Relation between liquid hydrocarbon reserves and geothermal gradients - Norwegian North Sea

Conference · Fri Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States)

OSTI ID:5788737

Baird, R A ^[1]

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1. Virginia Water Control Board, Richmond, VA (United States)

Comparison of average geothermal gradients and initial liquid hydrocarbon reserves for 28 Norwegian North Sea fields indicates that gradients in the largest North Sea oil fields cluster around 2.1F/100 feet. No reserves are found where gradients are lower than 1.8F/100 feet or higher than 2.3F/100 feet. At 6.89 billion barrels, reserves for 14 fields falling between 2.05 and 2.15/100 feet total over four times the reserves for all other fields put together. Reserves for seven fields at gradients lower than 2.05F/100 feet and for seven higher than 2.15F/100 feet total 594 and 991 million barrels, respectively. The conclusion is that 2.1F/100 feet is the optimum gradient for generation of liquid hydrocarbons in the Norwegian North Sea, given the depth, kerogen type, and source rock potential of the Kimmeridge Clay, the primary source rock there. Gradients lower than this have not stimulated maximum generation from the source rock. At higher gradients, increasing gas production from source rocks and thermal cracking of previously generated liquid hydrocarbons to gas are effective in limiting liquid hydrocarbon reserves. The 2.1F/100 feet gradient should be a useful pathfinder in the search for new oil reserves in the Norwegian North Sea. Determination of the optimum gradient should be a useful pathfinder in other regions as well.

• OSTI ID: 5788737
• Report Number(s): CONF-910403-; CODEN: AABUD
• Journal Information: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Vol. 75:3; Conference: Annual meeting of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), Dallas, TX (United States), 7-10 Apr 1991; ISSN 0149-1423
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
NORTH SEA
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
PETROLEUM
RESERVES
GEOTHERMAL GRADIENTS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
GEOLOGIC MODELS
MATURATION
NORWAY
OFFSHORE SITES
SOURCE ROCKS
ATLANTIC OCEAN
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ENERGY SOURCES
EUROPE
EVALUATION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
MINERAL RESOURCES
RESOURCES
SCANDINAVIA
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration