Seals, Traps, And The Petroleum System

317 Pages·1997·20.038 MB·English

by  Ronald C. Surdam

Seals, Traps,
and the
Petroleum System
Edited by
R.C. Surdam
Institute for Energy Research
University of Wyoming
Laramie, Wyoming
AAPG Memoir 67
Published by
The American Association of Petroleum Geologists
Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.A. 74101
Copyright 1997
©
The American Association of Petroleum Geologists
All Rights Reserved
Published 1997
Printed and bound in the United States of America
ISBN :0-89181-347-0
Seals, traps, and the petroleum system/ edited by R.C. Surdam.
p. em. -- (AAPG memoir: 67)
Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index.
ISBN 0-89181-347-0 (alk. paper)
1. Traps (Petroleum geology ) I. Surdam, Ronald C. II. Series.
TN870.57.S43 1997 97-20684
553.2'8--dc21 CIP
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ii
About the Editor
Ronald C. Surdam serves as director of the Institute for Energy Research
(IER), a multidisciplinary research organization founded in November 1993 at
the University of Wyoming to address problems relating to the exploitation of
natural gas resources, clastic diagenesis, thermal modeling, source rock matura­
tion, petrophysics, and pressure compartmentalization. He received an A.B. in
geology in 1961 and a Ph.D. in geology in 1967 from the University of California
at Los Angeles. Dr. Surdam joined the geology faculty at the University of
Wyoming in 1966, and has served as professor of geology since 1973. He was
selected as an AAPG Distinguished Lecturer (1985-86), the Don R. and Patricia
Boyd Distinguished Lecturer in Petroleum Exploration (1990), and the AAPG
Roy M. Huffington Distinguished Lecturer (1995-96). Dr. Surdam has served on
the National Science Foundation Geology /Geochemistry Advisory Panel
(1980-83), the U.S. Continental Scientific Drilling and Review Group (1990), the
American Chemical Society Advisory Panel (1988-93), and was elected Fellow in
the Geological Society of America (1989). He has presented 171 invited lectures,
taught numerous short courses and seminars for a variety of corporations and
scientific societies, and is the author or coauthor of 170 publications. Dr. Surdam
previously served as Associate Editor of the Bulletin of the Geological Society of
America (1989), and edited AAPG Memoir
37.
Dr. Surdam's current and recent research interests include the San Joaquin
and Coastal basins of California, the Gulf Coast, the Western Canada Basin, the
Rocky Mountain Laramide basins, the Potiguar and Renconcavo basins of Brazil,
the San Jorge Basin of Argentina, the Sinu Basin of Colombia, the Maracaibo
Basin of Venezuela, the Mahakam Delta of Indonesia, and the Gippsland Basin
of Australia. In all of these areas, he is generally interested in the petroleum sys­
tem, with special interest in source-reservoir rock relations; fluid-flow character­
istics, including sealing mechanisms; clastic diagenesis; and determination of the
spatial attributes of hydrocarbon accumulations.
iii
Acknowledgments
Many thanks and congratulations to the following authors and technical reviewers who worked diligently to
make this volume possible:
AUTHORS
David M. Allard Henry P. Heasler John T. Leftwich Hugh W. Reid
C.D. Atkinson Susan J. Hippler T.Leslie Leith John H. Sales
George W. Bolger Huseyin Is DebiT. Maucione John Sneider
Peter J. Boult Zun Sheng Jiao Randi S. Martinsen Robert M. Sneider
Terry Engelder John G. Kaldi John W. Neasham Ronald C. Surdam
A.E. Fallick Mark R. Krolow James C. Niemann Paul N. Theologou
J. Foden James Krushin Ron A. Noble KadirUygur
M. Arif Yiikler
REVIEWERS
William R. Almon William P. Iverson John W. Neasham Stephen A. Sonnenberg
David K. Baskin John G. Kaldi Peter D'Onfro Robert M. Sneider
Mark P. Fischer Randi S. Martinsen Olivier Poix Ronald J. Steele
Willim Higgs John McKay John H. Sales Brian Towler
Peter Huntoon Norman R. Morrow Leta K. Smith Charles L. Vavra
John Warme
I would like thank the Gas Research Institute (GRI) of Chicago for generously supporting various research pro­
grams at the Institute of Energy Research (IER); it is fair to say that the bulk of the work presented in Section III of
the memoir would not have been undertaken without GRI support. In fact, the innovative ideas of Dave Powley
(GRI; formerly of Amoco) provided the impetus to study and apprehend concepts relating to pressure seals and
compartments; subsequently, GRI has provided many resources and encouragement to accomplish this task.
In addition, I would like to acknowledge Alice Rush, David Copeland, and Laura Vass of the IER at the
University of Wyoming for their contributions to the volume. Allory Deiss (IER) created and improved graphics
for several authors in the memoir, and has been an invaluable part of this effort. I would also like to thank my
co-editor Kathy Kirkaldie (IER), who kept the effort progressing by accomplishing large and small tasks with
enthusiasm and optimism and always with a great deal of encouragement.
iv
Foreword
etroleum explorationists, in the ever increasingly After all, in many places in the world, our knowledge
difficult search for hydrocarbons, presently place of structural settings and source rock attributes have
P significant emphasis on integrated studies of been enhanced greatly, yet in these areas forecasting
source, conduit, seal and reservoir lithologies, and efficiencies do not begin to approach 68%.
traps (Magoon and Dow, 1994, and others in AAPG This AAPG memoir is a serious attempt to reduce
Memoir R.J. Murris (1984), in the introduction to uncertainty with respect to hydrocarbon traps and
60).
AAPG Memoir offers a real and graphic display of seals. Armed with the knowledge available in this vol­
35,
the importance of such integrated approaches to oil ume and the experiences willingly shared by its
and gas exploration. In his figure 1, based on an actual authors, explorationists will be able to get beyond the
case of 165 prospects, Murris (1984) nicely illustrates essential knowledge threshold and begin to take the
that ranking prospects by trap size alone increases steps necessary to acquire a better conceptual under­
forecasting efficiency of hydrocarbon accumulations standing of hydrocarbon traps and seals and produce
by 28% over a random drilling order. For quite some the diagnostic tools we so desperately need to expedite
time it has been apparent that the majority of success­ their development. In my opinion, in most frontier
ful wells are sited on structural closures, but it has prospective areas, 70% forecasting efficiencies will
been equally apparent that the majority of unsuccess­ only become a reality when techniques and technolo­
ful wells also are sited on structural closure. Murris gies are developed to detect, delineate, and quantify
(1984) demonstrates that by including geochemical the capacity of sealing lithologies, and the critical char­
charge and retention parameters (e.g., source potential, acteristics of trapping mechanisms are documented.
maturation history, and expulsion efficiency), a fore­ This memoir is divided into the following sections:
casting efficiency as high as 63% can be obtained. (I) Seal Characteristics: Processes Controlling Sealing
Murris (1984) argues that it is possible-by integrating Capacity; (II) Traps: Hydrocarbon Seals in a Regional
source rock studies with structural aspects during the Context; and (III) Pressure Seals and Fluid
evaluation of a prospect-to reduce exploration uncer­ Compartments. R.M. Sneider, J.S. Sneider, G. Bolger,
tainty significantly. and J.W. Neasham start Section I with a description
Magoon and Dow (1994) promoted a holistic of a new technique to measure sealing capacity using
approach to the evaluation of a "petroleum system" cuttings (i.e., hydrocarbon column heights). Prior to
by formalizing the integration of data on essential this work, analytical techniques were restricted to
elements and processes characterizing a petroleum core samples; because the coring of fine-grained
accumulation. Ultimately, they hoped that this lithologies occurs mainly by accident, quantitative
approach would reduce the risk of exploring for data on seals remained scarce. With the advent of the
hydrocarbon plays and prospects. They considered techniques outlined in this paper, essential seal data
source rocks, reservoir rocks, seal rocks, and over­ should become much more readily available. A paper
burden rocks as the essential elements of a petrole­ by R. Noble, J. Kaldi, and C.D. Atkinson discusses the
um system, and trapped formation and the genera­ role of hydrocarbons in fine-grained lithologies and
tion, migration, and accumulation of petroleum, the relates it to seal performance. J. Krushin's paper
vital processes affecting it. examines the use of pore-throat distribution to seal
After much discussion on petroleum systems with performance. In contrast, J. Niemann and M.R.
many exploration geologists, it has become clear to Krolow discuss a method to determine if faults exhib­
me that the least understood element in a petroleum it sealing or leaking characteristics.
system typically is the seal, and the least understood Section II of this memoir addresses seals in a
process in a petroleum system is the trapping of regional context; in other words, the trapping of
hydrocarbons. To be sure, if explorationists are to hydrocarbons. J. Sales starts the discussion with a
reach the 68% forecasting efficiency described by summary of his lifetime effort to understand the
Murris (1984), we must substantially improve our relationship between seal strength and trap closure.
understanding of seals and trapping mechanisms. This paper is followed by J. Kaldi and C.D. Atkinson
v
vi Surdam
with a neat case history that demonstrates the value In the last paper in this section, R.C. Surdam intro­
of evaluating sealing potential. Next the memoir duces a new exploration paradigm used in the search
includes papers by S.J. Hippler, and T.L. Leith and for anomalously pressured gas/ condensate accumu­
A. Fallick that discuss the role of fractures, diagene­ lations, or so-called "pressure compartments." The
sis, and organics in seals associated with North Sea memoir concludes with an appendix by H. Reid, in
oil fields. D. Allard discusses fault seal interpreta­ which analyses of drillstem test data are used to more
tion techniques that may improve our understand­ accurately assess the leakage potential and reservoir
ing of basin-specific seal integrity. P. Boult, P. quality of tight formations, even potential seals.
Theologou, and J. Faden continue the discussion of In summary, I believe that every explorationist can
hydrocarbon traps with a chapter on seal leakage learn something from the articles contained in this
and capillary properties in the Eromanga Basin of volume. I hope all who read it will more fully appre­
central Australia. This section of the memoir con­ ciate the role of seals and traps in determining the
cludes with a discussion of carbonate hydrocarbon spatial distribution of hydrocarbon accumulations.
reservoirs and seals in southeast Turkey by K. This AAPG memoir is the outgrowth of a very timely
Uygur, H. Is, and M. Yiikler. Hedberg Conference sponsored by the AAPG-a con­
Section III of the memoir deals with pressure seals ference that clearly demonstrated communication is
and pressure compartments, or anomalously pres­ the key to integrated scientific endeavors.
sured hydrocarbon accumulations. R.C. Surdam, Z. Good luck and success in your search for the ever­
Jiao, and H. Heasler start the discussion by describing elusive hydrocarbon.
anomalously pressured gas accumulations in Rocky
Mountain Laramide basins. They suggest that gas-sat­ Ronald C. Surdam
urated pressure compartments are a new class of
hydrocarbon accumulation. Next, R. Martinsen deter­
REFERENCES
mines the difference between a stratigraphic trap and
a fluid-pressure compartment. Stratigraphic elements Magoon, L.B., and W.G. Dow, 1994, The petroleum
and pressure seals are discussed by Z. Jiao and R.C. system, in L.B. Magoon and W.G. Dow, eds., The
Surdam, whereas T. Engelder and J. Leftwich present petroleum system from source to trap: AAPG
a case history of the role of faults in the establishment Memoir 60, p. 3-24.
of pressure seals and compartments. D. Maucione Murris, R.J., 1984, Introduction, in G. Demaison and
and R.C. Surdam next discuss the remote detection of R.J. Murris, eds., Petroleum geochemistry and
regional pressure seals using seismic reflection data. basin evolution: AAPG Memoir 35, p. x-xii.
vi
Table of Contents
Foreword R.C. Surdam
Section I Seal Characteristics: Processes Controlling Sealing Capacity
1 Comparison of Seal Capacity Determinations: Core vs. Cuttings . . . . . . . 1
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
R.M. Sneider, J.S. Sneider, G. W. Bolger, and J. Neasham
W.
2 Oil Saturation in Shales: Applications in Seal Evaluation . . . . . 13
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
R.A. Noble, J.G. Kaldi, and C.D. Atkinson
3 Seal Capacity of Nonsmectite Shale . . . . . . . 31
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
J. T. Krushin
4 Delineation of a Pressure Fault Seal from Shale Resistivities . . . . . . . . . . 49
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
J.C. Niemann and M.R. Krolow
Section II Traps: Hydrocarbon Seals in a Regional Context
5 Seal Strength vs. Trap Closure-A Fundamental Control on the Distribution
of Oil and Gas 57
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
J.K. Sales
6 Evaluating Seal Potential: Example from the Talang Akar Formation,
Offshore Northwest Java, Indonesia 85
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
f.G. Kaldi and C.D.Atkinson
7 Microstructures and Diagenesis in North Sea Fault Zones: Implications
for Fault-Seal Potential and Fault Migration rates . . 103
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
S.J. Hippler
8 Organic Geochemistry of Cap-Rock Hydrocarbons, Snorre Field,
Norwegian North Sea 115
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
T.L. Leith and A.E. Fallick
9 Fault Leak Controlled Trap Fill: Rift Basin Examples . . . . 135
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
D.M. Allard
10 Capillary Seals Within the Eromanga Basin, Australia: Implications
for Exploration and Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
P.J. Boult, P.N. Theologou, and J. Faden
11 Reservoir Characterization of Cretaceous Mardin Group Carbonates in
Bohikya-Cukurtas and Karakus Oil Fields, SE Turkey: A Petrographic
and Petrophysical Comparison of Overthrust and Foreland Zones 169
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
K. Uygur, H. Is, and M.A.Yiikler
vii
viii Table of Contents
Section III Pressure Seals and Fluid Compartments
12 Anomalously Pressured Gas Compartments in Cretaceous Rocks
of the Laramide Basins of Wyoming: A New Class of
Hydrocarbon Accumulation 199
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
R.C. Surdam, Z.S. Jiao, and H.P. Heasler
13 Stratigraphic Controls on the Development and Distribution of
Fluid-Pressure Compartments 223
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
R.S. Martinsen
14 Characteristics of Anomalously Pressured Cretaceous Shales in the
Laramide Basins of Wyoming 243
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Z.S. Jiao and R.C. Surdam
15 A Pore-Pressure Limit in Overpressured South Texas Oil and Gas Fields 255
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
T.Engelder and J. T. Leftwich
16 Seismic Response Characteristics of a Regional-Scale Pressure
Compartment Boundary, Alberta Basin, Canada . . . . . . . . . .. . . .................. 269
D.T.M aucione and R.C. Surdam
17 A New Paradigm for Gas Exploration in Anomalously Pressured
"Tight Gas Sands" in Rocky Mountain Laramide Basins 283
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
R.C. Surdam
Appendix Evaluating Seal Facies Permeability and Fluid Content from
Drill-Stem Test Data 299
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
H.W. Reid
Index 313
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
AAPG
Wishes to thank the following
for their generous contributions
to
Seals, Traps, and the Petroleum System
•
Amoco Production Company
•
Mobil Exploration and Producing Technical Center
•
PetroT ech Associates
•
John K. Sales
•
Contributions are applied against the production
costs of publication, thus directly reducing the book's
purchase price and making the volume
available to a greater audience.
ix