Basin evaluation in deltaic series using 2-D numerical modeling a comparison of Mahakam delta and south Louisiana/Gulf of Mexico case histories

Conference · Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States)

OSTI ID:7135565

Burrus, J ^[1]; De Choppin, J G; Grosjean, J L; Oudin, J L ^[2]; Schwarzer, T ^[3]; Schroeder, F; Lander, R ^[4]

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1. Institut Francais du Petrole, Rueil-Malmaoison (France)
2. TOTAL, Paris la Defense (France)
3. Exxon Exploration Company, Houston, TX (United States)
4. Exxon Production Research, Houston, TX (United States)

Integrated numerical modeling of petroleum, generation and migration is difficult to apply in deltaic series. Using Institut Francais du Petrole's two-dimensional model TEMISPACK, we tried to simulate the petroleum history along a 70 km long east-west regional section in the Mahakam delta (Indonesia) and a 800 km long north-south section in south Louisiana/Gulf of Mexico. The two basins contain thick (>10 km) accumulations of the post middle miocene. The principal results are as follows (1) Both basins have similar overpressure profiles caused by thick shales with nano-darcy permeabilities. Compaction, not oil or gas generation, controls the overpressure histories. (2) In both basins, the thermal history is dominated by burial rate, thermal blanketing, and undercompaction. Basinward increases in thermal gradients are probably due to basinward increases in shale content and undercompaction, rather than geodynamic processes. (3) We used an upscaling procedure to define sedimentary facies and properties for each cell in the models. In both cases, we found a huge permeability anisotropy of interbedded facies was necessary to match observed pressure profiles and hydrocarbon distributions. This anisotropy results in a dominant [open quotes]parallel-to-bedding[close quotes] migration pattern, with only a moderate (<0.5 km) vertical migration component. (4) A fundamental difference between the Mahakam and the Gulf coast petroleum systems is the hole of growth faults. In the Gulf Coast, huge growth faults connect deep overpressured, overmature Tertiary source facies with shallow, interbedded sandy reservoirs. Enhanced vertical permeability in the vicinity of these fault zones allows for several kilometers of vertical migration. In the Mahakam delta, where growth faults are less prevalent, deep overpressured shales have very poor expulsion efficiency; gas and oil in shallow reservoirs are shown to be fed mostly by coals located above, and not within, the overpressured zone.

• OSTI ID: 7135565
• Report Number(s): CONF-9310237-; CODEN: AABUD2
• Journal Information: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Vol. 77:9; Conference: American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) mid-continent section meeting, Amarillo, TX (United States), 10-12 Oct 1993; ISSN 0149-1423
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
HYDROCARBONS
MIGRATION
PRODUCTION
RIVER DELTAS
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
ANISOTROPY
GEOLOGIC FAULTS
GEOLOGIC MODELS
GULF OF MEXICO
INDONESIA
LOUISIANA
NATURAL GAS
PERMEABILITY
PETROLEUM
RESERVOIR ROCK
SHALES
T CODES
ASIA
ATLANTIC OCEAN
CARIBBEAN SEA
COASTAL REGIONS
COMPUTER CODES
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
ENERGY SOURCES
EVALUATION
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
ISLANDS
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ROCKS
SEAS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SIMULATION
SURFACE WATERS
USA
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
&amp; Exploration