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Abstract/Excerpt

Hydrocarbon Generation Modelling of the Åre, Melke and Spekk Formations, Haltenbanken Area, Norway

Amdad Ali¹, Dag A. Karlsen², and Magnus Wangen³
¹MSc Student, Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo, Norway
²Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
³Institute for Energy Technology, Kjeller, Norway

The present study involves 1D basin modelling of two (2) wells from the Haltenbanken Area (the Midgard well 6407/4-1 and the Smørbukk well 6506/12-9S), by employing BAS software (a Basin Simulator which is developed by IFE). The core objective is to estimate the minimum critical moments (timing of oil and gas generation and expulsion) for the Åre, Melke and Spekk formations at these two locations by reconstructing the burial and thermal histories, utilizing the formation thicknesses, age of horizons, geothermal gradients and other relevant parameters. It is furthermore, a target to evaluate if two common modelling tools in use provide the same or different time estimates. This study utilized two different kinetic modelling approaches i.e. the Pepper & Corvi model (1995) and the Tissot & Espitalie (1969 & 1975) model for the kerogen transformation. These modelling approaches are based on realistic source rocks’ pre-exponential factors and distribution of activation energies.

Midgard and the Smørbukk fields have received petroleum charges from down flank regions, which are buried deeper than the investigated formations in the trap themselves. the current results provide minimum times for actual reservoir filling. Still, the relative time difference for HC generation in three formations may still be applicable to the deeper “oil and gas kitchens”. It is outside the scope of this study, but still of interest that this residual potential may affect the cap rock properties of the structures, as continued generation of HC compounds could tentatively act to hinder the influx of petroleum products from the main reservoir.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #120098©2013 AAPG Hedberg Conference Petroleum Systems: Modeling the Past, Planning the Future, Nice, France, October 1-5, 2012