Sedimentary Basins and Oil Reservoirs

Recommended Prerequisites

General knowledge of geology and structural geology.

Teaching Methods

The training is presential and, if possible, should include field work. It also includes a permanent contact with informatics tools, allowing the use of real data on seismic reflexion and well logs, and also the modelling of subsidence and burial, controlling the organic matter thermal maturation.

Learning Outcomes

A. To integrate multidisciplinary exploration teams and to produce specific geologic reports;

B. To analyze, summarize and communicate information on hydrocarbon systems;

C. To identify and add value to the ethic and environmental components of the sustainable hydrocarbon exploration.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

a) Concepts and principles supporting the study of the sedimentary basins and the hydrocarbon resources.

b) Geotectonic framework of the main hydrocarbon provinces. The genesis, evolution and termination of a sedimentary basin. Global and regional controls of the sedimentary basins.

c) Origin and composition of oil and gas

d) Concept of an hydrocarbon system and events chart

e) Elements and processes of the hydrocarbon systems, The source rock and the organic matter maturation during burial; The hydrocarbon migration and the reservoir rocks; Seals and traps: structural and stratigraphic; Overmaturation and critical moments of the hydrocarbon systems; Analysis of hydrocarbon systems examples

f) Methods and steps of the exploration

g) Risk assessment. Reserves and volumes

h) Development processes of discoveries

i) Hydrocarbon potential in the area of each edition of the course.

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Synthesis work: 45.0%
Exam: 55.0%

Bibliography

Jon Gluyas and Richard Swarbrick, 2004, Petroleum Geoscience, Blackwell Science Ltd.;

Knut Bjørlykke, 2010, Petroleum Geoscience: From Sedimentary Environments to Rock Physics, Springer.