passive margin megasequence
21 21
Detailed Analysis: Petroleum Generation and Migration History
Ma
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Subsidence
Oblique collision megasequence Passive margin megasequence
22 22
Detailed Analysis: Petroleum Generation and Migration History
Ma
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Compression
Onset of footwall petroleum systems
Oblique collision
megasequence
Active hangingwall petroleum system
Passive margin megasequence
Accumulation
within footwall
Onset of HC generation
due to tectonic loading
(thrusting)
23 23
Detailed Analysis: Petroleum Generation and Migration History
Ma
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Compression
Oblique collision
megasequence Passive margin megasequence
« Critical moment » of footwall petroleum systems Active hangingwall petroleum system
Southward moving
transformation front
Frontal thrust
sheets charged
24 24
Detailed Analysis: Petroleum Generation and Migration History
Ma
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Compression
Oblique collision megasequence Passive margin megasequence
« Critical moment » of footwall petroleum systems Partial destruction of hangingwall petroleum system
25 25
Detailed Analysis: Petroleum Generation and Migration History
Ma
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Compression
Oblique collision megasequence Passive margin megasequence
Active footwall petroleum systems Complete destruction of hangingwall petroleum system
26 26
Detailed Analysis: Petroleum Generation and Migration History
Ma
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Oblique collision megasequence Passive margin megasequence
27 27
Detailed Analysis: Petroleum Generation and Migration History
Ma
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Oblique collision megasequence Passive margin megasequence
28 28
Detailed Analysis: Petroleum Generation and Migration History
Ma
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Oblique collision megasequence Passive margin megasequence
29 29
Detailed Analysis: Petroleum Generation and Migration History
Ma
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Oblique collision megasequence Passive margin megasequence
30 30
Detailed Analysis: Petroleum Generation and Migration History
Remaining thermal
disequilibrium after
uplift due to thrusting
15 Ma 13 Ma
Reverse maturity trend
due to inverse faults
31 31
Detailed Analysis: Model Calibration
Carito (8) Travi (19)
Calibration with well data
─ Porosity
─ 13-17% in Naricual Reservoir Fm
─ 10% in Cretaceous Reservoirs
─ Temperature
─ Present day gradient: 22.1 to 23.7 C/km
─ Thermal maturity (Vitrinite reflectance)
─ Reverse trends due to inverse faults
32 32
Detailed Analysis: Petroleum "Volumetrics" in 2D
0 25 50 75 100
33 33
Detailed Analysis: Petroleum Properties
Carito Field
Travi Field
205 Mbl/km
290 Mbl/km
≈ 500 Mbl/km
500 Mbl/km * 30km
≈ 15 Bbl
API: 32.2
API: 31
12 Bbl
34 34
Geomechanics
35 35
Scalable Geomechanics Solutions
Wellbore scale:
Reservoir scale:
Basin scale:
Application example:
Real-time input log data
alongside the wellbore
stability outputs, and
predicted wellbore failure
based on the specific mud
weight value
Application example:
Simulation of 4D reservoir
geomechanics predicts the
effects of initial in-situ
stresses; induced increases in
stress (red), and decreased
stress (blue)
Application example:
Simulation of basin-scale
geomechanics through
geological time enables
areas and zones with higher
fracture risks to be determined
and improved pore pressure
predictions to be made
Unique features:
- dynamic modeling through
geologic time
- coupled with pore pressure
modeling
36 36
Three Dimensional Stress-Strain Calculations
?
?
Terzaghi: one dimensional Three dimensional
37 37
Chrono-Stratigraphy of the Santa Barbara Section in Venezuela, after Parra et all
(2010) and structural restoration after Mertens (2010)
13my present
65my
38
Lithostratigraphy of the Section under Study
39
Predicted Petroleum Systems at Present Day
Major hangingwall
Major footwall
40
100 1000
2000
Modulus of Elasticity [MPa]
Modulus of Elasticity
41
0 150
300
Mean stress [MPa]
Mean Stress
42 42
0 150
300
Mean stress [MPa]
13my
present
65my
Mean Stress Formation Through Geologic Time
43
0 50
200
Pore-pressure [MPa]
Calculated Overpressures
44
0 50 200
Pore-pressure [MPa]
No compression Compression [MPa]
3
1
Pressures and Stresses along a Well
Well
46 46
Rock stresses in and next to salt
0
80
MPa