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Pressure Cell Mapping as a Tool for Evaluating Remaining Exploration Potential: Previous HitExampleNext Hit from the Pre-Cretaceous Series in the Previous HitCentralNext Hit Previous HitGrabenNext Hit, North Sea, United Kingdom

 

Point, Olivier1, Thierry Dugoujard2, Neville Taylor2, Thierry Rives3, Michel Sacleux4 (1) Total E&P Norge AS, Stavanger, Norway (2) Total E&P UK PLC, Aberdeen, United Kingdom (3) TOTAL SA, Pau, France (4) Total SA, Paris La Defense, France

 

In the Previous HitCentralNext Hit Previous HitGrabenNext Hit area of the North Sea, overpressures can reach such levels that the ultimate Previous HittopNext Hit Previous HitsealNext Hit integrity is overcome. Previous HitTopNext Hit Previous HitsealNext Hit breaching results in partial leakage, known in some fields of the area, but can also lead to complete emptying for other struc­tures.

The purchase of the 3D PGS seismic Megasurvey allowed TOTAL E&P UK to undertake a regional synthesis of the Previous HitCentralNext Hit Previous HitGrabenNext Hit province, which aimed at identifying the remain­ing exploration potential and assessing the value of undeveloped discoveries. In the process of assessing risks of identified leads and prospects, particular attention was given to pres­sure analysis. Mesozoic reservoirs are frequently overpressured with a pressure transition zone commencing in the Chalk. Fracture gradients were determined at a regional North Sea scale and used as tool to evaluate the risk of Previous HittopNext Hit Previous HitsealNext Hit breaching. A comprehensive pressure database was also used to build a pressure cell map. Pressure cells are bounded by major structural features (basement faults, salt ridges,…) which result from the rift history of the Previous HitCentralNext Hit Previous HitGrabenNext Hit province.

Practical examples of use of this method include evaluation of remaining potential updip of a dry Fulmar well and assessment of Previous HittopNext Hit Previous HitsealNext Hit capacity for a variety of Mesozoic prospects. In addition to Previous HittopNext Hit Previous HitsealTop retention capacity, lateral and vertical compartmentalisation risks were also investigated using pressure analysis. Pressure cell mapping proved to be a very useful tool for residual exploration in a highly mature area.