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→Exploration intensity
==Exploration intensity==
==Exploration intensity==
[[file:petroleum-systems_fig3-20.png|thumb|{{figure number|4}}]]
[[file:petroleum-systems_fig3-20.png|400px|thumb|{{figure number|3}}]]
In a petroleum province, drilling density usually indicates how intensively an area has been explored. Though this is a relative measure, a petroleum province having one exploratory well every square kilometer is well explored compared with a province that has one well every 100 km<sup>2</sup>. Exploration intensity by province ranges from lightly to moderately to heavily explored. However, in a petroleum province with overlapping [[petroleum systems]], the shallowest petroleum system may be heavily explored compared with the deeper petroleum systems. To determine level of exploration, each petroleum system in the province of interest should be mapped and the size and location of the commercial accumulations compared with the dry exploratory wells. The dry-hole ratio or success ratio determines exploration intensity and success.
In a petroleum province, drilling density usually indicates how intensively an area has been explored. Though this is a relative measure, a petroleum province having one exploratory well every square kilometer is well explored compared with a province that has one well every 100 km<sup>2</sup>. Exploration intensity by province ranges from lightly to moderately to heavily explored. However, in a petroleum province with overlapping [[petroleum systems]], the shallowest petroleum system may be heavily explored compared with the deeper petroleum systems. To determine level of exploration, each petroleum system in the province of interest should be mapped and the size and location of the commercial accumulations compared with the dry exploratory wells. The dry-hole ratio or success ratio determines exploration intensity and success.
The graphs in [[:file:petroleum-systems_fig3-20.png|Figure 4]] conceptually summarize the exploration process relative to time. The top graph shows that a frontier petroleum province or petroleum system starts with only prospects (1.00 or 100%); with time, some or all (shown here) of those prospects become oil (gas) fields. The bottom graph shows that the highest percentage of the cumulative petroleum reserves are found early in the exploration process. The quicker we determine the size and extent of a petroleum system, the more likely we will be able to decide whether to continue drilling exploratory wells.
The graphs in [[:file:petroleum-systems_fig3-20.png|Figure 3]] conceptually summarize the exploration process relative to time. The top graph shows that a frontier petroleum province or petroleum system starts with only prospects (1.00 or 100%); with time, some or all (shown here) of those prospects become oil (gas) fields. The bottom graph shows that the highest percentage of the cumulative petroleum reserves are found early in the exploration process. The quicker we determine the size and extent of a petroleum system, the more likely we will be able to decide whether to continue drilling exploratory wells.
==See also==
==See also==