New Functionalities For Petroleum System Modeling in Complex Tectonic Settings

Abstract

Numerical basin modelling is now widely used in petroleum basin analysis. Because of an increasing demand for petroleum system modelling, new basin modelling tools have been developed to run quick basin studies. They are based on simplified physical concepts and give satisfactory results in basins showing no geological pitfall, a quiet structural history and a recent migration event which post‐dates structure development. However, expert basin modelling tools will still be necessary to run basin modelling studies in complex geological contexts in the future, especially since hydrocarbon exploration will have to focus on more on more complex environments. In complex tectonic settings for instance, advanced basin modelling techniques are necessary to accurately predict the relative timing of migration and structure development, overpressure build‐up, fault leakage, cap rock fracturing and subsequent migration flow path evolution. To enable this kind of simulation, we are developing basin modelling tools which can handle complex tectonic settings: - For 2‐D sections, we are developing a numerical restoration software specially designed for basin modelling purposes. It enables the restoration of the full structural scenario in a few tens of structural steps, and for sections comprising up to a few tens of faults. The forward petroleum system modelling relies on an unstructured mesh, which explicitly models the complex structure of faults and deforms continuously as the basin architecture evolves. - In 3‐D, we are developing a basin modelling approach which calculates the full 3‐D stress field in order to better predict compaction and fracturing. This new technology is based on a coupling between a finite element mechanical code and our petroleum system modelling calculator. These technologies can now be applied to operational cases. The poster presents some of them, showing that tectonics induced stress and structural evolution through time, can significantly control the petroleum system.

AAPG Datapages/Search and Discovery Article #90349 © 2019 AAPG Hedberg Conference, The Evolution of Petroleum Systems Analysis: Changing of the Guard from Late Mature Experts to Peak Generating Staff, Houston, Texas, March 4-6, 2019