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2019/20 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

SOEE5616M North Sea Reservoir Analogues

10 creditsClass Size: 10

Module manager: Prof Paul Glover
Email: P.W.J.Glover@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2019/20

Pre-requisite qualifications

Successful completion of year 2

This module is mutually exclusive with

SOEE3560Petroleum Reservoir Fieldtrip

This module is not approved as an Elective

Module summary

This module gives fieldwork experience of classic reservoir analogue outcrops on the North Sea coast. These will be studied and used to demonstrate how reservoir static models are constructed and to explore what makes an effective hydrocarbon reservoir analogue.

Objectives

This module is designed to be a stand-alone course, without pre- or co-requisites. At the end of the module, students should:

• Be familiar with aspects of the geological evolution of the North Sea Basin, with particular reference to its hydrocarbon potential
• Have experience of relating geological features observed across a range of scales, from seismic cross-sections to geophysical log data and to outcrop
• Be familiar with the methods, nomenclature and parameters which are used to characterise source rock potential and the reservoir properties of rocks from outcrop and log data.
• Understand how primary depositional architecture and secondary diagenetic features, and faults and fractures may influence fluid flow in a variety of hydrocarbon reservoir and aquifer analogues.
• Have gained the field skills and research and information literacy skills to evaluate a) the geological and/or geophysical context of the reservoir analogues encountered on the field course, and b) their relevance and applicability to hydrocarbon reservoirs within the North Sea Basin.

Learning outcomes
On completion of the module, students should have gained:

• Enhanced skills in field safety analysis, field observation, sedimentary logging and sequence stratigraphic analysis
• Awareness of the physical parameters characterised for the construction of static reservoir models and for reservoir engineering purposes
• Skills in outcrop-well and well-seismic correlation
• Exposure to a variety of carbonate and siliciclastic reservoir analogue rocks in outcrop, including fractured reservoirs, and to comparative data from the subsurface
• Enhanced research and report-writing presentational skills

Skills outcomes
Field data acquisition, synthesis and presentation skills
Construction of static reservoir models
Evaluation of geological context and geometric characteristics of outcrop analogues and comparison with geological context and geometric characteristics of subsurface reservoirs


Syllabus

Evolution of the North Sea Basin and petroleum system.

Hydrocarbon source rock characteristics; focus on type II marine oil-prone source rocks.

Reservoir quality and architecture; outcrop examples and 3-dimensional architecture of fluvial, deltaic and shallow marine reservoir sandstones, and of fractured chalk reservoir analogues.

Reservoir performance; reservoir connectivity during petroleum charge and in production, controls upon primary and secondary porosity and permeability distribution, poro-perm modification by faulting and fracturing, and implications for production.

Regional geological evolution and its impact upon reservoir distribution and architectures.

Parameters that determine the relevance and applicability of an outcrop analogue to a subsurface reservoir.

Teaching methods

Delivery typeNumberLength hoursStudent hours
presentation11.001.00
Fieldwork148.0048.00
Seminar12.002.00
Tutorial22.004.00
Private study hours45.00
Total Contact hours55.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)100.00

Private study

Reading preparatory to field trip
Review of field notebooks and organisation of data.
Development of individual posters integrating prior reading with field observations.
Research and development of independent evaluation of quality of Yorkshire outcrops as effective reservoir analogues for North Sea subsurface hydrocarbon reservoirs. To be assessed by oral exam.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Students receive written and oral feedback on team poster, halfway through the course, used to inform preparation of individual poster submitted at end of field week.
Students receive oral formative feedback on the field oral presentations.

Methods of assessment


Coursework
Assessment typeNotes% of formal assessment
Oral PresentationOral Presentation (in-field)10.00
Poster PresentationPoster Presentation (Team)30.00
Poster PresentationPoster Presentation (Individual)40.00
Oral PresentationOral Examination (30 mins)20.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)100.00

Oral examination to take place in week 23 or 24.

Reading list

There is no reading list for this module

Last updated: 26/04/2017

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