Oil Equivalent Research Articles

ORGANIC MATTER AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF CRUDE OIL CONTAMINATED SOIL AMENDED WITH TERMITE SOIL AND BLUE PORTER PLANT

Crude oil contamination in the Niger Delta has become a serious problem for soil health and agricultural production. We hypothesized that applying Trinervitermes spp of termite soil and introducing the Blue porter plant (Stachytarpheta jamaicensis) to crude oil contaminated soil can accelerate microbial activities and improve the soil's physical properties and organic matter content. A field experiment was carried out on a 0.02 ha land to assess the effects of Trinervitermes geminatus termite soil and Stachytarpheta jamaicensis plant on the physical properties of a sandy loam soil contaminated with crude oil in the Niger Delta of Nigeria. The experiment was arranged in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD), consisting of 13 treatments in 3 replications. The soil was contaminated with 4% crude oil (equivalent of 40,000 mg kg-1) (Cr4) and 5% crude oil (equivalent of 50,000 mg kg-1) (Cr5), in single application. The soil was treated with 10 and 20 t ha-1 of Trinervitermes geminatus termite soil (10Mo and 20Mo, respectively), alone and in combination with Blue porter plant (Stachytarpheta jamaicensis). Results revealed that 6-month applications of Trinervitermes geminatus termite soil and Stachytarpheta jamaicensis plant have significant effects on physical properties and Soil Organic Matter SOM) Applying 10 and 20 t ha-1 of termite soil in combination with Stachytarpheta jamaicensis plant to 4% crude oil increased SOM from 29 g kg-1 in the control plots to about 61 g kg-1 after 6 months. The application of 20 t ha-1 termite soil to 4% crude oil (Cr4+20Mo) reduced soil bulk density, increased saturation water content by 15%, and saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) from zero to 1.67 and 1.53 cm h-1 in 6 months, after the application compared to the untreated Cr4 soil. Macro-aggregates > 0.25 mm were generally higher in the termite soil alone and in combination with the Blue porter plant. Micro-aggregates <0.25 mm dominated the Control plot (54 and 46% after 3 and6 months). Water stable aggregates in 4.75-2.0 mm size class increased from 22% to 56% for Cr5+20mo after 6 months. The termite soil improved the macro-aggregates, while the Blue porter plants improved Ksat of the soil after 6 months.

Carapaces of the Dnieper-Donets Basin as a New Exploration Target for significant hydrocarbon deposits

New geological structures — displaced blocks of salt overburden — were identified in the axial part of the Dnieper-Donets basin (DDB) beside one of the largest salt domes due to modern high-precision gravity and magnetic surveys and their joint 3D inversion with seismic and well log data.
 Superposition of gravity lineaments and wells penetrating Middle and Lower Carboniferous below Permian and Upper Carboniferous sediments in proximity to salt allowed proposing halokinetic model of displaced salt overburden, assuming Upper Carboniferoussalt reactivation.
 As an analogy todescribed halokinetic deformationswe consider rafts and carapaces of the US Gulf of Mexicobasin.
 Density of Carboniferous rocks within the displaced blocks evidence a high probability of hydrocarbon saturation. Possible traps include uplifted parts of the displaced blocks, abutting Upper Carboniferous reservoirs, and underlying Carboniferous sequence. Play elements (reservoir type and quality, seals, hydrocarbon generation) are analyzed using analogues from the Dnieper-Donets basin and the Gulf of Mexico basin.
 Hydrocarbon reserves of the displacedblocks within the study area are estimated to exceed Q50 (Р50)=150 million cubic meters of oil equivalent.

Potential and Distribution of Natural Gas Hydrate Resources in the South China Sea

The amount of natural gas contained in the world’s gas hydrate accumulations is enormous, but these estimates remain highly speculative. So far, it is still challenging to locate spatial distribution of marine gas hydrate and quantitatively characterize the evaluation parameters and systematic improvement of evaluation systems. Considering the systematic review of the key accumulation factors, such as heat flow, deposition rate and total organic carbon in the typical passive continental margin, the evaluation results of global marine gas hydrate resources were analyzed based on the characteristics of gas hydrate geology, geophysics and geochemistry anomalies in the South China Sea. We analyze the problems on the evaluation of marine gas hydrate resources, probing into the geological characteristics and distribution laws of marine gas hydrate resources in the South China Sea, and estimate the parameters for in-place resource evaluation, in which the volume method based on Monte Carlo probability was used to evaluate the gas hydrate potential resources in the South China Sea. The probability distribution ranges from 37.6 billion (with 90% probability) to 117.7 billion (with 10% probability) tons of oil equivalent, with an expected value of 74.4 billion tons of oil equivalent. The study results show that the gas hydrate resource density in the South China Sea is similar to that in the typical sea areas, and the estimated global resources are basically consistent with the assessment results at this stag; this shows that the South China Sea has great potential for gas hydrate resources. The research results can provide guidance for the evaluation of global climate change and the exploration and development of hydrate resources.

Research on a hydrate saturation prediction method based on an analysis of factors that influence the prediction accuracy of sea area hydrate saturation

It has been predicted that China has about 80 billion tons of oil equivalent of natural gas hydrate resources in its sea. China has conducted at least six drilling and two trial exploitations in the South China Sea, achieving good results. However, these achievements do not necessarily mean that the research area can support commercial exploitation. Only when the natural gas hydrate resources in the research area reach a certain scale will it be valuable for commercial exploitation. A reliable quantitative prediction method is necessary to clarify the scale of gas hydrate in the research area. However, the classical Wood method’s application to the prediction of suspended hydrate saturation in the Shenhu maritime area of China results in a large prediction error; the analysis shows that an unreliable measurement of reservoir parameters is the main reason for the large prediction error. In order to clarify the influence of reservoir parameters, this paper—by analyzing the measurement sources of the parameters of reservoir parameters, firstly indicates that the inaccurate measurement of three reservoir parameters—matrix composition, porosity, and density—is the main cause of prediction error. Then, using the design of different reservoir parameter measurement schemes to conduct comparative analysis, this paper points out that unreliable porosity and density measurement may lead to large prediction errors, while unreliable measurements of matrix composition have a relatively small impact on prediction accuracy. Further analysis shows that the absolute value of the prediction error caused by uncertainty in synthetic reservoir parameter measurement is sometimes larger than the sum of the absolute prediction error caused by the single parameter measurement uncertainty. In addressing the problem of large prediction errors caused by the inaccurate measurement of reservoir parameters, this paper proposes a hydrate saturation prediction method based on non-hydrate correction—called the “Wood-Bao method”. Simulation and actual data studies show that the prediction effect of this method is superior to that of the Wood method.

Analysis on the sustainability of different low CO2 emission Hydrogen production technologies for transition towards a ‘zero emission’ economy

Abstract World primary energy consumption reached 14,2 mil. tons of oil equivalent. More than 81.7% of this energy was generated from fossil fuels as primary energy source while 74.5% of the electrical energy was generated from fossil fuels. Energy transition towards zero impact from CO2 emission requires a major shift in the energy mix of the primary sources, decarbonization of the electricity generation, and the use of Hydrogen as the alternative low CO2 emission solution for the high temperature industrial process. Low CO2 Hydrogen could be produced using the conventional technologies (steam methane reform i.e.) with Carbon Capture and Storage, from renewable energy sources through water electrolysis or from biogas / biomass. At this moment none of the low CO2 Hydrogen technologies is competitive, as natural gas-based Hydrogen is around 1.5 EUR/kg while renewable based Hydrogen is in the range of 2.5-5.5 EUR/kg. From the sustainability point of view, besides the production cost issue, the whole life cycle emissions need to be considered. The main goal of this article is to assess different low CO2 emission Hydrogen production technologies by analyzing the CO2 emission along the value chain, together with a sensitive analysis on the main cost drivers, evaluating the impact on upstream and downstream economic sectors, based on case study methodology. This article provides the basis for selecting the most sustainable technology, the prerequisites for an energy transition towards a hydrogen-based economy and highlights the critical links between a Low CO2 Hydrogen transition strategy and other energy strategies. The results suggest that access to low-cost renewable electricity will be the most important factor in driving the production cost down, a decentralized onsite production will further reduce the losses and wind based renewable energy is having the lowest CO2 emission across the entire life cycle.

Estimation of Carbon and Biomass Energy Loss Along Shoghi-Shimla-Dhali Bypass in Mashobra Range, Himachal Pradesh

The present study was conducted during 2018−2019 to estimate biomass, carbon storage, CO2 sequestration rate, CO2 mitigation potential and biomass energy of dominant tree species like Pinus roxburghaii, Quercus oblongata, Cedrus deodara, Pinus wallichiana grown along the National Highway-22 (Shoghi−Shimla−Dhali) bypass, Himachal Pradesh, India. Present investigation was carried out by non-destructive method. About 13,967 trees were cut down during road expansion along National Highway-22. The trees <20 cm dbh dominated the structure of stand density in the study area. The diameter class IV (10−19 cm dbh) showed highest stand density among all the species occurred in study area. Among species, the proportion of Pinus roxburghaii was 64.73%, 74.22% for Quercus oblongata, 73.27% for broad leaves, 53.64% for Cedrus deodara and 51.86% for Pinus wallichiana under class (10_20 cm dbh). The maximum biomass of 2205.3 t ha-1 was observed for Quercus oblongata. Total carbon ranged from 139.26 t ha-1 to 1102.61 for diameter class 10−19 cm dbh to IE>100 cm dbh. The total carbon sequestered rate was found to be 10,306.57 t ha-1. The total CO2 mitigated potential was estimated to be 7498.24 t ha-1 with average biomass energy of 4319.88 t oil equivalent. The study revealed that Quercus oblongata was the major contributor to the total carbon loss and has highest proportion of 39.36% among all species.

Antioxidant Activities and Chemical Composition of Essential Oil of Rhizomes of Zingiber officinale (Ginger) and Curcuma longa L.(Turmeric)

This study aimed to determine the essential oil volatile components of ginger and turmeric rhizomes, as well as to determine the total antioxidant capacity of essential oil samples according to the CUPric Reducing Antioxidant Capacity (CUPRAC), ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) method and free radical scavenging activities of oil samples and standards such as BHA, BHT, and Trolox were determined using a DPPH method. Essential oil analysis of volatile components was also performed on a Shimadzu GCMS-QP2010 SE (Japan) model with Support Rx-5Sil MS capillary column (30 m x 0.25 mm, film thickness 0.25 μm). Antioxidant capacities of essential oils were evaluated according to the CUPRAC method in millimole Trolox/gram -oil equivalent. GC-MS analysis of ginger showed the presence of 5 major peaks identified as Curcumene (13.46%), Zingiberene (33.92%), α-Farnesene (8.07%), β-Bisabolene (6.39%), and β-Sesquiphellandrene (15.92 %), respectively. GC-MS analysis of Turmeric showed the presence of 3 major peaks identified as Ar-Turmerone (29.24%), α-Turmerone (22.8 %), and β-Turmerone (18.84%). CUPRAC values of calculated antioxidant capacities of essential oil samples were determined as 1.97 ± 0.102 mmolTR/g-oil for Zingiber officinale R. and 3.40 ± 0.071 mmol TR/g-oil for Curcuma longa L. The scavenging effect of turmeric, ginger and standards on the DPPH radical decreased in the order of Trolox>BHA>BHT>Turmeric>Ginger which were 95.25 ± 0.05%, 62.57 ± 0.34%, 61.6 ± 0.3%, 51.45 ± 0.59%, and 50.26 ± 0.09%, at the concentration of 150µg/mL, respectively. Additionally, it revealed that essential oils of turmeric and ginger exhibited effective ferric reducing power.

Assessing the sealing quality of submarine mass transport complexes and deposits

Mass transport complexes and their associated mass transport deposits—both referred to here as submarine failure deposits—are virtually ubiquitous in the modern and ancient sedimentary record of many deepwater basins. As exploration expands to new frontiers, submarine failure deposits are being identified as components of the petroleum system in numerous prospects. Although such deposits were historically considered facies to avoid from a viewpoint of petroleum exploration, it is now recognized that they can act as source, reservoir, or seal elements. In this paper, we set out to investigate the role of submarine failure deposits as effective seals in the petroleum system using published data and propose a methodology to risk some first-order factors at a macro-, meso-, and micro-scale that influence the seal quality of these submarine failure deposits. We accomplish this by discussing the properties intrinsic to submarine failure deposits that affect the seal quality at different scales. Based on published literature, at least six offshore fields from the Gulf of Mexico and NW Borneo are reported to have a submarine failure deposit as an effective seal. These fields combined account for ∼0.9 billion barrels of oil equivalent of cumulative discovered reserves globally and prove the potential of submarine failure deposits as effective seals and a future undervalued play concept. We use three case studies to illustrate our methodology. Our methodology can be further customized using datasets from industry and public records. The seal risk matrix presented here is based on more than a decade of research and has been already used by several exploration companies with encouraging feedback. We acknowledge the limitations of the methodology, but future interdisciplinary research and integration of new datasets and results will improve the de-risking of submarine failure deposits in exploration. Additionally, this methodology can potentially be applied to assessing seal potential of submarine failure deposits for carbon capture sequestration and storage projects.

E&P Notes (May 2022)

E&P Notes (May 2022)

Potential Environmental Impact of Biodiesel Production from Palm Oil using LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) in Indonesia

Primary energy production in Indonesia in 2018 consisting of petroleum, natural gas, coal and renewable energy reached 1,504 million BOE (Barrel of Oil Equivalent). Dependence on the use of fuel oil (BBM), especially in the transportation sector, is still high. The global commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions encourages the Indonesian government to support the role of new and renewable energy. Life cycle assessment (LCA) has become a popular technique applied to evaluate the environmental impact, energy consumption and GHG (Greenhouse Gas) emissions of biofuel production. To evaluate the life cycle impact of biodiesel, many steps have to be considered including land use change, plantation, milling, refining, fuel conversion. There have been several studies reporting the life cycle of palm oil production. However, most of them are still focused on GHG emissions and energy needs. Therefore, this paper will present LCA with broader impact categories of biodiesel production in Indonesia from the plantation phase to the production phase. Based on the analysis carried out, it can be concluded that the main contributor to the environmental impact of biodiesel production is the use of fertilizers at the plantation stage and the transesterification process at the biodiesel plant

Clumped isotope constraints on the origins of reservoir methane from the Barents Sea

The Barents Sea basin is an oil and gas province containing more than 760 million tons of oil equivalents. The reservoir geology of the Barents Sea is complex due to multiple episodes of subsidence, uplift and erosion, which opened a network of extensional and wrench related faults allowing for fluid migration. The multifaceted geological history complicates efforts to describe the source and characteristics of natural gas in the subsurface Barents Sea. Here we apply stable isotopes, including methane clumped isotope measurements, to thirteen natural gases from five (Skrugard Appraisal, Havis, Alta, Filicudi, and Svanefjell) reservoirs in the Loppa High area in the southwestern Barents Sea to estimate the origins of methane. We compare estimates of methane formation temperature based on clumped isotopes to thermal evolution models for the region. We find that the methane has diverse origins including microbial and thermogenic sources forming and equilibrating at temperatures ranging from 34–238°C. Our clumped isotope temperature estimates are consistent with thermal evolution models for the area. These temperatures can be explained by gas generation and expulsion in the oil and gas window followed by isotopic re-equilibration in some reservoirs due to microbial methanogenesis and/or anaerobic oxidation of methane. Gases from the Skrugard Appraisal, Havis and Alta have methane equilibration temperatures consistent with maximum burial temperatures, while gases from Svanefjell have methane equilibration temperatures consistent with current reservoir temperature, suggesting isotope re-equilibration in the shallow reservoir. Gases from Filicudi on the other hand are consistent with generation over multiple points over its thermal history.

Evaluation of natural gas hydrate resources in the South China Sea by combining volumetric and trend-analysis methods

Natural gas hydrate (NGH), considered as a type of premium energy alternative to conventional hydrocarbons, has been broadly studied. The estimate of the total NGH resources in the world has decreased by more than 90% since the first evaluation in 1973. Geographic and geophysical conditions of the South China Sea (SCS) are favorable for the formation of NGH, which has been proved by drilling results up to date. The recoverability of the NGH in the SCS has been confirmed by the production tests using both vertical and horizontal wells. Since 2001, 35 estimates of NGH resources in the SCS have been made, with relatively stable results varying between 600 and 900 × 10 9 ton oil equivalent. In these estimations, the volumetric method was commonly adopted, but the geological conditions, the migration-accumulation mechanisms of NGH, and the practical recoverability were not considered. These estimates cannot be regarded as evaluated resources according to the international resource evaluation standards, but are at most about prospective gas content of NGH, thus inefficient for guiding explorations and developments. To solve these problems, this study divides the past NGH surveys in the SCS into seven stages, acquires key geological parameters of every stage based on previous studies and analogy with other areas, evaluates the NGH resources of these seven stages by using the volumetric method, then adopts a new trend-analysis method to simulate the downward trend of these estimates, and finally predicts the NGH resources in the SCS at 2025 and 2030. The downward trend is because of the continuous improvement of NGH understanding over time, which is consistent with the trend of global NGH estimates. At the present stage (from 2019 to 2021), the average technically recoverable resource (ATRR) is 7.0 × 10 12 m 3 , and the estimates of 2025 and 2030 ATRR are 6.46 × 10 12 m 3 and 4.01 × 10 12 m 3 respectively, with a difference of less than 40%. Therefore, it can be inferred that the ATRR of NGH in the SCS is between 4.0 and 6.5 × 10 12 m 3 , with an average of 5.25 × 10 12 m 3 .

Petroleum hydrocarbons in Brazilian Northeast continental shelf waters: baseline values

Water quality on the continental shelf off the eastern Brazilian Northeast region was investigated in two oceanographic campaigns during winter and summer, when vertical profiles of salinity, temperature, turbidity, chlorophyll and dissolved oxygen were recorded. Dissolved / dispersed petroleum hydrocarbons (DDPH) were also analyzed in sub-superficial water samples using fixed wavelength fluorescence spectroscopy methods. Shelf waters are dominated by Tropical Waters, with high salinity (> 36.5 g kg-1) and temperature (> 26 °C) and little continental influence. Turbidity was higher during winter, which may be due to the higher continental contribution and/or higher wave action. Chlorophyll was mostly < 1 µg L-1 and dissolved oxygen saturation was predominantly high (> 90%), but innermost costal stations were influenced by the Capibaribe estuary. Median DDPH concentrations were as low as 0.07 and 0.04 µg L-1 Carmópolis oil equivalents during winter and summer respectively, and 0.02 µg L-1 chrysene equivalent for both periods. An exception was observed off Suape Harbor (0.35 µg L-1 Carmópolis oil equiv. and 0.13 µg L-1 chysene equiv.), suggesting navigation activities as the main local source. The overall DDPH median of 0.06 μg L-1 Carmópolis oil equivalents and 0.02 μg L-1 chrysene equivalents are proposed as the baseline concentration for non-polluted coastal water for the tropical western Atlantic Ocean margin.

Petroleum resource potential evaluation using insights based on hydrocarbon generation, expulsion, and retention capabilities—A case study targeting the Paleogene Es1 formation, Qikou Sag

The Shahejie Formation of the Bohai Bay Basin has been set as a favorable shale oil area for exploration in currently practice. However, the process was impeded by the obscurity of favorable exploration area in the shale play and resource evaluation targeted at the main research area, the Qikou Sag. In particular, there is a need for a systematic assessment of the various types of resources present. The study presented herein emphasizes on quantifying source rock generation, expulsion, and retention hydrocarbon characteristics using the advanced hydrocarbon-generation potential model (HGPM) in the first member of the Paleogene Shahejie Formation (Es 1 ) of the Qikou Sag. Geological and geochemical features reveal that the Es 1 source rocks are of relatively high quality with a 1200-m maximum thickness and abundant organic matter (total organic carbon (TOC) content of 2.27% on average; type I kerogen dominated; mature stage). The type of organic matter was reassessed using the progressive and reasonable dimensionless TOC and S 2 variables. The HGPM demonstrated that the expulsion threshold was R o = 0.50% and the maximum generation hydrocarbon potential ( Q g ), expulsion hydrocarbon potential ( Q e ), and retention potential ( Q r ) were 746.99, 231.57, and 515.42 mg HC/g TOC, respectively. The hydrocarbon generation (I g ), expulsion (I e ), retention (I r ), and effective retention intensity (I re ) all centered in the Qikou main depression at 450 × 10 4 , 200 × 10 4 , 300 × 10 4 , and 230 × 10 4 t/km 2 , respectively. The predicted resource potential can be finally queued as follows: retention shale resources with 22.90 × 10 8 t oil equivalent, including movable shale oil and gas of 12.21 × 10 8 t, and conventional and tight oil or gas resources with 9.62 × 10 8 t oil equivalent. The most favorable exploration areas are mainly distributed in the Qikou main depression and Qibei Subsag. Quantitative and detailed evaluation provides a reasonable prediction of exploration targets and prospects and further mitigates risks and losses incurred during shale-exploration successions. • Advanced hydrocarbon generation potential model is used in the Qikou Sag, NE China. • Potential resources and favorable targes of study area are presented. • Redetermination on organic matter type and redescription on HC generation process. • Unconventional oil and gas occupy a desirable resource scale. • The resources comparisons between Qikou Sag and the adjacent Nanpu Sag.

Novel β-Cyclodextrin and Catnip Essential Oil Inclusion Complex and Its Tick Repellent Properties.

Cyclodextrin inclusion complexes have been successfully used to encapsulate essential oils, improving their physicochemical properties and pharmacological effects. Besides being well-known for its effects on cats and other felines, catnip (Nepeta cataria) essential oil demonstrates repellency against blood-feeding pests such as mosquitoes. This study evaluates the tick repellency of catnip oil alone and encapsulated in β-cyclodextrin, prepared using the co-precipitation method at a 1:1 molar ratio. The physicochemical properties of this inclusion complex were characterized using GC-FID for encapsulation efficiency and yield and SPME/GC-MS for volatile emission. Qualitative assessment of complex formation was done by UV-Vis, FT-IR, 1H NMR, and SEM analyses. Catnip oil at 5% (v/v) demonstrated significant tick repellency over time, being comparable to DEET as used in commercial products. The prepared [catnip: β-CD] inclusion complex exerted significant tick repellency at lower concentration of the essential oil (equivalent of 1% v/v). The inclusion complex showed that the release of the active ingredient was consistent after 6 h, which could improve the effective repellent duration. These results demonstrated the effective tick repellent activity of catnip essential oil and the successful synthesis of the inclusion complex, suggesting that β-CDs are promising carriers to improve catnip oil properties and to expand its use in repellent formulations for tick management.

Sichuan super gas basin in southwest China

A sedimentary basin is classified as a super basin when its cumulative production exceeds 5 billion barrels of oil equivalent (6.82×108 t of oil or 7931.66×108 m3 of gas) and its remaining recoverable resources are at least 5 billion barrels of oil equivalent. By the end of 2019, the total output of oil and gas in Sichuan Basin had been 6569×108 m3 with the gas-oil ratio of 80:1, and the total remaining recoverable resources reached 136 404×108 m3, which makes it as a second-tier super basin. Because the output is mainly gas, it is a super gas basin. The reason why the Sichuan Basin is a super gas basin is that it has four advantages: (1) The advantage of gas source rocks: it has the most gas source rocks (9 sets) among all the basins in China. (2) The advantage of resource quantity: it has the most total remaining recoverable resources among all the basins in China (136404×108 m3). (3) The advantage of large gas fields: it has the most large gas fields (27) among all the basins in China. (4) The advantage of total production: by the end of 2019, the total gas production had been 6 487.8×108 m3, which ranked the first among all the basins in China. There are four major breakthroughs in natural gas exploration in Sichuan Basin: (1) A breakthrough in shale gas: shale gas was firstly found in the Ordovician Wufeng-Silurian Longmaxi formations in China. (2) A breakthrough in tight sandstone gas: the Triassic Xu2 Member gas reservoir in Zhongba gas field is the first high recovery tight sandstone gas reservoir in China. (3) A breakthrough in giant carbonate gas fields. (4) A breakthrough in ultra-deep gas reservoir. These breakthroughs have led to important progress in different basins across the country. Super basins are classified according to three criteria: cumulative production and remaining recoverable resources of oil and gas, tectonic attributes of the basin, and the proportions of oil and gas in cumulative oil and gas production.

Case Study Details Reserves and Resource Management During a Merger

This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 206322, “Business-Oriented Reserves and Resource Management: Experiences From a Merger,” by Thies Dose, SPE, and Gunar Kachel, Wintershall Dea, prepared for the 2021 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Dubai, 21–23 September. The paper has not been peer reviewed. In May 2019, the merger between Wintershall and DEA Deutsche Erdoel was closed, which was the birth of Wintershall Dea (WD). A system for internal reporting of petroleum resources described in the paper provides a fit-for-purpose approach, such as a consistent interpretation of commerciality criteria or definition of resources subclasses. A systematic resource-control system is defined, focusing on internal review, external and internal audits, and synergetic use of project reviews. Merging Existing Resource Reporting Legacy Wintershall reported resources both according to the Petroleum Resources Management System (PRMS) and the Securities Exchange Commission. PRMS reserves subclasses were reported according to project maturity (i.e., On Production, Approved for Development, and Justified for Development). This classification illustrates the project status of assets within the portfolio. The conversion factor from gas to oil equivalent was 5,600 scf/BOE, accounting for a high fraction of caloric gas in the portfolio. The official reserves and resource reporting of the legacy company toward its stakeholders was based on internally estimated reserves and resources figures. This was backed up by regular external reserves and selected contingent resources (CR) audits for control and calibration of the reported numbers. Legacy DEA reported resources according to PRMS only. Reserves subclassification was based on reserves status (i.e., Developed Producing, Developed Nonproducing, and Undeveloped). This highlighted the differentiation according to operational and funding status (Fig. 1). DEA’s reserves reporting was directly taken from external reserve audits, whereas CR were compiled from internal estimates. Because the portfolios of both legacy companies were mixed with respect to petroleum products, results needed to be normalized based on BOE. For the sake of consistency, all gas resources from legacy DEA were reconverted to oil-equivalent standards of legacy Wintershall. To lay groundwork for the respective filing of documents, various 1P and 2P reserves information from audits executed by the legacy companies had to be aggregated to provide a reliable and consolidated database for investors.

Hydrocarbon Reservoir Characterization of ‘Khume’ Field, Offshore Niger Delta, Nigeria

The integrative approach of well log correlation and seismic interpretation was adopted in this study to adequately characterize and evaluate the hydrocarbon potentials of Khume field, offshore Niger Delta, Nigeria. 3-D seismic data and well logs data from ten (10) wells were utilized to delineate the geometry of the reservoirs in Khume field, and as well as to estimate the hydrocarbon reserves. Three hydrocarbon-bearing reservoirs of interest (D-04, D-06, and E-09A) were delineated using an array of gamma-ray logs, resistivity log, and neutron/density log suites. Stratigraphic interpretation of the lithologies in Khume field showed considerable uniform gross thickness across all three sand bodies. Results of petrophysical evaluations conducted on the three reservoirs correlated across the field showed that; shale volume ranged from 7-14%, total and effective porosity ranged from 19-26% and 17-23% respectively, NTG from 42 to 100%, water saturation from 40%-100% and permeability from 1265-2102 mD. Seismic interpretation established the presence of both synthetic and antithetic faults. A total of six synthetic and four antithetic faults were interpreted from the study area. Horizons interpretation was done both in the strike and dip directions. Time and depth structure maps revealed reservoir closures to be anticlinal and fault supported in the field. Hydrocarbon volumes were calculated using the deterministic (map-based) approach. Stock tank oil initially in place (STOIIP) for the proven oil column estimated for the D-04 reservoir was 11.13 MMSTB, 0.54 MMSTB for D-06, and 2.16 MMSTB for E-09A reservoir. For the possible oil reserves, a STOIIP value of 7.28 MMSTB was estimated for D-06 and 6.30 MMSTB for E-09A reservoir, while a hydrocarbon initially in place (HIIP) of 4.13 MMSTB of oil equivalents was derived for the undefined fluid (oil/gas) in D-06 reservoir. A proven gas reserve of 1.07 MMSCF was derived for the D-06 reservoir. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of 3-D seismic and well logs data in delineating reservoir structural architecture and in estimating hydrocarbon volumes

The oil and gas potential of the north of the Siberian platform and adjacent shelf

The objective of this article is an estimation of the oil and gas potential of the north of the Siberian platform and adjacent shelf. The Siberian platform is characterized by a large concentration of oil and gas resources in the southern and central parts of the platform. The main oil and gas province of the Siberian Platform is the Leno-Tungus oil and gas province. The oil- bearing strata in the Lena-Tungus oil and gas province are confined to the Riphean, Vendian, Lower-Middle Cambrian deposits, in which large oil and gas fields are discovered. In modern contours the Siberian platform in the north and north-west is fringed by the Yenisei-Khatanga regional trough. In the east, the Yenisei-Khatanga regional trough is connected with the Anabar- Lena trough, framing the north-eastern part of the Siberian platform. Analysis of the available geological and geophysical materials shows a fairly high potential of the Anabar-Lena and Yenisei-Khatanga troughs for the discovery of large hydrocarbon fields. The basic understanding of the geologic-tectonic structure and petroleum potential of the northern part of the Siberian Platform and the adjacent shelf of the Arctic zone are currently based on seismic data by the method of the common depth point (CDP), tied to the existing deep search and parametric wells. Representations of the deep structure and oil and gas potential of specific areas, the allocation of targeted promising oil and gas horizons can change dramatically as the depth of seismic acquisition of the method of the common depth point increases and the software for processing and interpreting seismic data is improved. The localized oil and gas resources of the north of the Siberian platform and adjacent shelf are 41017,3, subsequently, 27582,3 - onshore and offshore - 13435 MMT (million tons) of oil equivalent.

Trøndelag Platform and Halten–Dønna Terraces Composite Tectono-Sedimentary Element, Norwegian Rifted Margin, Norwegian Sea

Abstract The Trøndelag Platform and Halten–Dønna Terraces occupy a central part of the Norwegian Sea rifted continental margin off the mid-Norway coast. The margin is expected to hold 4500 Mboe of undiscovered oil equivalents and represents an economically important Arctic province. The geological evolution of the area is closely linked to processes involving the Caledonian Orogeny and subsequent plate tectonic reorganizations, multiphase rifting, continental drift and glaciations across the northern hemisphere. In this chapter we review the geology of the Trøndelag Platform and Halten–Dønna Terraces Composite Tectono-Sedimentary Element based on published data and results of Equinor ASA in-house studies. Three new structural elements are defined for the first time: the Leka fault complex, the Vikna high and the Sula basin.