ES486 Petroleum Geology Final Exam Study Guide

Winter 2015

Exam Format

Two-Part Exam, Thursday March 19, 2015:

Part 1 - Closed Book, short answer essay – terms and definitions, draw sketches, long answer essay – “compare
and contrast”, “discuss”, “explain”.

Part 2, Open Book, lab-style problem solving, you will be able to use all of your class resources to solve math-
based, lab-style problems.

Study Tips

- go through the web site, look at the figures and slide shows, compare to notes
- use study guide in combination with notes
- go back through the in class / lab exercises, make sure you can work the math / units
- spend a couple days studying, the exam will be essay and there is much material.
- don't wait until the last minute!
- carefully go through the notes, some of the material we briefly discussed, but did not spend much time
on in class... but the notes will give you the detail
-finish all your lab exercises and readings before taking the exam!!! Lab questions will appear.
-Exam format: Part 1. Closed book short answer / essay. Part 2. Open-book lab-style problem solving.

Final Digital Lab Portfolio Moodle Upload Due Thursday March 19, 2015

1
Recommendation: Porosity loss vs. compaction
Review Selley “Essentials of Cementation vs. porosity
Petroleum Geology” Text Depth-compaction curves Sedimentary Basins and
Chapters (posted on Moodle Clay diagenesis / dewatering Petroleum Systems (Selley
class site); Review class notes Carbonate diagenesis Chapter 8)
on ES486 web site; review Dolomitization http://www.wou.edu/las/physci/taylor/es486_pet
ro/8_Sed_Basins_Petro_Systems.pdf
class slide shows Calcite-Dolomite
Transformation Sedimentary Basin
KEY WORD SUMMARY Reservoir shape / continuity Structural vs. Topographic
Sheet vs. ribbon vs. pod Basin
Reservoirs (Selley Chapter 6) Marine vs. nonmarine basins
http://www.wou.edu/las/physci/taylor/es486_pet Traps and Seals (Selley Chapter
ro/6_Reservoir_Characterization.pdf Symmetrical vs. asymmetrical
7) Depocenter
http://www.wou.edu/las/physci/taylor/es486_pet
Porosity ro/7_Traps_Seals.pdf Basin Mechanisms
Effective porosity Thermal contraction
Total porosity Trap vs. Seal Crustal extension
Primary porosity Oil-Water Contact (OWC) Crustal compression
Secondary porosity Bottom water Crustal loading
Intergranular porosity Edge water Cratonic Basins
Fracture porosity Bottom oil / tar mats Intracratonic Sag
Solution porosity Fluid contacts Passive Margin Loading
“Vuggy Porosity” Shale Seal Forearc Basins
Intercrystalline porosity Trap Classification Backarc Basins
Cementation/compaction Structural traps Foreland (Thrust) Basins
Diagenesis Fold traps Rift Basins
permeability Fault traps Aulacogen
permeability vs. porosity vs. Diapir Traps Strike-Slip Basins
lithology Salt Domes Pull-Apart Basins
Darcy’s Law Stratigraphic Traps
Millidarcy Pinch out Petroleum Exploration Methods
100 md reservoir threshold Interfingering (Selley Chapter 3)
Viscosity Unconformable http://www.wou.edu/las/physci/taylor/es486_pet
ro/9_Exploration_Methods.pdf
Permeameter Channel / ribbons
Horizontal vs. vertical Barrier Island Bars
permeability Reefs Drilling Techniques
Homogenous vs. heterogeneous Combination Traps Cable tool – mud rotary
Anisotropic vs. Isotropic Compressional Anticlines Directional drilling
Artesian Reservoirs (gushers) Compactional Anticlines Drill rods
Texture vs. Permeability vs. “Drape Anticlines” Kelley bushing
Porosity Drag Folds Tri-cone roller bit
Grain Shape-Sorting-Grain Size Faults – normal-reverse-thrust Drill stem
Clay/shale vs. Sand/Sandstone Block faulting Drilling derrick
Grain packing; grain fabric Strike-slip faults Drilling mast
Sandstone/Limestone Transcurrent faults Offshore / onshore rigs
Reservoirs Tranpression/transtension Mud logging
Shale/Mudstone Seals Pull-apart basins Coring / sidewall coring
Diagenesis effects on Reservoir Updip / downdip Wireline logs
Clay alteration Growth faults Electrical logs
Authigenic Clay Onlap-Offlap Caliper logs
Feldspar degradation Transgression-Regression Temperature logs

2
Pressure logs Seismic lines Fault block / extension
SP Seismic reflection Turbidites
Resistivity Basin analysis Source rocks
Gamma Ray Vitrinite reflectance Trap rocks
Density Logs Igneous reservoirs Secondary porosity
Porosity logs Sills-dikes Syncline-anticline
Neutron Logs Fracture reservoirs Unconventional reservoirs
Seismic surveys Fracture permeability Facies analysis
Seismic Lines Migration pathways Wireline log
Seismic Refraction Tar Sands Shelf-offshore facies
Data processing Flexure loading Well correlation
Seismic Reflection Canadian Shield Paleogeography
Gravity Surveying Bitumen Biostratigraphy
Magnetic Surveying Kimberlite Pipes Carbonate platform
Remote Sensing Breached anticline Source rock maturation
Well correlation Heavy oil Extension
Isopach map Delta systems Rift tectonics
Structure contour map Depositional model Heat flow
Facies map Source terraine Burial
Seismic facies analysis Rift zone Synrift sedimentation
Stratigraphic analysis Catchment analysis Subsidence history
Petrophysical analysis Thermal migration
Production and Recovery Shale gas reservoirs Tight-gas sandstone
(Other Reading Review Free gas vs. dissolved gas 3-D Seismic
Assignment) “tight” reservoirs Fault trends
http://www.wou.edu/las/physci/taylor/es486_pet Heterogeneity Fracture analysis
ro/10_Production_Recovery.pdf
Salt domes Fracture density
Oil Reserve Diapir Reservoir evaluation
Hydrocarbon Recovery Louann Salt Seismic reflections
Primary vs. Secondary Triassic Rift Basin Fracture intensity
Recovery Flexure Zone
Water Drive Deep Gulf Basin
Water flooding Marcellus Shale
Reservoir drive energy Sequence stratigraphy
Flowing vs. shut-in pressure High stand tract
Explosive fracturing Low stand tract
Hydraulic fracturing Formation-member
Well depletion Lithic vs. gamma ray logs
Thermal recovery Transgression/regression
Reservoir model Isopach maps
Jurassic-Cretaceous
Case Studies / Student Giant Oil Field
Presentations North sea
http://www.wou.edu/las/physci/taylor/es486_pet Rift basin
ro/ES486_Case_Studies.htm Seismic profile
Reservoir architecture
rift basin Synrift sediments
forearc basin Postrift sediments
back arc basin Fault Traps
foreland basin Petroleum System
TOC Sandstone wedges
3
Quantitative / Lab Skills

Quantitative Skills
Perform basic unit conversions-unit algebra-solve quantitative word problems
Process Rate Calculations
porosity-density-specific weight

Subsurface Mapping
Contouring-contour interval-contour interpolation-drawing contour lines
Isopach mapping
Structure Contour Mapping
Strike / Dip
Constructing Paleofacies Maps
Strater Software Functions; basic well log manipulation and printing using Strater

Stratigraphic/Log Correlation
Identify formations-members-beds from lithologic logs
Correlate lithologic logs-define geologic/stratigraphic contacts in cross-section
Create a stratigraphic column from log data, to scale, and correlate lithologic units
Use Gamma-SP-Density logs to correlate stratigraphic units between wells

Big Concepts for Essay Questions

Discuss Porosity and Permeability, how measured? What is darcy’s law? Units and equation?
List and discuss the concepts of reservoir, trap, seal; provide geologic examples.
What types of rocks are typical in reservoir.
Discuss the classification of traps.
What is a sedimentary basin? Classify and describe sedimentary basins in relation to plate tectonics.
What is the difference between a structural and stratigraphic trap, provide examples with sketches.
How is geophysics used in petroleum exploration?
What are the main wireline geophysics methods we used in the lab exercises to correlate strata?
What are the steps required for the exploration and discovery of petroleum?
What are the primary drilling techniques used in exploration? Sketch and discuss.
How do salt domes form and why are they important with respect to petroleum exploration?
Summarize the key concepts of the three student presentations from the case study review.
What are the primary sedimentary environments and how do they relate to source-reservoir-trap-seal?
What geologic conditions lead to the accumulation of economically viable hydrocarbon deposits?
What types of diagenetic processes lead to reservoir degradation?
Define the concept of “residual oil” saturation. Define the concept of “ultimate recoverable oil”.
Define the concept of “reserve”
Discuss the geological factors that control the degree of oil recovery.
Describe the “water flooding” recover technique. What is it, how effective is it?
What is “enhanced oil recovery” and how does it compare to “tertiary recovery”.
Sketch, label and discuss the following enhanced production methods: “Acidizing”, “Explosive Fracturing”,
“Hydraulic Fracturing”.
What is thermal hydrocarbon recovery?
What are nonconventional reservoirs? Provide some examples.
Provide examples of real-world oil fields as related to the student presentations. Where to they form and what
environments lead to commercial quantities of hydrocarbons.