Summer 2019
Saltwork courses in applied carbonate sedimentologyWe are committed to offering up to date and comprehensive ap-plied understandings across all our training modules
intro
A TRAINING MESSAGE FROM THE SALTWORKSThe catalog outlines the various train-ing modules we offer across all applied aspects of carbonate reservoir studies.Our course structure is modular so you, or your training coordinator, can con-struct a training program that meets your particular needs.
The recommended program length for carbonate studies is three days made up of two days of the “understandings” modules (3000 code #’s), followed by a more specialized one-day program. This specialized third day is made up of two advanced modules covering topics of specific interest. Historically, some of the most popular advanced modules are;1) Wireline in carbonates2) Dolomitization3) Reef plays in SE Asia
This program can be supplemented with specific topics related to carbonates in saline systems as you can select from all modules in the evaporite catalog, e.g.,1) Evaporite basins2) Salt tectonics3) Saline reservoirs
We can also integrate our training with problem-specific data your staff are working on, including; core, wireline, rock property, seismic and other data. Introductory aspects of training in the use of these data are also possible, for example, an introductory module deal-ing with basic wireline interpretation.
Contact us to discuss a course for you. Email: [email protected]
CARBONATE RESERVOIR FRAMEWORKGeologists and geophysicists working in carbonate reservoirs know that to understand and predict reservoir quality needs more than the application of a simple depositional model. Such simple models may suffice for sandstone reservoirs, but in carbonates, the original depositional poroperm is often radically altered by a combination of diagenetic and struc-tural overprints.
Some interesting facts:
• More than 60% of the world’s oil and 40% of the world’s gas reserves are stored in carbonate reservoirs.
•The Middle East is dominated by carbonate fields, with around 70% of oil and 90% of gas reserves contained within these reservoirs.
•Carbonates typically exhibit highly varying properties (e.g., porosity, permeability, flow mechanisms) within small sec-tions of the reservoir, such variations are often the result of variable diagenetic fluids crossflows and structural alteration, making them difficult to characterize.
• Classic sequence stratigraphic and wireline interpretation paradigms need to account for this variability if reservoir volumetric calculations are to be accurate
Saltwork’s applied carbonate course modules are designed to understand better the reservoir’s porosity distribution, fluid saturation, and the mechanisms by which pores are linked to allow flow. This leads to improved wireline and seismic inter-pretation and knowledge of how to apply this understanding in improved exploration and development efficiencies.
Contact us: www.saltworkconsultants.com
Understand-ings (2 days)To deal with more specialized reservoir quality topics, the trainee must first gain a rock-based understanding of a carbonate reservoir and its diagenetic evolution within a tectonic and climatic framework.
The four modules listed on this page give participants the comprehensive background and conceptual frame needed to tackle the more advanced topic sets.
Once these more general topic sets are mastered, the client company can choose which of the advanced topic sets best fit their training needs. The advance modules can be arranged to constitute a total of three days (2 advanced modules on the third day) up to five days (with six advanced modules).
Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Abyss Cave,Belize
Carboniferous dolomite
GBR
What defines carbonate sediment?Limestones and early dolo-mites are deposited with dis-tinctive textures that can indi-cate the original depositional setting, ocean chemistry and water depth.
CODE # TOPIC
3000.01 Carbonate grains
3000.02 Depositional textures
3000.03 Altered textures
3000.04 Mud in carbonates
3000.05 Classification of carbonates
3000.06 Why carbonates are complex
Diagenetic evolution Carbonate texture and rock chemistry preserve evidence of as the various diagenetic fluids it was exposed to during burial, re-equilibration and uplift.
CODE # TOPIC
3025.01 Marine cements
3025.02 Meteoric alteration
3025.03 The burial evironment
3025.04 Uplift and alternation
3025.05 Isotopes and other tracers
Porosity and permeabiltyUnlike sandstones, porosity and permeability distributions in ancient carbonates are rarely directly related to the depositional setting. Rather they indicate a complex inter-play of depositional and dia-genetic factors.
CODE # TOPIC
3050.00 Ø & k textural variation
3050.01 Choquette and Pray Ø types
3050.02 Lucia classes & k predicition
3050.03 Classes & reservoir quality
3050.04 Poroperm trends & burial
3050.05 Diagenetic geometries
Carbonate geosystems in timeThe modern gives a limited sampling of epeiric and sa-line basins. This reflects the limited climatic and tectonic spectrum of today. Past sys-tems were more extensive and variable.
CODE # TOPIC
3075.01 Eustasy, greenhouse, icehouse
3075.02 Epeiric seaways and giants
3075.03 Eustacy, karst, present & past
3075.04 Are carbonates different?
3075.05 Are all carbonates fractured?
These advanced topics are designed as modules that follow on from the understandings topics. There are a total of six advanced topic modules, and each is 0.5 day long. If all six modules are chosen, this will constitute a five-day training program. If only two are of interest then, in combi-nation with the four modules of the understandings program, the total course length will be three days.
All modules emphasize the utility of applied geological knowledge in improving efficiencies during carbonate exploration and field develop-ment.
Advanced topics
San Andres reservoir
Cretaceous dolomite
Advanced topics
Scott Reef Reef spur and groove
San Andres reservoir Bypass reef wall
Cretaceous dolomite Diagenesis
DolomitizationMost dolomite is a diagenetic min-eral phase. Sometimes dolomiti-zation enhances reservoir quality, other times it destroys it
There are many types and styles of dolomite, some are economi-cally significant and can have rec-ognisable criteria at both the lo-cal (wireline) and regional scales. Some sequences maintain eco-nomic levels of dolomite induced or enhanced poroperm, while overdolomitisation destroys it.
CODE # TOPIC
3125.01 Models & geobodies
3125.02 Permeability contasts
3125.03 Reservoir linkages
Wireline Interp.Wireline-based porosity logs give values that are typically not reli-able representations of values in the reservoir.
The module defines petrophysi-cal effects of matrix and porosity variability and the effects on m, n and Sw in a variety of carbon-ate textures. Using Archies Law, it then applies this knowledge to quantify better the reservoir.
CODE # TOPIC
3150.01 Conventional Ø logs
3150.02 Matrix vs response
3150.02 What is a real m & n?
3150.03 Reliable Ø interp.
3150.04 Combining logs
Diagenetic strat.The high solubility of evaporitic salts, especially the potash bit-terns means there are particular problems and hazards associated with the utilisation of bedded and halokinetic potash.
Pervasive natural karst typify all past and present salt deposits. Ef-fects of these natural geohazards can be increased if flood possibili-ties are not accounted for from the sinking of the first shaft and throughout the life of the mine.
CODE # TOPIC
3175.01 Different to clastics
3175.02 Sealevel & carbonate
3175.03 Diagenesis in seismic
Carbonate reservoirs have a level of matrix and structural complexity not seen in the sandstone reservoirs of the world. This makes under-standing and prediction more difficult
These advanced and more topic-specific modules explore the detail and predictive outcomes that occur with a better understanding of the hydrocarbon-carbonate association. The topic sets extend the trainee’s understanding beyond the fundamentals garnered in the first two days of the carbonate training program.
Advanced topics...cont’d
Fractures
Fractures Moorea
Reservoir & sealReservoir sedimentation and dia-genesis (poroperm evolution) var-ies from field to field and region to region across the Phanerozoic. Understanding the depositional, climatic and diagenetic controls on these variations is critical to effective and efficient petroleum exploration and field develop-ment.
The module gives a predictive un-derstanding of carbonate reser-voirs distribution within a climatic and plate tectonic framework.
» Platform & basin scalings » Diagenesis and geobodies » Predictive reservoir models
Sequence stratig.Carbonate sediments are mostly biogenic (a carbonate factory is photic) and, once deposited, are subject to the vagaries of diagen-esis. These factors must be consid-ered during sequence stratigraph-ic modelling and the definition of sequence boundaries
This is especially apparent if seis-mic and eustatic interpretations and poroperm patterns have al-ready been done, based on the siliciclastic assumption that re-gional sedimentation patterns are largely a response to physical en-ergy and sealevel.
» Carbonate eustacy over time » Highstand versus lowstand » Early diagenetic intensity
Fluid and tectonic evolution creates
traps and seals
The Quaternary is not a perfect key to
the past
CODE # TOPIC
3225.01 Reservoirs by area
3225.02 Reservoirs by time
3225.03 Reservoir diagenesis
3225.04 Reservoir prognosis r
CODE # TOPIC
3250.01 Controls on sealevel
3250.02 Earth climate & time
3250.03 Greenhouse seaways
3250.04 Basin scale prognosis
Rhodalgal wackstone
Reef plays in AsiaMost reservoirs producing from carbonates in SE Asia are hosted in Oligo-Miocene sediments. Unlike the giant fields in the reef-rimmed carbonate platforms of the Middle East and the Americas, these SE Asian fields occur are typically smaller and hosted in bedded heterozoan sediments.
This module classifies the various carbonate fields of SE Asia and discusses why they and their depositional models are distinc-tive, when compared with classic carbonate platform models.
» Climate & tectonism » Island arcs & foreland basins » Carbonates in tectonically-
active settings
SE Asian reservoir plays are distinct
CODE # TOPIC
2225.01 Defining the Miocene
2225.02 Light & island arcs
2225.03 Miocene reservoirs
2225.04 Prediction in SE Asia
Many evaporite basins contain enhanced volumes of hydrocarbons in the sedimentary basin. This is especially apparent in the Middle East and the Circum-Atlantic salt basins. These are the regions where the majority of the world’s giant and supergiant oil and gas fields have been discov-ered in the past 15 years.
Saltwork training focuses on the evaporite association in a separate set of course modules (see our evaporite course catalog, which is down-loadable from the Saltwork website). Three relevant modules from the evaporite training system are given here to give a feel for content in the evaporite-related training modules. These three, and all the other training modules listed in the evaporite training catalog, can be chosen as additional half-day modules in all client-designed training courses.
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.saltworkconsultants.com
Additionaltopics
Salt kinetics Bitumens in Ara salt Hutt Lagoon
Salt tectonicsMany of the world’s oil and gas fields occur in halokinetically-influ-enced structures across many of the world’s salt basins (e.g. Campos Basin, Gulf of Mexico, North Sea, Lower Congo Basin, Santos Basin and Zagros).
The course gives a predictive un-derstanding of salt and how it controls local and regional salt tectonics, reservoir sedimenta-tion and diagenesis (poroperm). This is critical to effective and ef-ficient petroleum exploration and field development.
» Salt tectonics & basin-scales » Predictive salt models » Circum-salt diagenesis.
Saline reservoirs A large proportion of the world’s giant and supergiant oil and gas fields are associated with salt. With carbonate reservoirs, this proportion is more than 50%.
This is especially apparent in the Middle East and in circum-Atlantic Aptian settings. Worldwide, all giant and supergiant gas fields in thrust belts have an evaporite seal.
Salt acts a seal to underlying and adjacent reservoirs. In diagenesis it supplies brines than can create or enhance reservoir poroperm.
» Physics of salt seals » Bedded associations » Halokinetic associations » Dolomite & evaporites.
Source rocksOil in carbonate reservoirs, sealed by evaporite salts, may have been sourced in earlier less saline, but still related, evaporitic (meso-haline) conditions.
Similar conditions favour evapo-rite and organic matter preserva-tion
» Halotolerants tend to flourish in mesohaline waters.
» Why “feast and famine” makes source rocks
» Organic geochemistry of halotolerants and halophiles
» Indicative biomarkers » The four main ancient
evaporitic source rock systems
» Time limits of the modern.
Salt flows and so creates traps and
fluid foci
Salt maintains its seal integrity
Saline systems en-courage the preser-vation of organics
CODE # TOPIC
2225.01 Physics of salt
2225.02 Extensional systems
2225.03 Compressional
2225.04 Circum-salt systems
CODE # TOPIC
2250.01 Salt seal integrity
2250.02 Beds, plays & plumes
2250.03 Halokinetic reservoir
2250.04 Dolomitisation & salt
CODE # TOPIC
2275.01 Salinity tolerances
2275.02 Halotolerant & philes
2275.03 Organic indicators
2275.04 Depositional settings
At SaltWorks we are committed to offering up-to-date and comprehen-sive training.
We also offer a full range of related consultancy services and a compre-hensive GIS databases that encompasses all of the examples offered in any of our training modules. All data plots and polygons are cross-refer-ence to their source data.
Refer to our web page to see the complete range of services that we offer.
Our promise
www.saltworkconsultants.com
Principal instructorDr. John Warren is the principal expert and technical coordinator for Saltworks. His career spans more than 30 years in salty systems.
Interests include; Wireline Analysis, Car-bonate and Evaporite Systems, Oil and Gas, Economic Geology and Potash explo-ration and development.
He has written 4 books on economic as-pects of evaporites, has contributed re-lated chapters in a number of books and has published more than 60 scientific ar-ticles in applied aspects of saline geology.
Course materials Each participant in the course receives a complete set of digital course notes. This material is a series of hi-resolution pdf files that give the participant a copy of every slide presented during their train-ing course.
In addition, each participant receives a digital copy of Dr. Warren’s 2016 book “Evaporites: A compendium” published by Springer (ISBN978-3-319-13512-0). This all-color edition runs to more than 1800 pages and has been cited as the most complete summary of evaporites current-ly available.
© SaltWork Consultants 2015 (ACN 068 889 127)
Kingston Park, Adelaide 5049 AUSTRALIA
Telephone: +61 8 121 5710 (Australia) +66 8 9498 1512 (roaming/SMS)
Web page: www.saltworkconsultants.com
Email: [email protected]
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