World-class training for the modern energy industry

Type: Classroom

Core Facies Analysis of Conventional and Resource Plays: Lessons from the Mowry and Niobrara Petroleum Systems, Powder River Basin (G011)

Tutor(s)

Gus Gustason: Senior Geologist and Geoscience Advisor, Enerplus Resources.

Richard Bottjer: President, Coal Creek Resources; Research Associate, Denver Museum of Nature and Science.

Overview

This core-based facies analysis course will use the petroleum system of the prolific Powder River Basin to develop realistic depositional models and sequence stratigraphic frameworks that can be used to better predict the extent and continuity of unconventional resources. Demonstrations will introduce participants to core handling, description and data integration techniques. Lectures and exercises will re-familiarize participants with lithofacies and facies associations and will describe applications of core-facies analysis to reservoir characterization of siliceous and calcareous mudstones, muddy sandstones and sandstones. Cores will be from the Powder River Basin, but learnings may be applied to resource plays in other basins.

Duration and Logistics

A 5-day classroom course comprising a mix of classroom lectures (25%) and core description exercises (75%) at the USGS Core Research Center, Lakewood, CO. The manual will be provided in digital format and you will be required to bring a laptop or tablet computer to the course.

Level and Audience

Fundamental. This course is intended for entry-level through mid-career geoscientists, reservoir engineers and petrophysicists who want to extract maximum value from cores, in order to improve exploration play analysis and reservoir characterization of both conventional and unconventional resources. Participants should have a basic knowledge of clastic and carbonate sedimentology and stratigraphy.

Objectives

You will learn to:

  1. Identify the important physical and biological parameters of core, including sedimentary structures, biogenic structures, significant surfaces and diagenetic textures. We will examine siliceous and calcareous mudstones, muddy sandstones and sandstones.
  2. Calibrate core descriptions with wireline log data.
  3. Evaluate source rock potential of mudstones using elemental chemistry data (XRF), TOC, RockEval (Vre) and vitrinite reflectance (Vro) data.
  4. Integrate routine core analysis and/or unconventional shale and tight rock analysis with core descriptions to better understand the controls on porosity and permeability.
  5. Identify basic structural features in cores, such as faults and fractures, and relate them to mechanical stratigraphy, in situ stresses and borehole stability issues.
  6. Develop a sequence stratigraphic framework from core descriptions and wireline log data.
  7. Compare reservoir characteristics with production performance to identify target zones for horizontal well placement.
  8. Discretize core descriptions for core-to-log facies analysis and reservoir modelling input.

Sequence Stratigraphy and its expression on Seismic, Logs and Cores (G001)

Tutor(s)

Rene Jonk: Director, ACT-Geo Consulting and Training; Honorary Professor, University of Aberdeen.

Overview

The application of sequence stratigraphy allows for making geologic interpretations of cores, well logs, seismic and outcrop data within a predictive stratigraphic framework. These predictions can be applied to play and prospect definition and evaluation, pre-drill predictions and discovery appraisal and field development strategies. This course introduces the sequence stratigraphic method and presents workflows and tools to describe, correlate and map strata within a predictive framework using typical subsurface (core, well log and seismic) data. The terminology of surfaces, systems tracts, sequence sets and stratigraphic hierarchy will be described and applied to subsurface data exercises in terrestrial, shallow marine and deep marine depositional settings across clastic and carbonate settings and applied to conventional and unconventional play types. The emphasis will be on the recognition and mapping of play elements (source, seal, reservoir and trap) from exploration to production scales.

Duration and Logistics

Classroom version: A 4-day course comprising a mix of classroom lectures and discussion (50%), and hands-on exercises with subsurface datasets (50%). The lecture materials will be provided in digital format and participants will be required to bring a laptop or tablet computer to follow the lectures and exercises. Exercises manuals will be printed for each student to enhance learning by interpreting using pencil on paper.

Virtual version: Ten 3-hour interactive online sessions presented over 5 days. A digital manual and hard-copy exercise materials will be distributed to participants before the course. Some reading and several exercises are to be completed by participants off-line.

Level and Audience

Intermediate. This course is intended for geoscientists (reservoir modellers, seismic interpreters, sedimentologists), reservoir engineers and petrophysicists who want to understand and apply the concepts of sequence stratigraphy to solve business problems.

Objectives

You will learn to:

  1. Understand the sequence stratigraphic method, terminology and application.
  2. Contrast the various approaches to sequence stratigraphy.
  3. Apply the concept of facies, facies stacking and shoreline trajectories to define sequences, surfaces and system tracts.
  4. Evaluate depositional controls on sequences in non-terrestrial, shallow marine and deep marine environments.
  5. Assess and interpret cores, well logs and seismic lines to characterize and map hydrocarbon play elements in different settings using the sequence stratigraphic method.
  6. Implement sequence stratigraphic methods to predict play element presence, adequacy and risk from seismic data for exploration play and prospect definition.
  7. Apply sequence stratigraphic frameworks to evaluate connectivity in discovery appraisal and field development.
  8. Apply sequence stratigraphic methods to define seal adequacy for subtle and stratigraphic traps in various depositional settings.