Resistivity of reservoir sandstones and organic rich shales on the Barents Shelf:Implications for interpreting CSEM data

Marine controlled source electromagnetic(CSEM)data have been utilized in the past decade during petroleum exploration of the Barents Shelf,particularly for de-risking the highly porous sandstone reservoirs of the Upper Triassic to Middle Jurassic Realgrunnen Subgroup.In this contribution we compare the resistivity response from CSEM data to resistivity from wireline logs in both water-and hydrocarbon-bearing wells.We show that there is a very good match between these types of data,particularly when reservoirs are shallow.CSEM data,however,only provide information on the subsurface resistivity.Careful,geology-driven interpretation of CSEM data is required to maximize the impact on exploration success.This is particularly important when quantifying the relative re-sistivity contribution of high-saturation hydrocarbon-bearing sandstone and that of the overlying cap rock.In the presented case the cap rock comprises predominantly organic rich Upper Jurassic-Early Cretaceous shales of the Hekkingen Formation(i.e.a regional source rock).The resistivity response of the reservoir and its cap rock become merged in CSEM data due to the transverse resistance equivalence principle.As a result of this,it is imperative to understand both the relative contributions from reservoir and cap rock,and the geological sig-nificance of any lateral resistivity variation in each of the units.In this contribution,we quantify the resistivity of organic rich mudstone,i.e.source rock,and reservoir sandstones,using 131 exploration boreholes from the Barents Shelf.The highest resistivity(＞10,000 Ωm)is evident in the hydrocarbon-bearing Realgrunnen Subgroup which is reported from 48 boreholes,43 of which are used for this study.Pay zone resistivity is primarily controlled by reservoir quality(i.e.porosity and shale fraction)and fluid phase(i.e.gas,oil and water saturation).In the investigated wells,the shale dominated Hekkingen Formation exhibits enhanced resistivity compared to the background(i.e.the underlying and overlying stratigraphy),though rarely exceeds 20Ωm.Marine mudstones typically show good correlation between measured organic richness and resistivity/sonic velocity log signatures.We conclude that the resistivity contribution to the CSEM response from hydrocarbon-bearing sandstones out-weighs that of the organic rich cap rocks.     

鄂西-渝东地区热史恢复及烃源岩成烃史

根据鄂西—渝东地区镜质体反射率数据进行的热史恢复结果表明:该区在晚二叠世初期达到最高古热流(可达68~78mW/m²,地表热流),从晚二叠世初到现今古热流持续降低,在侏罗纪末期古热流平均为~54mW/m²(地表热流);鄂西—渝东地区中生界与新生界之间不整合面的剥蚀量可达1700~4000m。成烃史研究表明:鄂西—渝东地区志留系烃源岩在晚志留世—早二叠世进入生油高峰,在早-中三叠世进入生气期,中侏罗世晚期进入过成熟干气阶段,快速生烃时期是在晚志留世、二叠纪—中三叠世及早-中侏罗世;而二叠系烃源岩在早三叠世进入生油门限,于中-晚三叠世达到生油高峰,在中-晚侏罗世进入生气期,晚侏罗世晚期进入过成熟,快速生烃时期是在早-中三叠世及侏罗纪。     

川东北地区不同构造带地层水化学特征与油气保存的关系

判断油气藏保存条件的优劣,除了盖层和断层封闭性之外,还有油气水的化学特征,如地层水的交替或油气散失。通过对川东北地区地层水的水型、矿化度、水性系数等参数的综合分析认为,川东北宣汉—达县地区与通江—南江—巴中地区的地层水具有矿化度高和氯镁系数越大,变质系数、脱硫系数和碳酸盐平衡系数就越小的特点。矿化度、水性系数及水型的变化具有很好的一致性,表明该区存在有利于油气保存的水文地质条件。     

有机质热演化过程中地层压力的作用与影响

压力对有机质演化的影响长期以来争论不断,共有3种不同意见：压力对有机质演化没有影响,压力促进有机质的演化,压力抑制有机质的演化。通过对前人所做实验的实验设备、实验样品及实验结果的分析对比发现：不同实验结果主要是由于不同实验条件引起的,特别是实验系统和加压方式的不同,对实验结果影响最大,所代表的地质意义也不同。综合分析结果表明,当压力的增加表现为沉积有机质受到的有效应力增加时可以促进有机质生烃;当压力的增加表现为孔隙流体压力增加时,有机质生烃过程将受到抑制;另外,这两种情况都可能使干酪根的镜质组反射率降低,易使人得出压力增加抑制有机质演化的结论。进一步对压力影响有机质演化的成因机制进行了分析,发现在有机质演化的不同阶段因异常压力的增压机制不同,压力在有机质演化过程中所表现出来的作用也有差异。     

广东雷州珍稀海洋生物国家级自然保护区水体和沉积物中石油类含量与分布特征

为了探讨广东雷州珍稀海洋生物国家级自然保护区海域水体和沉积物中石油类的含量及其分布特征,文章于2017年和2018年分别对保护区海域的石油类进行了调查。结果表明,保护区表层水体石油类含量为0.003~0.066mg/L,平均含量为0.015mg/L,平均污染指数为0.30,保护区水体中的石油类基本符合一类海水水质标准。保护区表层沉积物中石油类含量为3.0~54.8mg/kg,平均值为11.109mg/kg,符合海洋沉积物第一类质量标准。保护区水体和沉积物中石油类含量的变化规律基本相似,但是沉积物中石油类含量的变化更大。根据调查数据分析,保护区水体中石油类的主要来源是保护区社区小型渔船航行排放的石油类,以及保护区周边渔船在航行过程排放的石油类扩散到保护区海域。     

Seep mounds on the Southern Vøring Plateau (offshore Norway)

Multidisciplinary study of seep-related structures on Southern Vøring Plateau has been performed during several UNESCO/IOC TTR cruises on R/V Professor Logachev. High-resolution sidescan sonar and subbottom profiler data suggest that most of the studied fluid discharge structures have a positive relief at their central part surrounded by depression. Our data shows that the present day fluid activity is concentrated on the top of these “seep mounds”. Number of high hydrocarbon (HC) gas saturated sediment cores and 5 cores with gas hydrate presence have been recovered from these structures. δ¹³C of methane (between −68 and −94.6‰ VPDB) and dry composition of the gas points to its biogenic origin. The sulfate depletion generally occurs within the upper 30–200 cm bsf and usually coincides with an increase of methane concentration. Pore water δ¹⁸O ranges from 0.29 to 1.14‰ showing an overall gradual increase from bottom water values (δ¹⁸O ∼ 0.35‰). Although no obvious evidence of fluid seepage was observed during the TV surveys, coring data revealed a broad distribution of living Pogonophora and bacterial colonies on sea bottom inside seep structures. These evidences point to ongoing fluid activity (continuous seepage of methane) through these structures. From other side, considerable number and variety of chemosynthetic macro fauna with complete absence of living species suggest that present day level of fluid activity is significantly lower than it was in past. Dead and subfossil fauna recovered from various seep sites consist of solemyid (Acharax sp.), thyasirid and vesicomyid (cf. Calyptogena sp.) bivalves belonging to chemosymbiotic families. Significant variations in δ¹³C (−31.6‰ to −59.2‰) and δ¹⁸O (0.42‰ and 6.4‰) of methane-derived carbonates collected from these structures most probably related to changes in gas composition and bottom water temperature between periods of their precipitation. This led us to ideas that: (1) seep activity on the Southern Vøring Plateau was started with large input of the deep thermogenic gas and gradually decries in time with increasing of biogenic constituent; (2) authigenic carbonate precipitation started at the near normal deep sea environments with bottom water temperature around +5 °C and continues with gradual cooling up to negative temperatures recording at present time.     

Miocene facies associations and sedimentary evolution of the Southern Transylvanian Basin (Romania): Implications for hydrocarbon exploration

The Transylvanian Basin is a mature hydrocarbon province of Romania characterized by two petroleum systems: Mesozoic (thermogenic) and Miocene (biogenic). An extensive outcrop-based sedimentological and micropaleontological study correlated to seismic and well data discusses the elements of the Miocene petroleum system. The facies associations are indicative of alluvial, fandelta, shallow- and deep-marine settings. These are grouped into four different depositional systems (evaporite, mud-carbonate, sand-mud and sand-gravel). Their evolution in time and space shows large differences between various parts of the basin that have important consequences for exploration.     

Improved understanding of petroleum migration history in the Hongche fault zone,northwestern Junggar Basin (northwest China): Constrained by vein-calcite fluid inclusions and trace elements

Calcite veins and cements occur widely in Carboniferous and Permian reservoirs of the Hongche fault zone, northwestern Junggar Basin in northwest China. The calcites were investigated by fluid inclusion and trace-element analyses, providing an improved understanding of the petroleum migration history. It is indicated that the Hongche fault behaved as a migration pathway before the Early Cretaceous, allowing two oil charges to migrate into the hanging-wall, fault-core and footwall reservoirs across the fault. Since the Late Cretaceous, the Hongche fault has been sealed. As a consequence, meteoric water flowed down only into the hanging-wall and fault-core reservoirs. The meteoric-water incursion is likely an important cause for degradation of reservoir oils. In contrast, the footwall reservoirs received gas charge (the third hydrocarbon event) following the Late Cretaceous. This helps explain the distribution of petroleum across the fault. This study provides an example of how a fault may evolve as pathway and seal over time, and how reservoir diagenetic minerals can provide clues to complex petroleum migration histories.     

Scientific advice in integrated ocean management: The process towards the Barents Sea plan

It is widely held that integrated management of ocean areas needs to be based on integrated scientific advice. Such advice crosses disciplinary and traditional sector boundaries. This paper aims to provide insight into the role of science and scientific knowledge in a process towards integrated ocean management. It does so by exploring the organization of the process towards the integrated management plan for the Barents Sea-Lofoten area in Norway. It sheds light on the complexity of management questions in a context characterized by uncertainty and political controversy, largely concerning petroleum activity. Scientists were asked to provide a dynamic view on these issues and have delivered important material that furthers the task of policy development. However, there is a persisting lack of understanding about the consequences of human impact on the ecosystem. The paper finishes by pointing at the need for a larger societal discussion on what activities we consider appropriate, considering the limits of science to provide the knowledge base for questions that transcend the environmental domain.     

Geochemical overview and undiscovered gas resources generated from Hamitabat petroleum system in the Thrace Basin,Turkey

Since the first drill in 1957, three oil, 19 gas and condensate fields have been discovered in the Thrace Basin. However, any petroleum system with its essential elements and processes has not been assigned yet. This study consists of two parts, (1) geochemical overview of the previous work in order to get a necessary help to construct a petroleum system and (2) calculation of quantitative undiscovered hydrocarbon resources generated from this system. An extensive overview study showed that the primary reservoir and source rocks in the Thrace Basin are the Middle Eocene Hamitabat sandstones and shales, respectively, hence it appears that the most effective petroleum system of the Thrace Basin becomes the Hamitabat (!) petroleum system. Currently, 18.5 billion m³ of in-place gas, 2.0 million m³ (12.7 million bbl) in-place waxy oil as well as minor amount of associated condensate were discovered from this system. This study showed that the regional distribution of the oil and gas fields almost overlapped with the previously constructed pod of active Hamitabat shales implying that short and up-dip vertical migration pathway of hydrocarbons from the source to trapping side was available. Thermal model demonstrated that hydrocarbon generation from the Hamitabat shales commenced in the Early Miocene. The amount of quantitative gas generation based on the mean-original TOC = 0.94 wt%, mean-original HI = 217 HC/g TOC and the volume of the pod of active source rock = 49 km³ is approximately 110 billion m³ of gaseous hydrocarbons that results in a high generation–accumulation efficiency of 17% when 18.5 billion m³ of already discovered hydrocarbons are considered.