Introduction to Petroleum Geology
Basically, the study of geology is vital to the production and exploration of petroleum. In determining the type of rock, fluid composition in the reservoir, how petroleum extracted, migrated and trapped, basic petroleum concepts and processes will be used.
Chapter 1 discusses 7 important key elements in principles of petroleum geology.
Source
Reservoir
Seal
Trap
Timing
Maturation and migration
Source rocks refer to from where hydrocarbons have been generated or have the potential to be generated. Sedimentary rock is a good source, but what makes it a very good source rock compare to igneous and metamorphic rock. To generate hydrocarbons, source rock must have suitable temperature and pressure. During its formation, igneous rock requires a very great pressure exert on it. Besides having high pressure, the reason metamorphic rock is not suitable to become source rock is because its high temperature. The lowest temperature to form low-grade of metamorphic rock is 200.
Reservoir usually refers to sandstone and fractured limestone, which is the second rock after source rock, is a unit that holds the hydrocarbon reserves. It must be a porous and permeable for oil to migrate. Porosity refers to the volume of hydrocarbon while permeability is how hydrocarbon flows out of them.
Seal or cap rock has very low permeability to not leak out oil to anywhere. Shales, chalk and evaporites are a common type of seals.
Trap is the stratigraphic or structural feature that trap hydrocarbon in the subsurface.
Timing is the study of rock maturation. Both, reservoir and source rock have to be matured enough at the same time for complete migration from source to reservoir rock. if just one of the rocks is immature, oil cannot migrate or move.
Last but not least, migration, reveals information on how hydrocarbons move from source rock to reservoir rock and help in quantifying the source in a particular area.
Play is a combination of source rock, reservoir rock, seal and trap associated with proven hydrocarbon accumulation.
Chapter 1 discusses 7 important key elements in principles of petroleum geology.
Source
Reservoir
Seal
Trap
Timing
Maturation and migration
Source rocks refer to from where hydrocarbons have been generated or have the potential to be generated. Sedimentary rock is a good source, but what makes it a very good source rock compare to igneous and metamorphic rock. To generate hydrocarbons, source rock must have suitable temperature and pressure. During its formation, igneous rock requires a very great pressure exert on it. Besides having high pressure, the reason metamorphic rock is not suitable to become source rock is because its high temperature. The lowest temperature to form low-grade of metamorphic rock is 200.
Reservoir usually refers to sandstone and fractured limestone, which is the second rock after source rock, is a unit that holds the hydrocarbon reserves. It must be a porous and permeable for oil to migrate. Porosity refers to the volume of hydrocarbon while permeability is how hydrocarbon flows out of them.
Seal or cap rock has very low permeability to not leak out oil to anywhere. Shales, chalk and evaporites are a common type of seals.
Trap is the stratigraphic or structural feature that trap hydrocarbon in the subsurface.
Timing is the study of rock maturation. Both, reservoir and source rock have to be matured enough at the same time for complete migration from source to reservoir rock. if just one of the rocks is immature, oil cannot migrate or move.
Last but not least, migration, reveals information on how hydrocarbons move from source rock to reservoir rock and help in quantifying the source in a particular area.
Play is a combination of source rock, reservoir rock, seal and trap associated with proven hydrocarbon accumulation.