The article describes the experience of basin modeling for various exploration stages such as searching and localization of new prospect areas, detailed field appraisal, and exploration works within areas of brownfields. Three typical cases are considered as examples. They differ by level of elaboration, implementation and final goals. The first example is a carefully verified model used at the prospecting stage. This model includes a full set of calculations – backstrip modelling, its adjustment to actual geological and geophysical data, calibration of the thermal history and kerogen maturity, modeling of secondary migration, risk assessment and sensitivity analysis. The second example is the model for assessing risks at the stage of the exploration well selection. In this case the main emphasis was made on the evaluation of the influence in the formation of traps of the uncertainties of the structural factor, faults properties and their effect on hydrocarbon migration. The last example illustrates the application of basin modeling in the ranking of undetected traps and the choice of the order of wells drilling at the late stages of exploration. Here the main accent was on the distribution of facies, the content of organic matter, the ages of faults and their permeability properties. The key conclusion is made that more effective use of basin modeling can be achieved with more flexible use of this method, modifying the ways of its implementation depending on the final task. This makes it possible to use both machine and human resources more appropriately.
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