Oil and Gas
Oil and Gas | Carbonates
Fundamental Concepts of Carbonate Depositional Systems and Reservoirs
Format and Duration:
5 days
The application of modern facies models and sequence stratigraphy to subsurface carbonate systems allows some predictions to be made about the occurrence of different potential reservoir facies. Some basic principles can be used to predict the diagenetic changes that limestones and dolomites undergo with burial and how this affects their quality as hydrocarbon reservoirs. Global scale variations in carbonates can be understood through an understanding of the different climatic, biotic, oceanographic, and sedimentary controls on carbonate sedimentary systems and how these have varied through geological time.
This course also categorises the processes of carbonate sediment accumulation in carbonate platforms in different tectonic settings and identifies target facies that commonly form reservoirs. In particular, the carbonate platforms of the Gulf of Suez and Red Sea rift basins are reviewed based on extensive field-based research by the instructor.
Schedule
Duration and Training Method
This is a classroom course comprising a mixture of lectures, discussion, case studies, and practical exercises.
Course Overview
Learning Outcomes
Participants will learn to:
- Identify a range of carbonate rocks, minerals and their pore systems.
- Determine the formation of limestones and dolomites.
- Contrast carbonate facies from rimmed shelves and ramps.
- Analyse the diagenetic changes that affect carbonate rocks; mineralogy, textures and porosity.
- Interpret the evolution of porosity and permeability as carbonate sediments evolve into rocks.
- Apply sequence stratigraphic principles to carbonate successions and appreciate how these can be used to predict facies occurrence.
- Evaluate the global controls on carbonate systems and how these have varied through geological time.
Course Content
Day 1 Introduction and rimmed carbonate shelves
- Introduction; carbonate sediments, carbonate factories.
- Carbonate sedimentation in a modern, humid climate setting; south Florida attached shelf
- Unattached carbonate platforms and slopes; Bahamas and facies models
- Exercises; carbonate grains and mineralogy and facies (south Florida).
Day 2- Ramps and near surface diagenesis
- Depositional environments, facies and facies models for carbonate ramps and arid climate setting, Arabian Gulf.
- Near surface diagenetic environments of limestones and dolomites.
- Exercises; Graphic log, Walther’s law and cross-section paper exercise, unravelling diagenetic textures from thin sections.
Day 3- Burial diagenesis and sequence stratigraphy
- Burial diagenetic environments of limestones and dolomites. Diagenetic trends with burial and possible uplift .
- Principles of carbonate sequence stratigraphy and comparison with mixed clastic and evaporite systems.
- Exercises; Diagenesis and porosity evolution (interpretation of thin sections), Interpretation of carbonate sequence stratigraphy (paper exercises).
Day 4- Sequence stratigraphy and changes in carbonates through space and time
- Application of carbonate sequence stratigraphy. Case studies.
- Spatial and temporal controls on carbonate sediments and carbonate platforms.
- Tectonic controls on carbonate platforms
- Exercises; Seismic sequence stratigraphy (paper exercise), Landsat image interpretation (paper exercise).
Day 5- Rift Basin carbonates
- Introduction and major features/trends
- Case studies on syn-rift carbonates and carbonate-clastic systems from marine Gulf of Suez and Gulf of Aden.
- Rift basin, non-marine carbonates from SW and NE Atlantic margins.
- Exercise; Correlation of syn-rift facies and lithostratigraphy.
- Proposed discussion/presentation session on Woodside data.
Who Should Attend and Prerequisites
This course is aimed at geoscientists who require a fundamental understanding of carbonate depositional systems, facies and sequence stratigraphic models, and diagenesis.
Instructors
Dan Bosence
Background
Dan started his professional career with 30 years full-time teaching and research in the University of London. He currently divides his time between an Emeritus Chair in Carbonate Sedimentology, teaching professional courses in carbonate sedimentology and reservoirs, and consultancy projects on carbonate reservoirs for the hydrocarbons industry.
Dan’s research in carbonates started with studies on modern cool-water and tropical biogenic carbonates with a focus on carbonate producing communities and production rates. This work formed the foundation of subsequent numerical forward modelling of carbonate platform formation. Research on Cenozoic carbonate platforms and algal limestones of the Mediterranean area. Research at Royal Holloway featured a multidisciplinary study of rift basin evolution in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden focusing on syn-rift carbonate platform formation. An interest in structural controls on carbonate platform evolution also led to studies of foreland basin platforms in Spain and platforms in convergent settings in Southeast Asia. These field-based studies led to a new classification of carbonate platforms based on their basinal setting. Current research focuses on new models to understand the origin of high-frequency cycles in shallow-water carbonates.
During his time in London, Dan supervised some 25 PhD students at London and many of these now have careers as petroleum geologists or as academics. He has published about 100 scientific papers and 5 books and edited volumes.
Classroom and field-based courses (Egypt and Oman) on carbonate facies, sequence stratigraphy and reservoirs are currently run for Shell, Schlumberger, Neftex, Roxar as well as for Nautilus.
Affiliations and Accreditation
PhD University of Reading, UK (Sedimentology)
Courses Taught
N189: Concepts of Carbonate Depositional Systems and Reservoirs
Accreditation and Certification
CEU: 3.5 Continuing Education Units
PDH: 35 Professional Development Hours
Certificate: Certificate Issued Upon Completion
RPS is accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and is authorized to issue the IACET CEU. We comply with the ANSI/IACET Standard, which is recognised internationally as a standard of excellence in instructional practices.
We issue a Certificate of Attendance which verifies the number of training hours attended. Our courses are generally accepted by most professional licensing boards/associations towards continuing education credits. Please check with your licensing board to determine if the courses and certificate of attendance meet their specific criteria.