Exploration: Regional Evaluation

In this session, we will discuss the following point

 Exploring the sedimentary basins where geologists search for oil and gas fields.
 The concept of petroleum systems.
 How geologists simulate the petroleum system process with basin modeling to
guide hydrocarbon exploration.
 The main characteristics of petroleum regions all around the world .

Earth's history extends over a very long period of 540 million years from the beginning
of the Paleozoic period until the present day, which is the latest part of the Cenozoic era.

Studying petroleum exploration means answering the next three questions:

1. Which are the main geological features at the present day and during past times?
2. When were hydrocarbons generated?
3. Is it possible to find large accumulations of oil and gas?

41 | P a g e
A petroleum system is characterized by three main components related to geology.
1. The presence of a source rock:
a) The rock which could produce hydrocarbons from its preserved organic matter.
b) It is generally an impermeable rock such as thin sediments or shales.
2. The presence of a reservoir rock:
a) This is the rock in which hydrocarbons are accumulated over time.
b) It is a permeable rock, such as carbonates or sandstones.
3. The presence of a seal or cap rock:
a) This is the rock which prevents hydrocarbon leaks.
b) Seal rocks are impermeable rocks such as salt or shales.

The petroleum system is also characterized by two main components related to dynamic
processes due to fluid movement:
1. The first process is the migration of hydrocarbons:
a) Once the organic matter has been transformed to oil or gas hydrocarbons could
be expelled from the source rock under specific conditions.
b) Then, hydrocarbons continue to move across the permeable sediments and faults
to reach the reservoir rock.
2. The second process is called trapping:
a) A large volume of hydrocarbon migrating into a trap results in fluid or gas
accumulation.
b) Gas on top, water below and oil in between.

42 | P a g e
Basin Modelling
Discovering reservoirs and traps is very challenging especially in underexplored
basins. So to guide this difficult task, a modelling tool has been developed by geologists
to simulate the basin geology and the hydrocarbon generation processes

The first key question was: “What is the present day and past geology?”
Simulating the backward sedimentary deposition through times until retrieving the
present day geology

When was hydrocarbon generated?

the maturation of organic matter inside the source rock is displayed and hydrocarbon
maturation happened during the Cretaceous period.

43 | P a g e
Is it possible to find large accumulations of oil and gas in this basin?
This is done by simulating the various oil migration pathways. In conclusion we can
define a petroleum system when all the phenomena that make the accumulation of oil
are present.

We can summarize graphically all the information we have explained by a table called
the petroleum system chart.

 The trap must be formed before and during hydrocarbon migration and the trap
integrity must be preserved until a sufficient quantity of hydrocarbon has been
generated to fill up the trap.
 Stars indicate the formations where accumulations could be present and which
could become potential hydrocarbon reservoirs.

44 | P a g e
The main petroleum regions in the world

Deep offshore zones with a water depth between 1 and 3 km are more recently
explored basins.

Frontier basins are the more recent areas for exploration.

 Require very innovative techniques because of the difficulties of accessibility.
 Examples of such regions are ultra-deep offshore areas with water depth greater
than 3.5 km and compressive mountain belts, such as the exploration in the South
American Cordillera.

45 | P a g e
46 | P a g e