Sedimentology and Depositional Environments of Deep-water Deposits
Consultant/Trainer: Evert van de Graaff
The Petrogenium (in collaboration with EPTS) Sedimentology and Depositional Environments of Deep-water Deposits course will provide participants training covering the theory and application of sedimentology and depositional environments of deep-water deposits. A good understanding of how depositional processes control the distribution of deep water reservoir and non-reservoir rocks in the subsurface is of fundamental importance to sound EP decision making. This applies throughout a field’s life-cycle, all the way from the exploration phase, through appraisal, field development and finally field abandonment.
Participants
This Petrogenium course is aimed at Geoscientists who need to fully understand the origins of deep-water sedimentary systems.
Learning Objectives
Participants will be trained in theory and application of sedimentology and depositional environments of deep-water deposits. The course comprises an extensive series of topic-related modules, with provision to include workshops on Client &/or student datasets. The course can be concluded with a multiple choice test.
Day 1
Course Intro & Refresher: Why soft rock geology matters to the Oil industry
- significance of stratigraphy & sedimentology to the E&P sector
- impact of reservoir heterogeneity on fluid flow; sedimentary characteristics as a control on poroperm
- fundamentals of reservoir modeling workflow; overview of sedimentary systems; correlation of well data and building the fluid flow model
Deepwater petroleum systems overview
- deep water discoveries
- fields in deep water vs fields in deep water deposits
- petroleum systems in deep-water settings; trap styles in deep water
- importance of mobile substrates [salt &/or shale]; exploration risk: importance of DHIs / AVO; offshore economics & need for high productivity
- deep water development options.
Deepwater petroleum systems & source rocks
- lacustrine source rocks in syn-rift settings
- marine source rocks & sea level change; Black Sea: present day source rock factory
- ‘Ice House’ vs ‘Green House’ oceanic circulation
- Jurassic Kimmeridge Clay: submarine fan sands interfingering with source rock
Day 2
Deepwater mass-flow depositional mechanisms
- introductory overview and review of gravity-flow / mass-flow sediment transport mechanisms [slumps / debris flows / grain flows / turbidites]
- three main settings: west coast California / sea level low-stands with deltas reaching shelf slope / seismically induced shelf slope collapse & Grand Banks case study
- tectono-sedimentary setting as a control on mass-flow sediment transportation; review of slumps / debris flows / grain flows / turbidites and likely reservoir characteristics; turbidites – vertical [Bouma sequence] and lateral depositional characteristics; dimensions of turbidite systems
- mud-rich / mixed sand-mud / sand-rich as a control of type of submarine fan; overview comparison clastic versus carbonate deepwater deposits
Deepwater contourite depositional systems
- oceanic circulation systems; Hjulström / Sundborg diagram; examples of contourite deposits
Deepwater mass-flow clastic sedimentary systems
- dimensions of clastic deepwater mass-flow systems; sediment supply to deepwater; linkage with sea level; glaciations & sea level
- sea level low-stand > key control on turbidite sedimentation; submarine fan models & terminology, comparison deepwater fans – subaerial fans – deltas; autoclycicity; vertical sequence in fan deposits; thin bed effects [shaley sands evaluation] in basin plain & levee deposits; shelf edge collapse & megaturbidites
- analogues from 3D seismic & from outcrops; proximal channel deposits > levee deposits > basin-plain deposits
- ‘milking’ 3-D seismic to characterise deep water deposits; describing geometry of deep water deposits [translating geological jargon into descriptive terms]
Day 3
Refresher on carbonates: reefal build-ups as sources of deep water carbonates
- comparison clastic & carbonate depositional systems
- Bahama platform; sea level as key control on carbonate sedimentation; main types of carbonate factory – Tropical factory / Cool water factory / Mud mound factory; T-factory & M-mound factory: common sources of deep water carbonates
- T & M factory during Phanerozoic; T-factory reefal systems – geometry & distribution
Slope & basin floor fan systems – Gulf of Mexico clastics case studies
- Gulf of Mexico depositional system; salt diapirism as a control on sea floor topography
- sea floor topography and turbidite sedimentation & distribution; turbidite classification & depositional architecture; value of inversion modeling for reservoir characterization
Slope systems Angola – clastics case study
- stratigraphic & sedimentological setting; seismic expression; reservoir heterogeneity; core / log characteristics; reservoir characteristics
Proximal slope & basin floor settings North Sea – clastics case studies
- Brae field – coarse grained proximal fan; reservoir heterogeneity & recovery; Schiehallion field – channelized turbidites
- reservoir connectivity; Nelson field – channelized basin floor fan
- delayed development of a 400+ million barrel UR field due to not understanding a ‘dry hole’
- impact of sea floor topography on sand distribution; crestal versus flank well control
- impact on volumetrics of T/Z variation between crest and flank; impact of shaley sands on volumetrics
Proximal slope & basin floor settings North Sea – clastics case studies
- Brae field – coarse grained proximal fan; reservoir heterogeneity & recovery; Schiehallion field – channelized turbidites
- reservoir connectivity; Nelson field – channelized basin floor fan
- delayed development of a 400+ million barrel UR field due to not understanding a ‘dry hole’
- impact of sea floor topography on sand distribution; crestal versus flank well control
- impact on volumetrics of T/Z variation between crest and flank; impact of shaley sands on volumetrics
Day 4
Slope & basin floor fan systems – Nigeria – clastics case studies
- Niger delta – depositional and structural characteristics
- growth faulting & shale diapirs; slope mini-basins versus outboard plays; the outboard play – Bonga; reservoir heterogeneity, 4D seismic & fluid displacement
- mini-basin play; depositional architecture & shale diapirism; stratigraphic reservoir compartmentalization
- 3D seismic & reservoir characterization – value of AVO & inversion; shaley sands evaluation and production performance; reservoir compartmentalization & drive mechanisms
Carbonate mass flow deposits – case studies
- Devonian reefs [Canning Basin – NW Australia]; fore reef setting – debris flows & olistostrome deposits
- mixed clastic & carbonate system; Jurassic carbonate platform – slope – basin [Marocco]
- proximal slope channel deposits versus distal basin plain deposits; Cretaceous fore reef deposits [Poza Rica / Golden Lane system – Mexico]
- seismic expression; reservoir characteristics; seismic facies & prediction of reservoir characteristics
- Cretaceous Chalks [North Sea]; pelagic deep water carbonates; Cretaceous 1st order high sea-level stand & carbonate sedimentation; allochthonous versus autochthonous chalks & reservoir quality; impact of Chixculub K/T event on reservoir quality; modern Bahama platform – distribution of deep water mass flow deposits; comparison clastic & carbonate deep water deposits; key characteristics & dimensions of carbonate slope deposits
Day 5
Optional modules upon request [depending on students’ general level of sedimentological / stratigraphic knowledge]
- Module: Sea level & Eustacy fundamentals
- Module: Sequence stratigraphy concepts
Overview and summary
Optional workshop module
- Presentation by students of own data sets with review & discussion in workshop format
Multiple choice course test (optional on client request)
Programme
Day 1
Course Intro & Refresher: Why soft rock geology matters to the Oil industry
- significance of stratigraphy & sedimentology to the E&P sector
- impact of reservoir heterogeneity on fluid flow; sedimentary characteristics as a control on poroperm
- fundamentals of reservoir modeling workflow; overview of sedimentary systems; correlation of well data and building the fluid flow model
Deepwater petroleum systems overview
- deep water discoveries
- fields in deep water vs fields in deep water deposits
- petroleum systems in deep-water settings; trap styles in deep water
- importance of mobile substrates [salt &/or shale]; exploration risk: importance of DHIs / AVO; offshore economics & need for high productivity
- deep water development options.
Deepwater petroleum systems & source rocks
- lacustrine source rocks in syn-rift settings
- marine source rocks & sea level change; Black Sea: present day source rock factory
- ‘Ice House’ vs ‘Green House’ oceanic circulation
- Jurassic Kimmeridge Clay: submarine fan sands interfingering with source rock
Day 2
Deepwater mass-flow depositional mechanisms
- introductory overview and review of gravity-flow / mass-flow sediment transport mechanisms [slumps / debris flows / grain flows / turbidites]
- three main settings: west coast California / sea level low-stands with deltas reaching shelf slope / seismically induced shelf slope collapse & Grand Banks case study
- tectono-sedimentary setting as a control on mass-flow sediment transportation; review of slumps / debris flows / grain flows / turbidites and likely reservoir characteristics; turbidites – vertical [Bouma sequence] and lateral depositional characteristics; dimensions of turbidite systems
- mud-rich / mixed sand-mud / sand-rich as a control of type of submarine fan; overview comparison clastic versus carbonate deepwater deposits
Deepwater contourite depositional systems
- oceanic circulation systems; Hjulström / Sundborg diagram; examples of contourite deposits
Deepwater mass-flow clastic sedimentary systems
- dimensions of clastic deepwater mass-flow systems; sediment supply to deepwater; linkage with sea level; glaciations & sea level
- sea level low-stand > key control on turbidite sedimentation; submarine fan models & terminology, comparison deepwater fans – subaerial fans – deltas; autoclycicity; vertical sequence in fan deposits; thin bed effects [shaley sands evaluation] in basin plain & levee deposits; shelf edge collapse & megaturbidites
- analogues from 3D seismic & from outcrops; proximal channel deposits > levee deposits > basin-plain deposits
- ‘milking’ 3-D seismic to characterise deep water deposits; describing geometry of deep water deposits [translating geological jargon into descriptive terms]
Day 3
Refresher on carbonates: reefal build-ups as sources of deep water carbonates
- comparison clastic & carbonate depositional systems
- Bahama platform; sea level as key control on carbonate sedimentation; main types of carbonate factory – Tropical factory / Cool water factory / Mud mound factory; T-factory & M-mound factory: common sources of deep water carbonates
- T & M factory during Phanerozoic; T-factory reefal systems – geometry & distribution
Slope & basin floor fan systems – Gulf of Mexico clastics case studies
- Gulf of Mexico depositional system; salt diapirism as a control on sea floor topography
- sea floor topography and turbidite sedimentation & distribution; turbidite classification & depositional architecture; value of inversion modeling for reservoir characterization
Slope systems Angola – clastics case study
- stratigraphic & sedimentological setting; seismic expression; reservoir heterogeneity; core / log characteristics; reservoir characteristics
Proximal slope & basin floor settings North Sea – clastics case studies
- Brae field – coarse grained proximal fan; reservoir heterogeneity & recovery; Schiehallion field – channelized turbidites
- reservoir connectivity; Nelson field – channelized basin floor fan
- delayed development of a 400+ million barrel UR field due to not understanding a ‘dry hole’
- impact of sea floor topography on sand distribution; crestal versus flank well control
- impact on volumetrics of T/Z variation between crest and flank; impact of shaley sands on volumetrics
Proximal slope & basin floor settings North Sea – clastics case studies
- Brae field – coarse grained proximal fan; reservoir heterogeneity & recovery; Schiehallion field – channelized turbidites
- reservoir connectivity; Nelson field – channelized basin floor fan
- delayed development of a 400+ million barrel UR field due to not understanding a ‘dry hole’
- impact of sea floor topography on sand distribution; crestal versus flank well control
- impact on volumetrics of T/Z variation between crest and flank; impact of shaley sands on volumetrics
Day 4
Slope & basin floor fan systems – Nigeria – clastics case studies
- Niger delta – depositional and structural characteristics
- growth faulting & shale diapirs; slope mini-basins versus outboard plays; the outboard play – Bonga; reservoir heterogeneity, 4D seismic & fluid displacement
- mini-basin play; depositional architecture & shale diapirism; stratigraphic reservoir compartmentalization
- 3D seismic & reservoir characterization – value of AVO & inversion; shaley sands evaluation and production performance; reservoir compartmentalization & drive mechanisms
Carbonate mass flow deposits – case studies
- Devonian reefs [Canning Basin – NW Australia]; fore reef setting – debris flows & olistostrome deposits
- mixed clastic & carbonate system; Jurassic carbonate platform – slope – basin [Marocco]
- proximal slope channel deposits versus distal basin plain deposits; Cretaceous fore reef deposits [Poza Rica / Golden Lane system – Mexico]
- seismic expression; reservoir characteristics; seismic facies & prediction of reservoir characteristics
- Cretaceous Chalks [North Sea]; pelagic deep water carbonates; Cretaceous 1st order high sea-level stand & carbonate sedimentation; allochthonous versus autochthonous chalks & reservoir quality; impact of Chixculub K/T event on reservoir quality; modern Bahama platform – distribution of deep water mass flow deposits; comparison clastic & carbonate deep water deposits; key characteristics & dimensions of carbonate slope deposits
Day 5
Optional modules upon request [depending on students’ general level of sedimentological / stratigraphic knowledge]
- Module: Sea level & Eustacy fundamentals
- Module: Sequence stratigraphy concepts
Overview and summary
Optional workshop module
- Presentation by students of own data sets with review & discussion in workshop format
Multiple choice course test (optional on client request)