Petroleum Geology of the South Caspian Basin

464 Pages·2001·9.266 MB·English

by  L. Buryakovsky, Fred Aminzadeh, G.V. Chilingarian

Petroleum Geology
of the
South Caspian Basin
ii Contents
Petroleum Geology
of the
South Caspian Basin
Leonid A. Buryakovsky
George V. Chilingar
Fred Aminzadeh
Boston Oxford Johannesburg Melbourne New Delhi Singapore
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Printed in the United States of America
Contents v
Dedication
This book is dedicated to His Highness, the Amir of Kuwait,
Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmed Al Sabah, for His outstanding support
of the petroleum industry and personal concern He has demon-
strated for the well being of His people.
vi Contents
Special Acknowledgment
We especially wish to acknowledge the outstanding help
of academician John O. Robertson Jr., Ph.D., in prepara-
tion of the illustrations. The help extended by Michael V.
Garfunkel, Essam Al-Ajeel, and Khaled Ben-Ameirah is also
greatly appreciated.
CHAPTER 1
CH
Contribution No. 10, Rudolf W. Gunnerman
Energy and Environment Laboratory,
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
Contents vii
Contents
Foreword, x
Preface, xii
Nomenclature, xv
Abbreviations, xix
Structures of Azerbajan Part of the South Caspian Basin, xx
CHAPTER 1
Geology of Azerbaijan and the
South Caspian Basin..................................................111
General Overview, 1. Geologic Setting of Super-Deep
Deposits, 5. Saatly Super Deep Well, SD-1, 9.
CHAPTER 2
Mud Volcanoes ...........................................................116
Yasamaly Valley, 18. Alyaty Ridge, 20.
CHAPTER 3
Regional Distribution of Oil and Gas.......................122
CHAPTER 4
Lithostratigraphic Framework....................................127
vii
CHAPTER 5
Onshore Oil and Gas Fields......................................132
Region I: Apsheron Peninsula, 32. Region II:
Pre-Caspian–Kuba Monocline, 43. Region III: Lower
Kura Lowland, 44. Region IV: Yevlakh-Agdzhabedi Area, 44.
CHAPTER 6
Offshore Oil and Gas Fields........................................52
Caspian Sea Overview, 52. Zone I: Western Portion
of Apsheron–Pre-Balkhan Anticlinal Trend, 57. Zone II:
South Apsheron Offshore Area, 91. Zone III: Baku
Archipelago, 101.
CHAPTER 7
General Regularities in Oil and
Gas Distribution..........................................................113
I. Azerbaijan Portion of the South Caspian Basin, 113.
II. Turkmenistan Portion of the South Caspian Basin, 199.
III. Regions Adjacent to the South Caspian Basin, 212.
CHAPTER 8
Conclusions (Chapters 1–7) ......................................239
CHAPTER 9
Mathematical Models in Petroleum Geology..........243
Introduction, 243. Mathematical Simulation of Geologic
Systems, 244.
CHAPTER 10
Mathematical Models in Oil and Gas Exploration
and Production (Static Geologic Systems)..............248
Mapping of Structures within the Apsheron–Pre-Balkhan
Anticline Trend, 248. Reservoir Characterization Using
viii
Log Data, 254. Modeling of Sedimentary Sequences Based
on Well-Logging Data, 284. Entropy as Criterion of
Heterogeneity of Rocks, 290. Anisotropy of Stratified Rocks,
297. Permeability of Reservoir Rocks, 302. Surface Activity of
Rocks, 313. Models of Oil Composition and Properties, 324.
CHAPTER 11
Mathematical Modeling of Geological Processes
(Dynamic Geological Systems).................................347
Methodology of Simulation of Dynamic Systems, 347.
Mathematical Simulation of Sediment Compaction, 355.
Numerical Simulation of Oil- and Gas-Bearing Rock
Properties, 365.
CHAPTER 12
Other Applications of Numerical Simulation
Methodology................................................................384
Basic Principles and Calculation Techniques, 384.
Simulation of Reservoir-Rock Properties, 386. Simulation
of Petrophysical Properties of Rocks, 390. Simulation of
Water Invasion into Oil-Saturated Rocks, 398. Simulation
of Pore-Fluid (Formation) Pressure, 400. Simulation of
Hydrocarbon Resources and Evaluation of Oil and Gas
Reserves, 403.
CHAPTER 13
Conclusions (Chapters 8–13) ....................................408
Bibliography ................................................................410
CHAPTER 1
VH
ix
Foreword
If the end of cold war is the biggest news of the century in terms of
world politics, the unleashing of the wealth in terms of untapped oil and
gas reservoirs in the Caspian Sea region is probably the biggest economic
news of the same century. Addressing the petroleum geology of South
Caspian Basin at this crucial time of energy awareness shows unparalleled
wisdom, experience, and maturity of the authors. The timing for such a
useful book on a region that is considered to be the next Persian Gulf
could not be more appropriate.
The news of petroleum discoveries in the Caspian Sea region continue
to pour in. Only a few months ago, the news broke about the possibility
of discovering 50 billion barrel in the Kashagan offshore structure. If this
is true, as all indications are, this latest discovery will put Kashagan
structure second to only Saudi Arabia’s onshore Ghawar field, with
remaining reserve of 70 billion barrels. Incidentally, Saudi offshore,
Safaniya, the world’s currently known largest offshore deposit contains
19 billion barrels. The book provides one with a treasure of information
on the most studied section of the Caspian Sea region. The book is written
with a comprehensive approach that includes the development of scientific
bases, simulation techniques, and mathematical models of both static and
dynamic geological systems. This approach is necessary if one is interested
in exploration, development, and production of a petroleum reservoir. The
combination of science and engineering has been sought for a long time,
and the book provides one with a fine example of how one should
approach in developing oil and gas fields in the 21st century.
As the world order is moving from the Modern to the Knowledge Era,
the petroleum industry is creating a culture that requires combining cutting
edge science with engineering into the core of decision making structure.
This, in petroleum vocabulary, means that the petroleum industry must
combine geological and geophysical skills with petroleum production
engineering. This book collects this information from the anal of 150 years
x