Fundamentals of

Subsurface Engineering
Geophysics / Geology

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 Contents

1. Overview
What is hydrocarbon, how does hydrocarbon formed, why hydrocarbon is important,
what are the roles of geoscientist in hydrocarbon exploration and production.

2. Hydrocarbon habitats and sedimentary basins

Where to look for hydrocarbon, what is sedimentary basin, world sedimentary basins,
sedimentary basins in Malaysia, Malaysian oil and gas fields. Petroleum systems,
Reservoir-Source Rock-Seal, Play, Lead and Prospect definitions.

3. Life of Field (LOF)

Petronas’ internal process that involves four stages in a Life of field I.e 1. Acreage Acquisition
2. Exploration phase 3. Development Phase 4.Production phase and 5. Abandonment phase.

4. Exploration
Reconnaissance survey, Data Acquisition, G&G Evaluation, Exploration Drilling and Post Drilling
Review.

5. Development
Field Development Plan, Engineering & Construction, Reservoir Modeling and Development Drilling

6. Production
Production strategy, Field Management

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 Overview
• What is hydrocarbon,
• How does hydrocarbon formed,
• Why hydrocarbon is important,
• What are the roles of geoscientist in
hydrocarbon exploration and production.

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 ORIGIN OF OIL & GAS
From organic materials
• Plants
• Animals

Algae Zooplankton
A variety of algae growing on the Sample of zooplankton which
sea bed in shallow waters includes fish eggs, doliolids, several
species of copepods, gastropod and
decapod larva

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 ORIGIN OF OIL & GAS

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 ORIGIN OF OIL & GAS

• Buried organic materials (source rocks) after exposed to sufficient pressure and temperature (reach
maturity) will generate oil and/or gas.

• The place where oil and gas being generated is known as KITCHEN AREA.

• After generation the oil and gas will be expelled from the SOURCE ROCK. Due to the right pressure and
temperature in the kitchen area, the expelled oil and gas will MIGRATE updip (shallower area) vertically
or laterally and try to escape to the surface through porous rock and permeable fault or fracture.

• Along the updip migrations the oil and gas will be trapped in the in the structural closure or stratigraphic
pinch-out with the presence of effective RESERVOIR and SEAL

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 Why Hydrocarbon is Important.?
World demand for energy
• Electricity
• Industrial
• War/Country defense
• Domestic use

Current world demand:

More for oil and gas
Alternative energy:
Hydrogen, Hydrate?, with the
advance of technology – is oil and gas still in good demand in future?.
How long our oil & gas reserves will
last ?.

That’s Why we need to continue with oil and gas exploration to ensure that our
presence are still
relevant but...

• How to find oil & gas.?

• What are the role of Geoscientist?

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 Geoscientist are based in Upstream (E&P) activities in an
integrated petroleum company like PETRONAS

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Geoscientists-Geoscientists are among the first Technical Professionals in a
Petroleum Exploration Development operations:
Geoscientists

• Exploration Geophysicists
• Acquisition Geophysicists
• Processing Geophysicist
• Seismic Interpreters
• Regional Geologists
• Field Geologist and wellsite Geologists
• Reservoir Geologists/Development Geologists
• Operation Geologists

Job descriptions for development geologists

▪ Generate hydrocarbon trap model in area
▪ Identify where probable traps are using maps
▪ Plan reconnaissance surveys, field calibration, seismics
▪ Acquire and process seismics, collect field data
▪ Evaluate data and locate best drilling candidate
▪ Appraise field & help develop discoveries
▪ Conduct in-depth research on selected areas
▪ Promote exploration acreage to oil/gas investors

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 HYDROCARBON HABITATS &
SEDIMENTARY BASIN

▪ Where to look for hydrocarbon, -What is

sedimentary basin,
▪ World sedimentary basins,
▪ Sedimentary basins in Malaysia,
▪ Malaysian oil and gas fields.
▪ Petroleum systems,
▪ Reservoir-Source Rock-Seal, Play, Lead
and Prospect definitions.

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 SEDIMENTARY BASIN

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 Basin Evolution

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 World Sedimentary Basins

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 Malaysia Sedimentary Basins

• 6 main sedimentary basins

• 3 are producing basins

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 An image of sedimentary basin from long
regional seismic line

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 Petroleum System
I. Reservoir
▪ Clastic ( Sedimentary Rocks – sandstone )
▪ Carbonate ( Sedimentary Rock –Limestone /Dolomite)
▪ Fractured Basement ( Granite /Methamophic rock )
II. Source Rock
▪ The characterization of source rock is organic organic richness and HC generation potential and origin of
organic matter.
▪ Coal , Carbonaceous Shale ,Mud stone and Organic Riched Limestone
III. Trap
▪ Geological structure affecting the reservoir rock and caprock of a petroleum system allowing the accumulation
of hydrocarbons in a reservoir. Traps can be of two types: stratigraphic or structural
▪ Typical caprocks are compacted shales, evaporites, and tightly cemented sandstones and carbonate rocks.
▪ Structure and Stratigraphhy
iv Seal
▪ For trap integrity, it must be overlain by an effective seal .
▪ Any rock that is impermeable can act as seal or cap rock, commonly mudstone

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 Possible or potential Source Rock

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 Clastic Reservoir

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 Potential Clastic Reservoir

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 Carbonate Reservoir

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 Basement Reservoir

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 Trap

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 Seal

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 Definitions of Play, Lead, Prospect and Field

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 Play, Prospect & Field

1 2

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 Life of field (LOF)

• Block & acreage acquisition

• Exploration phase
• Appraisal phase
• Development phase
• Production phase
• Abandonment phase

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Block & acreage acquisition

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 Exploration Phase- Basin-play-lead-prospect-field

Four Stages of exploration process:-

1. Reconnaissance survey
2. Data Acquisition
3. G&G Evaluation
4. Drilling Operation

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 1.Reconnaissance Surveys
• Remote Sensing
• Gravity & Magnetic Survey
• Fieldwork

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 Objectives of G&M survey

• To detect sedimentary basin

• To determine the lateral extent of sedimentary basin
• To detect depth to the basement and sediment thickness
• To interpret basement structuration
• To locate seismic survey cost effectively

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Geological Fieldwork

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 2. Data Acquisitions
• Seismic Survey and Processing
(2D/3D/4D)

• Outcrop analog & sampling

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 3. G&G Evaluations
• Regional Study
• Detail Evaluation
- Seismic interpretation
- Prospect Mapping
- Prospect Risking and Ranking
- Special Study
- Resource Assessment (Pre- and Post-Drill)
- Well Proposal

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 Regional Study
• We need to do regional study to see the big picture before we zoom-in into
the block.

• G&G depositional model

• developed from the regional study will be used to guide further
interpretation at prospect level in the block.

• Play fairways, reservoir, seal and source rock distributions produced from
the regional study will assist Geoscientist to come out with reliable
prospect ranking and risking and finally identify the best drilling candidate
for the block.

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 Detail G&G evaluations
• Seismic interpretation
• Prospect mapping
• Prospect risking & ranking
• Special study
• Pre-drilled resource assessment
• To mature prospect to drilling candidate
• Preparation of well proposal
• Locate well

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 Seismic Interpretation

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 Prospect Risking and Ranking

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 Special Studies
- Seismic Inversion
- Structural Modeling & Imaging
- Bore hole Geophysics
- Amplitude Study

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 Drilling Operation
- Drilling of well
- Formation Evaluation
- Post Drill Evaluation

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 Formation Evaluation

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 Appraisal Phase
Objective:
▪ To further assess the full potential of the discovery/field prior to
make any decision to move to the development phase.
▪ To drill more exploratory well to prove up hydrocarbon in
different faultblock or in the upside potential

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 XX Field Resource

X Field Prospect Resource

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 Development & Production Phase
Objective:
To maximize value creations from domestic resources through management
offield development plan, integrated reservoir modeling and management.

• Field Development Plan

• Engineering and Construction
- Design
- Fabrication
- Installation
• Development Drilling

Production Phase
• Formulate Production Strategy
• Plan Activities
• Field Management
- Data acquisition (3D, 4C, 4D. etc)
- Reservoir Management
- Full Field Review
- EOR
• Engineering upgrade & modification

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