Nontechnical Guide to Petroleum Geology, Exploration, Drilling and Production, 3rd Edition

724 Pages·2012·12.49 MB·English

by  Norman J. Hyne

Norman J. Hyne, Ph.D.
Disclaimer: The recommendations, advice, descriptions, and the methods
in this book are presented solely for educational purposes. The author and
publisher assume no liability whatsoever for any loss or damage that results
from the use of any of the material in this book. Use of the material in this
book is solely at the risk of the user.
Copyright© 2012 by
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Hyne, Norman J.
Nontechnical guide to petroleum geology, exploration, drilling, and production
/ Norman J. Hyne. -- 3rd ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-59370-269-4
1. Petroleum--Geology. 2. Petroleum engineering. 3. Petroleum--Prospecting.
I. Title.
TN870.5.H9624 2011
665.5--dc23
2011038698
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transcribed in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording,
without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Printed in the United States of America
1 2 3 4 5 16 15 14 13 12
Contents
Preface ........................................................xi
Introduction..................................................xiii
1 The Nature of Gas and Oil .................................. 1
Petroleum ..................................................... 1
The Chemistry of Oil and Gas ................................... 1
Crude Oil...................................................... 2
Natural Gas.................................................... 9
Reservoir Hydrocarbons........................................ 12
2 The Earth’s Crust—Where We Find It ....................... 13
Rocks and Minerals............................................ 13
Types of Rocks ................................................ 14
Structure of the Earth’s Crust .................................. 20
3 Identiication of Common Rocks and Minerals .............. 25
Identiication of Minerals ...................................... 25
Minerals...................................................... 27
Identiication of Rocks......................................... 28
Rocks......................................................... 29
4 Geological Time .......................................... 33
Absolute Age Dating........................................... 33
Relative Age Dating............................................ 36
The Geologic Time Scale ....................................... 42
Earth History ................................................. 43
5 Deformation of Sedimentary Rocks......................... 47
Weathering, Erosion, and Unconformities ....................... 47
Anticlines and Synclines ....................................... 53
Domes........................................................ 56
Homoclines................................................... 56
Fractures ..................................................... 58
6 Ocean Environment and Plate Tectonics .................... 67
Continental Margins........................................... 67
Deep Water ................................................... 72
Ocean Sediments.............................................. 73
Earth’s Interior................................................ 73
Continental Drift.............................................. 74
Sealoor Spreading ............................................ 75
Plate Tectonics ................................................ 79
Failed Arm Basins ............................................. 81
Middle East Oil Fields ......................................... 83
Nontechnical Guide to Petroleum Geology, Exploration, Drilling, and Production 3rd Edition
7 Sedimentary Rock Distribution ............................ 87
Basin Formation .............................................. 87
Sedimentary Rock Facies....................................... 92
Subsurface Rock Layers ........................................ 96
8 Mapping................................................. 99
Topographic Maps ............................................ 99
Geologic Maps ...............................................101
Base Maps ...................................................104
Subsurface Maps .............................................106
9 Source Rocks, Generation, Migration, and Accumulation
of Petroleum ............................................113
Source Rocks.................................................113
Generation...................................................114
Migration....................................................116
Accumulation................................................117
Age .........................................................120
Reservoir Rocks ..............................................120
Saturation ...................................................124
10 Reservoir Rocks..........................................125
Sandstone Reservoir Rocks....................................125
Dune Sandstones.............................................126
Shoreline Sandstones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
River Sandstones .............................................128
Delta Sandstones.............................................133
Granite Wash ................................................139
Carbonate Reservoir Rocks....................................140
Reefs ........................................................140
Limestone Platforms..........................................148
Karst Limestone..............................................150
Chalk........................................................152
Dolomite ....................................................152
Fractured Reservoirs..........................................156
11 Petroleum Traps.........................................159
Structural Traps..............................................159
Stratigraphic Traps ...........................................173
Combination Traps...........................................182
12 Petroleum Exploration—Geological and Geochemical .......193
Seeps........................................................193
Geological Techniques........................................196
Geochemical Techniques......................................206
Plays and Trends .............................................208
• •
vi
Contents
13 Petroleum Exploration—Geophysical ......................211
Gravity and Magnetic Exploration .............................211
Seismic Exploration ..........................................215
14 Drilling Preliminaries....................................235
Land and Leasing.............................................235
Foreign Contracts ............................................237
Authority for Expenditure.....................................238
Economic Analysis............................................239
Drilling Contracts............................................240
Joint Operating Agreements and Support Agreements...........241
Site Preparation ..............................................242
Types of Wells................................................243
Government Regulations......................................244
Cable Tool Rigs ..............................................246
15 Drilling a Well—The Mechanics ...........................249
Power .......................................................249
Hoisting System..............................................251
Rotating System..............................................254
Circulating System ...........................................266
Drilling Operations...........................................273
Modern Rotary Drilling Rigs ..................................275
16 Drilling Problems........................................279
Subsurface Conditions........................................279
Problems While Drilling ......................................281
Dry Holes....................................................289
17 Drilling Techniques......................................291
Vertical Well .................................................291
Directional Drilling...........................................293
Well Depth...................................................302
Air and Foam Drilling ........................................303
18 Testing a Well............................................305
Sample or Lithologic Log .....................................305
Drilling-Time Log ............................................310
Mud Log.....................................................311
Wireline Well Logs............................................313
Measurements-While-Drilling and Logging-While-Drilling.......338
Drillstem Test................................................339
Repeat Formation Tester......................................341
19 Completing a Well........................................343
Casing.......................................................343
Bottom-Hole Completions ....................................353
• •
vii
Nontechnical Guide to Petroleum Geology, Exploration, Drilling, and Production 3rd Edition
Expandable Casing and Liner..................................356
Tubing ......................................................356
Wellhead.....................................................358
Chokes ......................................................359
Surface Equipment ...........................................359
Sucker-rod Pump.............................................361
Gas Lift......................................................368
Electric Submersible Pump....................................369
Hydraulic Pump..............................................370
Multiple Completions ........................................370
Intelligent Wells..............................................372
20 Surface Treatment and Storage............................373
Flowlines ....................................................373
Separators ...................................................375
Gas Treatment ...............................................379
Storage and Measurement.....................................382
Modern Lease Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386
21 Offshore Drilling and Completion.........................389
Mineral Rights ...............................................389
Offshore Drilling.............................................390
Exploratory Drilling ..........................................392
Spudding an Offshore Exploratory Well........................395
Developmental Drilling and Production........................397
Subsea Work.................................................405
Subsea Wells .................................................405
Unstable Sea Bed .............................................406
22 Workover ...............................................409
Equipment...................................................409
Well Intervention on Offshore Wells ...........................414
Preparing the Well............................................415
Well Problems................................................415
23 Reservoir Mechanics .....................................423
Reservoir Drives..............................................423
Maximum Eficient Rate ......................................430
24 Petroleum Production....................................431
Well and Reservoir Pressures...................................431
Well Testing..................................................432
Cased-Hole Logs .............................................434
Production Logs..............................................435
Decline Curves ...............................................435
Bypassing and Coning ........................................437
• •
viii
Contents
Cycling ......................................................439
Well Stimulation .............................................439
Disposal of Oilield Brine and Solution Gas.....................443
Surface Subsidence ...........................................445
Corrosion....................................................446
Production Maps.............................................447
Stranded Gas.................................................448
25 Reserves ................................................451
Recovery Factor ..............................................451
Shrinkage Factor and Formation Volume Factor ................452
Reserve Calculations..........................................454
Types of Reserves.............................................458
26 Improved Oil Recovery ...................................459
Waterlood...................................................459
Enhanced Oil Recovery .......................................462
Eficiency ....................................................468
Unitization ..................................................468
Plug and Abandon............................................468
27 Unconventional Oil and Gas ..............................471
Tight Formations ............................................471
Coal Bed or Coal Seam Gas....................................478
Oil Shales....................................................480
Tar Sands....................................................481
Gas Hydrates.................................................483
Glossary....................................................485
Figure References............................................655
Unit Conversions............................................661
Oil and Gas Records .........................................663
Index.......................................................667
• •
ix

Preface
This book contains an enormous amount of useful information on
the upstream petroleum industry. It is designed for easy reading, and the
information is readily accessible. The introductory chapter should be read
irst. It is an excellent overview that shows how everything in petroleum
geology, exploration, drilling, and production is interrelated.
Each subject has its own chapter that is well illustrated with igures and
plates. The rocks, minerals, and seismic examples are in color. Industry
terms are deined in the text and shown in italics. All measurements are
in both English and metric units. A useful index and extensive glossary
are located at the back of the book, as well as an interesting list of
petroleum records.