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AA’
Kimmeridge clay
is called “Hot Shales”
contains rich organic materials
is estimated to generate over 2000
billion BOE of hydrocarbons
is estimated to contain up to 25.6
billion barrels undiscovered oil by
US Geological Survey
Figure 1 Distribution of the Kimmeridge Clay On and Offshore Europe (Kimmeridge Energy, 2014)
AGE OF KIMMERIDGE CLAY
Figure 2a (left) Regional litho-stratigraphy of the northern North Sea (Vollset and Dore, 1984)
Figure 2b (right) Stratigraphic column showing the Kimmeridge Clay Formation (Richards et al., 1993)
TYPE OF KEROGEN & TOC
Figure 3a (left) Analyses for Kimmeridge Clay Formation samples from wells (Fishman et al., 2012)
Figure 3b (right) Cross-plots of S2 and TOC for samples from the western and eastern flanks of the graben
(Keym et al., 2006)
THERMAL MATURATION OF KIMMERIDGE CLAY
oil window
gas window
Figure 5 Interpreted regional seismic section depicting the broad stratigraphy and structure through the North
Viking Graben and its flanks (Christiansson et al., 2000)
WIRELINE-LOG DIAGRAMS
Figure 4 Geochemical observations of various profiles with increasing depth (Keym et al., 2006)
THERMAL MATURATION OF KIMMERIDGE CLAY
Figure 6a (left) Approximate depth to base of Cretaceous rocks in North Sea (Gautier, 2005)
Figure 6b (right) Present day Kimmeridge Clay Maturity Map (Kimmeridge Energy, 2014)
MIGRATION
Figure 8a (left) Regional drainage areas and interpreted migration pathways in North Sea (Adda, 2012)
Figure 8b (right) 3D view of Top Brent carrier showing hydrocarbon migration pathways (Adda, 2012)
POTENTIALS?
50% of the oil and gas stay within the source rocks
Oil window
Gas window
Sandstones
Majority of Paleogene reservoirs are deep-water sandstones, whose geometry commonly lends
itself to stratigraphic entrapment.
SANDSTONE RESERVOIRS
Sandstones
Sandbodies have been constantly developed through the Carboniferous,
with facies ranging from deep marine to deltaic.
Diagenetic factors do not impact the majority of resevoirs in the area due
to the lack of clay minerals. However clay minerals are present
towards the southern end of SPB and cements formation is common
(Ketter 1991, Heinrich 1991).
Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/66188/strat-plays-of-ukcs.pdf
TRAPS
Anticlinal traps
Fault traps
Silver Pit Basin, Southern North Sea
East Shetland Basin, Northern North Sea
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/w
Source: http://www.iongeo.com/content/documents/pdfs/rtm_north_sea_case_feb_2008.pdf iki/Ekofisk_oil_field
Source: http://pages.geo.wvu.edu/~jtoro/structure/traps.pdf
TRAPS
Pinch-out traps
Rotliegend Group, Southern North Sea
Mudstone
Pinchout
trap
Seal
Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/66188/strat-plays-of-ukcs.pdf
TRAPS
• Unconformity traps
Broad Fourteens Basin, Southern North Sea
Source: Petroleum Geology of the Southern North Sea, Geological Society, Page 135
TRAPS
Source: http://www.geoexpro.com/articles/2011/01/central-north-sea-regional-dataset-supports-continued-exploration
TRAPS
Central North Sea:
Fulmar formation and Base Cretaceous Horizons displaying a
combination trap of titled fault blocks truncated by Base Cretaceous
Unconformity
Source: http://www.geoexpro.com/articles/2011/01/central-north-sea-regional-dataset-supports-continued-exploration
TRAPS
Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/66188/strat-plays-of-ukcs.pdf
SEALS
Claystones
Central North Sea: Jurassic claystones seal Zechstein
carbonates and Rotliegend sandstones
Mudstones
Northern North Sea: Cretaceous mudstones unconformably
overlie and seal Triassic reservoir rocks.
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brae_oilfield
Source: http://www.landforms.eu/shetland/oil%20gas%20north%20sea.htm
SEALS
• Shale
Shales which are temporally equivalent to Kimmeridge
Clay seal many reservoirs
Source: http://www.landforms.eu/shetland/oil%20gas%20north%20sea.htm
SEALS
• Shale
Example: Ekofisk area
Source: http://www.searchanddiscovery.com/documents/2009/40389hardage/images/fig02.htm
SEALS
Salt
Zechstein evaporites
- Cemented chalk
Complex Drilling
PRODUCTION METHODS
• Once the well pressure gets too low for primary recovery to be
viable, the below methods are currently used in the North Sea.
• Gas injection: Gas such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide, is
introduced into the reservoir, it expands. This expansion forces
oil through the formation and into the well. (Looper, n.d.)
PRODUCTION METHODS
• Water injection: Seawater is injected into the
reservoir, increasing the pressure, similar to
gas injection.
MORE PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIES
• Low-salinity water injection: Reducing the salt levels
in sea water that is already injected into reservoirs.
(Heriot-Watt, 2014)
• Detergents (chemical flooding): Reduce surface
tension and ease the passage of oil through the rock
and polymers to improve the efficiency of water
injection. (Peckham, Klitz, 1978)
E S
R V
S E
R E
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1106382/Europe-plunged-energy-crisis-Russia-cuts-gas-supply-Ukraine.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/01/ukraine-crisis-gas-idUSL6N0RV1BY20141001
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/oilandgas/11122585/Vladimir-Putin-is-using-winter-as-a-weapon-says-Ukraine-prime-minister.html
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/28/western-sanctions-russia-european-us-putin
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/oilandgas/11122585/Vladimir-Putin-is-using-winter-as-a-weapon-says-Ukraine-prime-minister.html
NORTH SEA RESERVES
Of the approximate 1,400 exploration wells, 490 have been oil and gas discoveries
representing a 1:3.5 success rate.
New oil extraction technology (EOR) can increase the life of the wells = 75% increase in
production
Thank You