top of page

SCO1: Petroleum Systems

2024 Programme

1 Day | £375+VAT per attendee

Course Aims

To provide an overview of Petroleum Systems analysis and its key role in the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons.

​

Target Audience​

Wellsite Geologists, Operations Geologists, Drilling Engineers, Mudloggers, LWD Engineers, Directional Drillers, Support Staff.

​

Delegates Will Learn:

  • The geological elements (source, reservoir, cap and overburden rocks) which comprise a Petroleum System;

  • The geological processes (Generation, Expulsion, Migration, Trap Formation) which comprise a Petroleum System;

  • Key aspects of fluid and formation fracture pressure, and the critical part they play in petroleum systems;

  • How to investigate, describe and document Petroleum Systems for exploration and future development.

Course Outline

Introduction

  • What Is a Petroleum System?

  • Elements and Processes

  • Petroleum Systems Explained

​

Elements of a Petroleum System

Source Rocks

  • Requirements of a Source Rock

  • Organic Material and Rock Type

  • Kerogens

  • Kerogen Quality

  • Kerogen and Hydrogen Abundance

  • Kerogen Types

  • Type I Kerogens

  • Type II Kerogens

  • Type II Kerogens

  • Type IV Kerogens

  • Evaluating Source Rocks

  • Evaluating Organic Material

  • Total Organic Carbon

  • Thermal Maturity

  • Ways of measuring Thermal Maturity

  • Vitrinite Reflectance

  • Immature Source Rocks

  • The Oil Window

  • The Gas Window 

  • Overmaturity

  • Classification of Source Rocks

Reservoir Rocks​

  • Requirements of a Reservoir Rock

  • Matrix Porosity and Permeability

  • Measuring Matrix Porosity and Permeability

  • Matrix Porosity and Depth

  • Fracture Porosity and Permeability

  • Naturally Fractured Reservoirs

  • Identifying Natural Fractures

  • Fractures and Porosity

  • Fractures and Permeability

  • Types of Reservoir Rock

  • Clastic Sedimentary Environments

  • Carbonate Sedimentary Environments

  • Example Clastic Reservoir: Brent Group,

  • North Sea

  • Example Carbonate Reservoir: Arab-D,

  • Saudi Arabia

  • Unconventional Reservoirs

​

Elements (Continued)

  • Cap Rocks and Overburden Rocks

  • Requirements of a Cap Rock

  • Overburden Rocks

  • Pore Pressure Explained

  • Hydrostatic Pore Pressure

  • Hydrostatic Pore Pressure Illustrated

  • Overpressure

  • Overpressure Illustrated

  • Pore Pressure and Permeability

  • Overpressure in a Rock Column

  • Hydrocarbon Buoyancy

  • Fracture Pressure and Fracture Strength

  • Cap Rocks and Fracture Pressure

  • Hydrostatic Systems

  • HPHT Systems

​

Processes in a Petroleum System

Migration

  • Primary Migration

  • Primary Migration Explained

  • Microfractures

  • Tectonic Fractures

  • Secondary Migration

  • Secondary Migration Explained

  • Migration Pathways

  • Migration Distance

  • Tertiary Migration

  • Tertiary Migration Explained

  • Oil Seeps

  • Migration Efficiency

  • Migration Efficiency Explained

Hydrocarbon Traps​

  • Hydrocarbon Traps Explained

  • Classification of Hydrocarbon Traps

  • Structural traps

  • Anticline Traps

  • Example Anticline Trap: Forties Field

  • Fault Traps

  • Example Fault Trap: Mamora Field

  • Salt Diapir Traps

  • Example Diapir Trap: Mungo Field

  • Stratigraphic Traps

  • Erosional Traps

  • Depositional Traps
     

Processes (Continued)

  • Example Stratigraphic Trap: Shetland

  • Hydrodynamic Traps

  • Hydrodynamic Traps Explained

  • Example Hydrodynamic Trap: Halfdan Field

​

Describing Petroleum Systems

  • Petroleum System Investigation

  • Naming a Petroleum System

  • Burial History and Critical Moment

  • Oil-Oil and -Source Rock Correlation

  • Geographic Extent

  • Stratigraphic and Temporal Extent

  • Events Chart

  • Size of the Petroleum System

  • Generation: Accumulation Efficiency

Course Leaders

Dr T. Huw Sheppard

Dr T. Huw Sheppard

Petroleum Geology Expert

huw.sheppard@stag-geological.com
+44 (0) 118 982 0151

bottom of page