Answering geological questions from slim-hole coring exploration

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

OSTI ID:6851590

Jantzen, R E; Stockden, I ^[1]; Syrstad, S O ^[2]; Taylor, M R ^[3]; Saunders, M R ^[4]

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1. BP Research, Sunbury-on-Thames (United Kingdom)
2. STATOIL Researchj, Trondheim (Norway)
3. EXLOG Inc., Houston, TX (United States)
4. EXLOG (Services), Windsor (United Kingdom)

Slim-hole exploration wells have been proposed as a cost-effective method of exploring inaccessible and remote areas. These areas often have limited geological control, and the use of wireline-retrieved, continuous coring methods adapted from the mining industry can greatly improve the geological knowledge of a prospect or basin. The availability of core from long continuous sections of the well requires a rethink of geological knowledge acquisition performed at the well site. Market analysis among today's explorationists highlighted the critical answers required from the core before it leave the location. These include the presence or absence of hydrocarbons, reservoirs, seals, source rock and maturity, lithologies, and depositional environments. To provide these answers, a conceptual core screening operation was developed around key variables that answer the geological questions. Throughout, analyses, followed by time and motion studies, were performed to ensure well-site suitability. A series of analysis systems have been built and assembled into a fit-for-purpose, heli-transportable well-site core logging facility, which successfully completed a four-well field trial in Africa during 1992. The purpose of the facility is to digitally preserve the key variables from the core. Core measurements made include natural gamma ray, density/porosity, caliper, permeability, total organic carbon, and Rock-Eval pyrolysis, together with high-resolution white light and U.V. digital images. A geological workstation allows for speed, geologically-correct descriptions, preserving all geological data in digital form. Through the use of a fully integrated data set, encompassing mud, geological, core, and wireline logs, the key variable are combined and plotted to provide near-real-time composite logs for the geologist and petrophysicist. Data transmission from the well site to the project explorationists ensure rapid answers from a cost-effective, novel exploration method.

• OSTI ID: 6851590
• 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
03 NATURAL GAS
DRILL CORES
DATA ANALYSIS
EXPLORATION
REMOTE AREAS
EXPLORATORY WELLS
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
WELL LOGGING EQUIPMENT
EVALUATION
HYDROCARBONS
TECHNOLOGY UTILIZATION
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMICS
EQUIPMENT
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
WELLS
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
030200 - Natural Gas- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration