Advanced development of digital technologies has provided possibilities to evaluate and forecast characteristics of petroleum systems, predict oil and gas fields localization and their change through geological time in the zones previously not available for exploration: fold and thrust belts, fore deeps, transpressional regions of basins, under-thrust, over-thrust and under-salt geological sections.
As a part of technological strategy of Gazprom Neft Company the combination of new advanced tools for basin modeling was tasted and as a result the algorithm of 1D-2D-3D modeling illustrated on Pre-Ural fore deep basin (the south of Orenburg region) was developed. The complicity of geological history and tectonic structure of petroleum systems in basins with fold and thrust component impacts on exceptional and irregular distribution of geochemical, petrophysical, temperature etc. characteristics. Usually this type of petroleum systems consists of several isolated systems with different dynamic and geothermic regimes.
The process of petroleum systems modeling in fold and thrust belts regions is divided into two stages. The first one is balancing and restoration of geological cross section to pre-deformation geometry. This stage is very important and necessary for seismic interpretation validation, eroded layers restoration and moreover for preparation of structural frame for fluid-dynamic model of petroleum system.
Integration of advanced modeling tools allows to restore the history of predicted traps in tectonically complex zones, predict the distribution of hydrocarbon fluids in thrust zone and under-thrust layers in the digital models of 1D/2D format. Currently quantitative prediction of petroleum systems characteristics in 3D scale is not available for industrial projects.
References
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2. Neumaier M., Littke R., Hantschel T. et al., Integrated charge and seal assessment in the Monagas thrust belt of Venezuela, AAPG Bulletin, 2014, V. 98, no. 7, pp. 1325–1350.
3. Moretti I., Working in complex areas: new restoration workflow based on quality control, 2D and 3D restorations, Marin and Petroleum Geology, 2008, V. 25, pp. 205–218.
4. Baur F., Di Benedetto M., Fuchs T. et al., Integrating structural geology and petroleum systems modeling – A pilot project from Bolivia’s fold and thrust belt, Marine and Petroleum Geology, 2009, V. 26, pp. 573–579.
