This module is discontinued in the selected year. The information shown below is for the academic year that the module was last running in, prior to the year selected.
2014/15 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue
SOEE5131M Structure and Hydrocarbon Prospectivity of Basins
15 creditsClass Size: 70
Module manager: Dr Richard Collier
Email: r.collier@earth.leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2014/15
This module is mutually exclusive with
| SOEE3500 | Basin Dynamics & Petroleum Sys |
| SOEE5133M | Hydrocarbon Prospectivity of Basins |
Module replaces
EARS5130 and EARS5135This module is not approved as an Elective
Objectives
On completion of this module, students should be able to:- show a basic understanding of stress in the Earth's crust, rock failure and types of fracture, faulting styles, extensional, strike-slip and compressional tectonics and basins, salt tectonics, fluid flow in rocks and the impact of fractures as conduits and barriers to flow;
- use a basic knowledge of structural geology as an aid to the interpretation of geophysical data;
- understand the principal geologic controls upon hydrocarbon prospectivity in sedimentary basins;
- appreciate the impact of commodity economics, the tax regime and risk analysis on the exploration and production of hydrocarbons.
Syllabus
Overview of plate tectonics
- stress in the lithosphere
- tensile and shear fracture
- faulting styles
- extensional basins and associated basins - rifting, models of passive rifting, passive margins
- compressional tectonics and associated basins - orogenic belts and foreland basins, models of lithopsheric flexure, sedimentation patterns;
- strike-slip tectonics and associated basins
- salt tectonics, salt properties and associated structures
- fluid flow in fractured rocks
- from data to reservoir scale modelling - numerical flow modelling and up-scaling.
Introduction to structure of the petroleum industry
- geological controls on hydrocarbon prospectivity
- origin and composition of hydrocarbon source rocks and resultant petroleums
- reservoir properties at the grain scale and at the field scale - consequences of multiphase fluids for relative permeabilities through reservoir media;
- structural and stratigraphic entrapment
- relationship of hydrocarbon maturation and volumetrics to burial history and timing of maturation
- reserve evaluation and risk analysis
- development and construction of a drilling proposal.
Teaching methods
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
| Class tests, exams and assessment | 1 | 8.00 | 8.00 |
| Lecture | 18 | 1.00 | 18.00 |
| Practical | 9 | 2.00 | 18.00 |
| Private study hours | 106.00 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 44.00 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 150.00 | ||
Private study
- Reading, practicals: 6 hours- Seminar presentation: 20 hours
- Report presentation: 20 hours
- Reading, lectures: 40 hours
- Exam revision: 20 hours.
Opportunities for Formative Feedback
- Informal feedback and summative feedback (x3) from practicals- Feedback from seminar and team practical activities.
Methods of assessment
Coursework
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
| Practical | 1 x assessed structural Geology practicals | 10.00 |
| Practical | 1 x oil exploration individually-mediated team practical | 15.00 |
| Report | 1 x hydrocarbon field case report | 35.00 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 60.00 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Exams
| Exam type | Exam duration | % of formal assessment |
| Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc) | 1 hr 30 mins | 40.00 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Exams) | 40.00 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Reading list
The reading list is available from the Library websiteLast updated: 17/02/2015
Browse Other Catalogues
- Undergraduate module catalogue
- Taught Postgraduate module catalogue
- Undergraduate programme catalogue
- Taught Postgraduate programme catalogue
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team.BREP