Print this pageMultilayer Map Based Hydrocarbon Modelling, a Sensitivity Study from a Frontier Area, Norwegian Continental Shelf
By
Martin Hamborg1, Tomas Kjennerud1, Reinert Seland2, Oivind Lonne3, Oyvind Sylta1
(1) SINTEF Petroleum Research, Trondheim, Norway (2) Aker Geo Petroleum Services, Stavanger, Norway (3) GEO-42 AS, Stavanger, Norway
A multilayer migration technique is 
used
to model hydrocarbon systems where
the oil and gas migration occurs vertically upwards within mudrock sequences and
faults. Lateral hydrocarbon migration occurs within well-defined carriers.
This presentation aims to highlight hydrocarbon charge risks based on a
complex geological model in a frontier area. The geological model consists of 16
interpreted horizons and 5 constructed surfaces. Four source rocks and six
carriers are also incorporated in the map based computer model. Maturation and
expulsion modelling are performed on the four source rocks. The temperature
model used for maturation and expulsion is calibrated with temperature data, and
modelled maturity against meassured vitrinite reflectance. The source rocks are
assumed to charge directly three of six carrier beds, all in different
stratigraphic positions. Hydraulic leakage and capillary leakage from
hydrocarbon traps are presumed to be a vertical sourcing mechanism to above
lying carriers.
The prospectivety is assessed based on maximum, minimum and most likely cases
for each of the source rocks’ richness and extent. The same classification is
used
on the lateral extent of the carriers. Sensitivity to vertical trap-leakage
rates is assessed both for hydraulic and capillary leakage. The effects of
detailed reconstruction of palaeo-water depth on trap configurations are
explored for six timesteps within the last 2.7 million years. The trapped
hydrocarbons are calibrated against known fields and a match with hydrocarbon
phases in the traps is obtained.