Principles Of Petroleum Geology

Principles of Petroleum Development Geology examines concepts that are fundamental to the success of tomorrow's petroleum geologists whether they call themselves exploration, development or environmental geologists. Petroleum development geology contains strong aspects of structural geology, reservoir engineering, drilling engineering, petrophysics, reflection seismology, and petroleum land management. This textbook is designed to outline the most salient aspects of these disciplines as they apply to development geology. Written on an introductory level, the book places emphasis on principles. Field examples and practical problems with solutions are included.

Elements of Petroleum Geology, Fourth Edition is a useful primer for geophysicists, geologists and petroleum engineers in the oil industry who wish to expand their knowledge beyond their specialized area. It is also an excellent introductory text for a university course in petroleum geoscience. This updated edition includes new case studies on non-conventional exploration, including tight oil and shale gas exploration, as well as coverage of the impacts on petroleum geology on the environment. Sections on shale reservoirs, flow units and containers, IOR and EOR, giant petroleum provinces, halo reservoirs, and resource estimation methods are also expanded. Written by a preeminent petroleum geologist and sedimentologist with decades of petroleum exploration in remote corners of the world Covers information pertinent to everyone working in the oil and gas industry, especially geophysicists, geologists and petroleum reservoir engineers Fully revised with updated references and expanded coverage of topics and new case studies

Knowledge of the principles and methods of petroleum sedimentology is essential for oil and gas exploration and exploitation. This book is designed as an introductory text for students in petroleum geology and applied sedimentology as well as a useful companion for advanced technicians, explorationists, geophysicists and petroleum engineers. Source rock, lithology and type of trap define the quality of a hydrocarbon accumulation. This interrelationship is exemplified by seven case histories worldwide (NW Europe, Saudi Arabia, U.S.A., Mexico, CIS, China). Moreover, successful exploitation and enhanced oil recovery often depend on an adequate knowledge of the sedimentology of a reservoir. Photographs illustrate macroscopic and microscopic aspects of source rocks as well as reservoir sandstones and limestones that are most important for hydrocarbon exploration. A comprehensive list of references encourages further study.

Volume 1 of this book dealt with the techniques behind the acquisition, processing and interpretation of basic reservoir data. This second vol ume is devoted to the study, verification and prediction of reservoir behaviour, and methods of increasing productivity and oil recovery. I should like to bring a few points to the reader's attention. Firstly, the treatment of immiscible displacement by the method of characteristics. The advantage of this approach is that it brings into evidence the various physical aspects of the process, especially its dependence on the properties of the fluids concerned, and on the velocity of displacement. It was not until after the publication of the first, Italian, edition of this book (February 1990) that I discovered a similar treatment in the book Enhanced Oil Recovery, by Larry W. Lake, published in 1989. Another topic that I should like to bring to the reader's attention is the forecasting of reservoir behaviour by the method of identified models. This original contribution to reservoir engineering is based on systems theory - a science which should, in my opinion, find far wider applica tion, in view of the "black box" nature of reservoirs and their responses to production processes.

The need for this book has arisen from demand for a current text from our students in Petroleum Engineering at Imperial College and from post-experience Short Course students. It is, however, hoped that the material will also be of more general use to practising petroleum engineers and those wishing for aa introduction into the specialist literature. The book is arranged to provide both background and overview into many facets of petroleum engineering, particularly as practised in the offshore environments of North West Europe. The material is largely based on the authors' experience as teachers and consultants and is supplemented by worked problems where they are believed to enhance understanding. The authors would like to express their sincere thanks and appreciation to all the people who have helped in the preparation of this book by technical comment and discussion and by giving permission to reproduce material. In particular we would like to thank our present colleagues and students at Imperial College and at ERC Energy Resource Consultants Ltd. for their stimulating company, Jill and Janel for typing seemingly endless manuscripts; Dan Smith at Graham and Trotman Ltd. for his perseverence and optimism; and Lesley and Joan for believing that one day things would return to normality. John S. Archer and Colin G. Wall 1986 ix Foreword Petroleum engineering has developed as an area of study only over the present century. It now provides the technical basis for the exploitation of petroleum fluids in subsurface sedimentary rock reservoirs.