Enhanced Reservoir Studies

Enhanced Reservoir Studies

Hydrocarbon reservoirs are unique and highly variable. What is intuitive in one may not be relevant to another. To better understand each individual geological setting or formation, our geoscientists interpret and integrate correlations on a basin-wide or local scale.

SOURCE ROCK GEOCHEMISTRY

Reservoir productivity depends upon the petroleum generating potential of the source rock which is directly related to organic richness and thermal maturity. New developments have led to source rocks being not only the origin of hydrocarbons, but also potentially prolific reservoirs. Geochemical analysis includes:

  • Initial source rock investigation
  • Total Organic Carbon (TOC)
  • RocEval pyrolysis
  • Vitrinite reflectance
  • Source rock mapping
  • Maturity
  • Kerogen window

BIOSTRATIGRAPHY

Capturing the microfossil distribution in rocks reveals age and depositional environments which help correlate strata between locations to develop a stratigraphic framework. Biostratigraphic deliverables include:

  • Chronstratigraphic dating to confirm mineral rights
  • High resolution for precise correlation
  • Biofacies analysis for depositional modelling (including Nanno-fossils, Forams, and Palynology)
  • Chronostratigraphic correlation of sequences
 

ICHNOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

The Ichnofacies (environment correlations) and Ichnofabric (burrow density / permeability) concepts are important paleontological techniques for interpreting ancient depositional environments and their potential. Trace fossils have remained relatively constant in appearance since Cambrian time, and the interpretation of these fossil assemblages can be divided according to a specific paleoenvironmental scheme. This information can establish:

  • Depositional paleoenvironment
  • Energy stratum
  • Stratigraphic architecture
  • Bathymetric profile
  • Bioturbated sedimentary fabrics
  • Vertical permeability (burrow density, etc)
  • Applications to hydrogeology

These Enhanced Reservoir Studies can help identify new plays and yield information on hydrocarbon maturation and migration pathways, diagenetic history of a formation, gross depositional environments, bathymetry, facies and short to long distance formation correlations.