Journal of Petroleum & Environmental Biotechnology

A new approach for estimating the amount of eroded sediments: A case study from the Canning Basin, Western Australia

6^th International Conference on Petroleum Engineering

June 29-30, 2017|Madrid, Spain

Lukman Mobolaji Johnson, Reza Rezaee, Ali Kadkhodaie, Gregory Smith and Hongyan Yu

Curtin University of Technology, Australia
State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics, P R China

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Pet Environ Biotechnol

Abstract:

Statement of the Problem: Understanding the amount of exhumed sections in sedimentary basins is a key step in the determination of the basin�??sprospectivity. This is important in terms of defining the source rock burial history and subsequently, its maturation and hydrocarbon generation potential. In the conventional realm, this is important in constraining the time of trap formation relative to the time of hydrocarbon expulsion from source rocks. In the unconventional reservoirs, on the other hand, deep burial and subsequent exhumation �??excites�?� the kerogen, and brings the thermally mature source rocks closer to the surface. Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: The most common approach to the measurement of exhumed sections in a sedimentary basin is the use of Apatite Fission Track Analysis. While this method is routinely used in the industry, it has its limitations. Here, we have estimated the exhumed sections by obtaining a representative compaction trend, and interpolating data from different wells on this curve in order to measure the displacement. Furthermore, a mathematical relationship between exhumation and the sonic transit time (DT) and depth of burial is established. Conclusion & Significance: This study has been able to obtain erosion magnitudes from different parts of the Broome Platform of the Canning Basin independent of the basins thermal history, thereby providing more accurate constraints and inputs into the basins burial and thermal history model. Also, the established mathematical relationship between depth, sonic DT, and exhumation appears to be in good agreement with the observed thickness of eroded sections and the measurements from Apatite Fission Track analysis.

Biography :

Email: lukman.johnson@postgrad.curtin.edu.au