Oil and Gas

Participants will learn how to:

1. Validate the range of gravity flow processes and products, their recognition in the subsurface and reservoir implications.
2. Evaluate the temporal and spatial distribution of the key elements of sand-rich basin-floor turbidite and associated slope systems.
3. Characterise the stratigraphic architecture, scale and distribution of potential reservoir units in sand-rich turbidite systems.
4. Evaluate reservoir description tools and techniques; cores, logs and seismic, for the variety of depositional settings examined.
5. Assess the contrasting nature of internal reservoir characteristics through a variety of deepwater depositional elements and its implications for exploration and exploitation risks.
6. Assess the large-scale controls that can operate on deepwater depositional systems, with particular emphasis on high-resolution sequence stratigraphy in basin floor, slope and associated deltaic systems.
7. Evaluate regional scale links from basin margin to basin floor settings and make well constrained predictions of reservoir presence and potential quality.

Key themes of this course are:

1. Controls on deepwater depositional systems.
2. Deltaic sediment supply systems and evidence for high amplitude sea-level cycles. Contrasts between low stand shelf edge deltas and incised valleys and highstand and transgressive systems tracts. Implications for deepwater sedimentation.
3. Gravity flow processes and products; their recognition and implications.
4. Clastic slope systems. Zones of coarse sediment by-pass or significant exploration targets?
5. Basin floor fans. Simple piles of sand or complicated reservoir architectures?
6. Subsurface case studies.

Below is the planned itinerary for the course. Please note that the itinerary may vary due to weather and tides.

Day 0: Arrival

• Arrival and transfer to the small coastal community of Kilkee

Day 1: Lecture and Field

• Introduction to the Clare Basin stratigraphy and deepwater systems
• Uppermost slope and shelf margin architecture
• Deltaic sequence stratigraphy and implications to deepwater sedimentation

Day 2: Field

• Turbidite systems; sedimentology and stratigraphy
• Slumps, slides, debris flows and slope sands; including channels, growth faults and overbanks

Day 3: Field

• Architecture of deep-water channels and related sheets
• Deepwater processes and products

Day 4: Lectures and Field

• Summary shelf margin to deep-water stratigraphy and models for deepwater sedimentation
• Inner fan sedimentology and stratigraphy; channel complexes, slumps and condensed sections
• Mid-fan sedimentology and stratigraphy; channels, sheets and sediment by-pass surfaces
• Fan fringe sedimentology and stratigraphy; deep basin mudrocks and distal fan elements

 Day 5: Lectures and Field

• Synthesis of deepwater systems and key lessons from the Clare Basin
• Boat trip to view key cliff exposures
• Outer fan stratigraphy; sheets

Day 6: Departure

• Transfer to Shannon and departure

The course is relevant to all subsurface Geoscientists who wish to broaden and deepen their knowledge of deep marine clastic plays. Non-geoscience staff will also benefit from participation. This field course is suitable for multi-disciplinary team attendance.