Difference between revisions of "Structural fairway prospectivity"
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* Structural style | * Structural style | ||
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* Trap evolution and timing | * Trap evolution and timing | ||
* Presence of [[Source rock|source]] and reservoir facies | * Presence of [[Source rock|source]] and reservoir facies |
Revision as of 18:35, 20 May 2014
Exploring for Oil and Gas Traps | |
Series | Treatise in Petroleum Geology |
---|---|
Part | Predicting the occurrence of oil and gas traps |
Chapter | Exploring for structural traps |
Author | R.A. Nelson, T.L. Patton, S. Serra |
Link | Web page |
Store | AAPG Store |
Definition
Certain structural domains or specific portions of those domains provide the greatest opportunities for exploration success. Those areas are called prospective structural fairways. In a prospective structural fairway, the structural history, trap configuration, and major elements of the hydrocarbon system combine to present a likely scenario for an economic accumulation of hydrocarbons.
Important considerations in identifying a prospective structural fairway are as follows:
- Structural style
- Tectonic overburden or denudation
- Trap evolution and timing
- Presence of source and reservoir facies
- Timing of hydrocarbon generation and migration
Assessing fairway prospectivity
The above considerations and their interdependencies, along with the following data sources, help us assess which structural fairways might be prospective:
- Regional geologic data (tops, sections, maps)
- Natural and productive analogs of structures
- Reconnaissance seismic data
- Potential fields
- Remote sensing data (satellite and air photo)
- Surface geologic data
- Fabric analysis
- Tectonic subsidence analysis
- Surveys for remote detection of hydrocarbons
If the structural fairway has most, if not all, of the major components needed for a viable hydrocarbon system, the next step is to identify structural leads and convert these to prospects.
See also
- Workflow to find a prospect
- Tectonic setting
- Structural domains
- Lead and prospect delineation
- Location selection
- Thrust belt example