Understanding Oil and Gas Shows and Seals in the Search for Hydrocarbons

This book explains in detail how to use oil and gas show information to find hydrocarbons. It covers the basics of exploration methodologies, drilling and mud systems, cuttings and mud gas show evaluation, fundamental log analysis, the pitfalls of log-calculated water saturations, and a complete overview of the use of pressures to understand traps and migration, hydrodynamics, and seal and reservoir quantification using capillary pressure. Also included are techniques for quickly generating pseudo-capillary pressure curves from simple porosity/permeability data, with examples of how to build spreadsheets in Excel, and a complete treatment of fluid inclusion analysis and fluid inclusion stratigraphy to map migration pathways. In addition, petroleum systems modeling and fundamental source rock geochemistry are discussed in depth, particularly in the context of unconventional source rock evaluation and screening tools for entering new plays. The book is heavily illustratedwith numerous examples and case histories from the author's 37 years of exploration experience. The topics covered in this book will give any young geoscientist a quick start on a successful career and serve as a refresher for the more experienced explorer.

List of contents

Introduction to the oil industry and oil show evaluation: a personal retrospective.- The basics of traps, seals, reservoirs and shows.- Drilling, mud logging, wireline logs and cores .- Understanding seals, pressures and hydrodynamics.- Quantifying seals and saturations-capillary pressure, pseudo-capillary pressure and quantitative show assessment.- Basic well log analysis, quick look techniques, pitfalls and volumetrics .- Using fluid inclusion data in exploration.- Shows and geochemistry: extracting more information from source rocks and hydrocarbons.- Building and testing migration models.- Appendices.- Common conversion equations and fluid classifications.- Constructing Winland pore throat graphs in Excel.- Equations in Excel to convert mercury-injection capillary pressure data to height above free water.- Equations in Excel to make pseudo-capillary pressure curves.- Converting paleogeographic maps or shapefiles in ARCGIS to grids.

About the author

John C. Dolson, Director, DSP Geosciences and Associates, LLC and Senior Geological Advisor, Delonex Energy (London). He has 35+ year’s oil and gas exploration both domestic and international. He has served as Vice President of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (2006/2007), and was Senior Geological Advisor for TNK-BP (Russia), Amoco/BP before starting DSP Geosciences in 2008. Mr. Dolson has  supervised hundreds of geoscientists and has been responsible for prospect generation as well as training and development, with 15 years spent living abroad (Egypt, London, and Moscow).  He has served as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Miami (Fla), Colorado State University, Royal Holloway University (London) and geological advisor to Moscow State University and Tyumen State University (Russia). He has an extensive publications list including several landmark papers for AAPG dealing with stratigraphic traps and regional petroleum potential assessmentand has authored books on Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument in 1982 and on unconformity analysis with the Rock Mountain Association of Geologists in 1994.  

Summary

This book explains in detail how to use oil and gas show information to find hydrocarbons.  It covers the basics of exploration methodologies, drilling and mud systems, cuttings and mud gas show evaluation, fundamental log analysis, the pitfalls of log-calculated water saturations, and a complete overview of the use of pressures to understand traps and migration, hydrodynamics, and seal and reservoir quantification using capillary pressure.  Also included are techniques for quickly generating pseudo-capillary pressure curves from simple porosity/permeability data, with examples of how to build spreadsheets in Excel, and a complete treatment of fluid inclusion analysis and fluid inclusion stratigraphy to map migration pathways. In addition, petroleum systems modeling and fundamental source rock geochemistry are discussed in depth, particularly in the context of unconventional source rock evaluation and screening tools for entering new plays.  The book is heavily illustratedwith numerous examples and case histories from the author’s 37 years of exploration experience. The topics covered in this book will give any young geoscientist a quick start on a successful career and serve as a refresher for the more experienced explorer.  
 

Additional text

“It becomes an easy reference guide for earth scientists who have practiced their “art” for many years as well as the industry newcomer. … the book is a map on how to improve the search for hydrocarbons. The content of this book will be invaluable to our industry for years to come. The author has done us a great service.” (John B. Thomas, AAPG Bulletin, Vol. 101 (8), August, 2017)
“Mr. Dolson’s book is a long overdue work, filling a critical knowledge gap that has spanned decades of exploration and has resulted in billions of dollars in dry holes. … His years of experience with major oil companies, as well as teaching and consulting, provide an exceptional perspective on this critically important subject. … this book is an absolute must read and keep for explorationists at all levels as well as managers and engineers. … this book is highly recommended.” (David Blanchard, GEOExPro, Vol. 14 (3), May, 2017)
“This is intended as a text for professional geologists beginning a career in oil and gas exploration. The work is based on the author’s more than three decades of experience, mostly in Egypt, India, and Russia. … book is divided into nine chapters, each leading with an abstract and ending with a summary and references. Chapters are profusely illustrated with charts, diagrams, and occasional photos, mostly clear and easily readable … . Summing Up: Recommended. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates; professionals.” (P. Larsen, Choice, Vol. 54 (6), February, 2017)

Report

"It becomes an easy reference guide for earth scientists who have practiced their "art" for many years as well as the industry newcomer. ... the book is a map on how to improve the search for hydrocarbons. The content of this book will be invaluable to our industry for years to come. The author has done us a great service." (John B. Thomas, AAPG Bulletin, Vol. 101 (8), August, 2017)
"Mr. Dolson's book is a long overdue work, filling a critical knowledge gap that has spanned decades of exploration and has resulted in billions of dollars in dry holes. ... His years of experience with major oil companies, as well as teaching and consulting, provide an exceptional perspective on this critically important subject. ... this book is an absolute must read and keep for explorationists at all levels as well as managers and engineers. ... this book is highly recommended." (David Blanchard, GEOExPro, Vol. 14 (3), May, 2017)
"This is intended as a text for professional geologists beginning a career in oil and gas exploration. The work is based on the author's more than three decades of experience, mostly in Egypt, India, and Russia. ... book is divided into nine chapters, each leading with an abstract and ending with a summary and references. Chapters are profusely illustrated with charts, diagrams, and occasional photos, mostly clear and easily readable ... . Summing Up: Recommended. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates; professionals." (P. Larsen, Choice, Vol. 54 (6), February, 2017)

Product details

• Authors: John Dolson
• Publisher: Springer, Berlin
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.01.2018
• EAN: 9783319806327
• ISBN: 978-3-31-980632-7
• No. of pages: 486
• Dimensions: 156 mm x 237 mm x 29 mm
• Weight: 774 g
• Illustrations: XIX, 486 p. 341 illus., 315 illus. in color.
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Technology > Heat, energy and power station engineering; Elektrotechnik, B, Geowissenschaften, Energieerzeugung und -verteilung, ENERGY, energy systems, Electrical Engineering, Energy Grids and Networks, Energy technology & engineering, Geotechnical Engineering & Applied Earth Sciences, Earth Sciences, Mineral Resources, Chemistry of minerals, crystals & gems, Fossil Fuels (incl. Carbon Capture), Fossil fuels, Fossil Fuel, Geotechnical engineering, Geotechnical Engineering and Applied Earth Sciences, Energy Harvesting, Economic Geology