Field Methods for Petroleum Geologists: A Guide to Computerized Lithostratigraphic Correlation Charts Case Study: Northern Africa

128 Pages·2008·19.71 MB·English

by  Fakhry A. Assaad

Field Methods for Petroleum Geologists
Fakhry A. Assaad
Field Methods for
Petroleum Geologists
A Guide to Computerized
Lithostratigraphic Correlation Charts
Case Study: Northern Africa
FakhryA.Assaad
1350,37th,Str.EastTuscaloosa,
AL35405
USA
[email protected]
ISBN:978-3-540-78836-2 e-ISBN:978-3-540-78837-9
LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2008934328
(cid:2)c Springer-VerlagBerlinHeidelberg2009
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PersonalDedication
ToPhilipE.LaMoreaux
ThisbookiscordiallydedicatedtoDr.PhilipE.LaMoreaux,the
formerState GeologistofAlabama, theformerpresidentofhisown
firm, PELA,andthechairmanofseveralscientificinstitutes allover
theUS.Iworkedwithhimasaco-expertattheUnitedNationsof
Egyptintheearly1960s,beinginchargeoftheGeologyDepartment
attheNewValleyProjectofthe WesternDesertandlateraschiefof
researchstudiesintheNorthwesternCoastalZoneofEgypttogether
withMr.ThomasJ.Joiner,theex-StateGeologistofAlabama.
ItwasapleasuretoworkpersonallywithPhilLaMoreauxinthe
early1980s, indifferentprojectsathisownfirmPELA,andlaterin
editorialactivitiesinvolvingscientificarticlesandbookreviewsof
recentpublications, issuedbyTheEnvironmentalGeology Journal
ofSpringer-Verlag.Hisscientificsupportandencouragementwere
appreciatedforproducingthebookFieldMethodsforGeologists and
Hydrogeologists,publishedbySpringer-Verlag,Heidelberg,Germany,
2003,togetherwithotherbooks;asaco-authorofatextbook
EnvironmentalHydrogeology,publishedbyTaylorFrancisGroup,
LLCCo.1995;andasasenioreditorofthebookAnnotated
Bibliography ofKarstTerranes,Vol. 5-1,publishedbythe
International AssociationofHydrogeologists, VerlagHeinzHeise,
Hannover,Germany,1993—alottolearnfrom hisprofessional
experience.
FakhryA.Assaad
v
Preface
The author worked at Sonatrach of Algeria (Societe´ National de Transport et de
Hydrocarbures) for seven consecutive contracts over more than a decade, being in
charge of the Triassic Province of Algeria, besides having responsibility for the
Database Retrieval System (PetroData System), established in 1970 by the Explo-
rationDirectorate.
The author started his career with Sonatrach as a District Geologist Engineer in
northern Algeria, and later worked with an international group from Technoexport
(1971)ontheTriassicProvinceoftheAlgerianSaharanplatform.
Severalprojectswereaccomplished:
1. In 1970–1972, he carried out detailed structural and stratigraphic studies of the
Triassic reservoirs, and defined the limits of deposition of the Triassic basin in
Algeria.
2. Later, he established a computer application for a lithostratigraphic correlation
chartofthesedimentaryformation(31/ ×1/)m,asatypemodelfortheArabian
2 2
Maghreb region (northwestern Africa), which can be further extended to cover
NorthAfrica.
3. HewasinchargeoftheDatabaseRetrievalSystem(PetroDataSystem),asaliai-
sonwiththeexplorationdistrictstosuperviseandmanagethequalityoftheinput
welldata,aswellasthegeological,drilling,productive,andgeophysicaldata,etc.,
inordertodefineandformulateretrievalrequestsforcomputerextractionproce-
dures. He provided corrections and improvements to refine the edit, validation,
andcrosscheckfunctionsofthemaintenancesubsystem.
vii
Acknowledgement
TheauthorisquitegratefulforthequickresponsefromDr.KhalilChekib,theAlge-
rianMinisterofPetroleumandEnergy,andDr.H.Chebourou,theDirectorof“Etudes
et Synthe´se” of the Exploration Division of Sonatrach, Algiers, for updating docu-
mentsnecessarytothe book.
Myhighestgratitudetomycollege’sgeologistDr.AliWerwer,thechairmanand
CEOoftheResearchGroundwaterCo.,(REGWA),Cairo;andProfessorDr.Hamed
Metwalli,ofthePetroleumGeologyDepartment,FacultyofScience,CairoUniver-
sity,fortheirsincerehelpinprovidingimportantmaterialsforthe book.
My special gratitude to Mr. John Sandy, the director of the Rodgers Library for
ScienceandEngineering,UniversityofAlabama;andtoMr.LewisS.Dean,thehead
oftheLibraryoftheGeologySurveyofAlabama(GSA),forprovidingmepromptly
withtheneededreferences.
ix
Contents
PartI PetroleumExplorationMethods
1 Introduction—PetroleumHydrocarbons............................ 3
1.1 HistoricalAspect........................................... 3
1.2 PetroleumOccurrenceandChemicalComposition............... 3
1.3 PropertiesofCrudeOils ..................................... 4
1.4 NaturalGas—Definition..................................... 4
1.5 PetroleumHydrocarbonNon-ReservoirRocks .................. 5
1.6 PetroleumReservoirRocks .................................. 5
1.7 PetroleumMigrationandAccumulation........................ 5
1.7.1 Introduction......................................... 5
1.7.2 OilMigration ....................................... 6
1.7.3 TheRoleofConnateWater............................ 6
1.7.4 DifferentialEntrapmentofPetroleumHydrocarbons—
GussowTheory ..................................... 6
1.7.5 PetroleumAccumulation.............................. 7
1.8 TheCapacityofOilandGasTraps ............................ 8
1.9 PetroleumProvince—Definition .............................. 9
References ....................................................... 9
2 SedimentaryBasinsandPlateTectonics ............................ 11
2.1 Scope .................................................... 11
2.2 ContinentalShelves......................................... 12
2.3 PlateInteractions........................................... 12
2.4 DevelopmentofSedimentaryBasins........................... 14
2.4.1 GeodynamicSettingsofSedimentaryBasins ............. 15
2.4.2 SedimentaryBasinsandHydrocarbonOccurrences........ 16
2.5 OilMigrationandSubduction ................................ 17
2.6 Rifted-MarginSedimentPrisms............................... 17
References ....................................................... 19
3 SurfaceGeophysicalPetroleumExplorationMethods ................ 21
3.1 Introduction ............................................... 21
xi
xii Contents
3.2 MagneticSurvey ........................................... 21
3.3 GravimetricSurvey ......................................... 21
3.4 SeismicExplorationSurvey.................................. 22
3.4.1 General ............................................ 22
3.4.2 SeismicRefractionMethods ........................... 22
3.4.3 SeismicReflectionMethod ............................ 22
3.5 Land-SatelliteImagesinSaltDomeExploration................. 23
References ....................................................... 23
4 DrillingTechnologyinPetroleumGeology .......................... 25
4.1 Introduction ............................................... 25
4.2 PetroleumDrillingOperations................................ 27
4.2.1 Discussion.......................................... 27
4.2.2 TypesofDrillingOperations........................... 28
4.3 DrillingFluids ............................................. 29
4.3.1 PropertiesofDrillingMuds............................ 29
4.3.2 CompositionandNatureoftheDrillingFluids............ 29
4.3.3 MudSystemsinSaltStructures ........................ 30
4.3.4 SaltDomeDrilling................................... 31
4.4 DrillingHazards ........................................... 31
4.5 DrillStemTesting(DST) .................................... 31
4.5.1 Scope.............................................. 31
4.5.2 Discussion.......................................... 32
4.6 GeneralRemarks........................................... 33
4.6.1 AbouttheDST—Procedure............................ 33
4.6.2 RequiredConditionsandReasonsforCarryingOuta
DSTinaPetroleumReservoirFormation ............... 34
References ....................................................... 40
5 GeophysicalWellLoggingMethodsofOilandGasReservoirs......... 41
5.1 Introduction ............................................... 41
5.2 BoreholeParametersandRockProperties ...................... 41
5.3 ResistivityMeasurementsbyWellElectricLogs................. 43
5.3.1 Definition .......................................... 43
5.3.2 AnnulusandResistivityProfiles—HydrocarbonZone...... 43
5.4 FormationTemperature(T ).................................. 44
f
5.5 SpecificLogTypes ......................................... 45
5.5.1 SpontaneousPotentialLogs(SP) ....................... 45
5.5.2 ResistivityLogs(R) .................................. 45
5.5.3 PorosityLogs ....................................... 48
5.5.4 GammaRayLogs.................................... 50
5.6 WellDesignandWellTypeCompletions ....................... 51
5.6.1 Scope.............................................. 51
5.6.2 OpenHoleCompletions .............................. 52
5.6.3 PerforatedCompletions............................... 52
5.6.4 ScreeningTechniques ................................ 52
5.6.5 OtherTypeWellCompletions.......................... 54
References ....................................................... 54
Contents xiii
Part II A Guide to Lithiostratigraphic Correlation Charts – A Model
Type/NorthAfrica
6 ALithostratigraphicCorrelationChart—AModelType/NorthAfrica . 57
6.1 Introduction ............................................... 57
6.1.1 Aspect ............................................. 57
6.1.2 PetroleumPerspective ................................ 58
6.2 GeologyofAlgeria ......................................... 61
6.2.1 TectonicHistory..................................... 61
6.2.2 StructuralGeologyofAlgeria.......................... 61
6.2.3 GeologicProvincesoftheAlgerianSahara............... 63
6.2.4 AnApproachtoaComputerizedLithostratigraphicChart
inNorthAfrica ..................................... 66
6.2.5 StratigraphyoftheAlgerianSaharanPlatform ............ 71
6.2.6 A Geological Study of An Exploratory Well at the
EasternBorderoftheAlgerianSahara(Ry-1)............ 72
6.3 PetroleumGeologyoftheLibyanSahara....................... 72
6.3.1 Scope.............................................. 72
6.3.2 StratigraphyofSebhaAreaWestofLibya ............... 74
6.4 PetroleumGeologyofEgypt,NortheastAfrica .................. 76
6.4.1 TheWesternDesertofEgypt .......................... 76
6.4.2 Geological Results of the Petroleum Exploration
oftheAssiut-KhargaWell ............................ 79
6.4.3 TheNileDeltaofEgypt............................... 81
6.4.4 TheGulfofSuezRegion,Egypt........................ 83
6.5 EconomicAspectsofSaltStructures........................... 87
References ....................................................... 87
Appendix ........................................................ 89
7 ThePetrodataDataBaseSystem ................................... 91
7.1 Scope .................................................... 91
7.2 ThePetrodataSystem ....................................... 91
7.2.1 HistoricalAspect .................................... 91
7.2.2 ClassificationofthePetrodataSystem................... 92
7.3 EconomicAspects.......................................... 98
7.4 Recommendation........................................... 98
7.5 ATypeComputerizedMontageDrillingReportofanExploratory
Well(Boumahniwell“Bi-1”) ................................ 99
7.6 AppendixA ...............................................101
References .......................................................106
Glossary.............................................................107
Index................................................................111