PE 2011 - Introduction to

Petroleum Engineering Systems

Spring 2013
Instructor: Dr. Subhash Shah
Stephenson Chair Professor, MPGE
Director, Well Construction
Technology Center (WCTC)
The University of Oklahoma

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 Chapter 2

Petroleum Geology

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 What is Petroleum Geology?
• Petroleum geology deals with the applications of
geology to petroleum exploration.

• Geoscientists (geologists, geophysicists and

geochemists) are now called in more and more
to guide the programs of exploration for
petroleum.

• The term “petroleum geology” has come into

use to describe the area of common interest
between petroleum producers, petroleum
engineers and geoscientists. 3
 What is Petroleum Geology?
(cont’d)
• The geologic concepts applied to petroleum
are all established and recognized scientific
and geologic principles.

• A person who applies these principles to finding

petroleum, however, may properly be called a
petroleum geologist.

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 Petroleum Geology
• Petroleum - a naturally occurring complex mixtures of
hydrocarbons

 Can be gas, liquid, or solid depending on pressure,

temperature, & composition)
 Found underground within the voids of certain rocks
 Originates from organic materials - mainly plants

• Plants are converted to petroleum as a result of the

effects of heat (temperature), pressure, bacteria
actions, etc. over a long period of time 5
Fig. 2.1 - Classification of Rocks

Molten rock Rock fragments Existing rock

cooling and becoming joined changing with high
crystallizing together - can temp/pressure
be clastic,
chemical, or
biological
Fig. 2.2 - The Life Cycle of Rock

Burial &
lithification
Figure 2.3 - Sedimentary Rocks -
Relative Abundance
 Shales are the
dominant sedimentary
rock with 75% of the
total.
 Sandstones and
conglomerates form
11% of the total
worldwide.
 Limestones and
dolomites comprise
13%
 All others together
form about 1%
(evaporites, coals).
 Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary rocks have three sources.
1. Fragmental or Clastic - forms from rock
particles and skeletal remains.

Examples are sandstone, shale.

2. Chemical - deposited by the evaporation

of water. Examples are salts or dolomite

3 .Biological - remains of plant and animal

life Example are coal,coral 9
 Petroleum Traps (or Shapes)
Geologists classify reservoir shapes or traps,
into two types
• Structural traps - form because of a rock
deformation - examples of structural traps are
fault traps and anticlinal traps

• Stratigraphic traps - formed when other beds

seal a reservoir bed or when the permeability
changes within the reservoir bed itself

• Other types of traps are the combination traps,

where more than one kind of trap forms a
reservoir - lenses, salt dome 10
Figure 2.4 - A structural trap - fault trap
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Figure 2.5 - A structural trap - anticlinal trap
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Figure 2.6 - Stratigraphic traps
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Figure 2.7 - A faulted-anticline combination trap
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Figure 2.8 - The piercement dome combination trap
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Physical Properties of Petroleum Traps
Three essential physical properties of a reservoir
rock are
• Porosity - measure of pore space in the
rock

• Permeability - a measure of the ability of

fluids to move in the rock

• Saturation - a measure of the percentage

(%) of gas, oil, and water in
the pore space 16
Figure 2.9 - A porous rock showing tiny
openings in a rock, called PORES 17
 Figure 2.11 - A permeable rock showing
connected pores to give rock permeability 18
 Finding Petroleum Traps
In the early days, hydrocarbons were found based on a
hunch. Now, geoscientists apply earth science to search
for oil
 Geoscientists looked for features on the surface
that indicated subsurface traps
 Geoscientists have developed effective indirect
methods to view the subsurface. The methods are

 Seismology (sound reflection) method - the most

useful and common
 Gravimetric (gravity) method
 Magnetic method
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 Seismology
• Records sound waves that bounce off buried rock
layers; i.e. it is based on reflection of sound waves

• A low-frequency sound on the ground (onshore) or

in the water (offshore) is used to create sound waves
that enter the rock.

• Special sound generators are used in water

(hydrophones)
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 Seismology (Contd.)
 On the surface special devices, called geophones
and in water (hydrophones), pick up the reflected
sounds

 The recordings are analyzed and processed with

computers that display and print out the seismic
signals as 2-D or 3-D view

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Figure 2.12 - Seismic surveying methodology (an
explosion) at shot point creates shock waves that are
reflected by subsurface formations to seismometers and
are recorded on the truck
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2.13 - Seismic Survey Methodology

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Figure 2.14 - A typical section from seismic analysis
showing a salt dome and possible petroleum traps
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 Types of Wells
 The oil industry generally classifies wells as follows:

 Wildcat or exploratory well: first well drilled in a particular field for the
purpose of discovering new hydrocarbon reservoirs. Generally
recommended by the geoscientists

 Confirmation or development wells: are used to verify the field

to get their money back and to make profit.

 Infill Wells - wells drill between existing wells

 Step-out or Outpost wells: drilled on the edge of existing field

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APPENDIX

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 WHY ROCK PROPERTIES?
A knowledge of rock properties and their
compositions helps drilling engineer in solving
many complex drilling problems
• Low rate of penetration,
• Lost circulation,
• Swelling shales,
• Abnormal pressures, etc.

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 Drilling Shales

• Reactive shale minerals hydrate and destabilize

• Fractured or stressed shales can be very unstable

• Competent shales are suitable for setting casing

• Shales cause 90% of all geological hole problems!

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 Drilling Limestone
• Fractured limestones cause total losses and stuck pipe

• Bentonite based mud systems may flocculate with drilled

limestone

• Chert inclusions can destroy most bits

• Unfractured limestone can make a good casing

point

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 Drilling Coal
Coal is brittle and is often fractured. If not already naturally
fractured, drilling stress may fracture it.

• Stuck pipe due to blocks of coal falling in Gas may be

present

• Overgauge hole and ledges

• Total losses in fractured coal

• Can ignite if drilled with air

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 Drilling Salts
• Very high pressure kicks possible in or just below the salt

• Muds and cement slurries must be designed for the

particular salts present

• Stuck at the bit while drilling

• Casing design to withstand mobile formation

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