Fault seal and migration pathways

The sealing behavior of faults controls not only the entrapment of hydrocarbons but also the migration pathways into a trap. Fault seals control not only whether a trap retains hydrocarbons but also the volume of hydrocarbons available to migrate into a trap.

Migration pathway maps trace hydrocarbon movement between source and trap within a complexly faulted field and between fields. Migration maps that consist solely of dip arrows drawn on maps of the top reservoir can be very misleading. A migration pathway map must use the detailed information available from routine fault seal analysis.

See also

• How faults control trap fill and migration pathways
• How to construct migration pathway maps
• Effect of seal on hydrocarbon yield estimates
• Migration pathway
• Fault seal-conduit studies
• Fault seal behavior
• Migration

External links

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