Petroleum System Modeling to Prospect Assessment in Fold-and-Thrust Belts: Andean Foreland Examples

Abstract

Fully coupled structural restoration and petroleum systems modeling (PSM) improves the understanding of the petroleum system. Conventional PSM uses vertical back-stripping to describe the structural evolution of a basin. However, this is not sufficient in structurally complex regions. Lateral rock movements mean PSM should be performed using structurally restored models. This requires a specific methodology to simulate physical parameters such as rock stress, pore pressure and compaction within a basin and then to correctly couple the resulting structures with subsequent modeling of the thermal history, source rock evolution and derived hydrocarbon compounds. The presentation will include case studies in 2D and 3D dimensions, showing the applied workflow in the PetroMod petroleum systems modeling software. This technique correctly couples the temperature and pressure fields and simulated dynamic fluid movements from the source rock to the reservoir layers, finally the results from the PSM will be used to evaluated the play risk but also the stochastic volumetric risk prospect assessment making the workflow as powerful tool to take straight forward decisions on the organization’s exploration strategy.

AAPG Datapages/Search and Discovery Article #90326 © 2018 AAPG Latin America & Caribbean Region, Optimizing Exploration and Development in Thrust Belts and Foreland Basins. Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, June 6-8, 2018