Petroleum Geology, Hydrocarbon Exploration and Production, and Reservoir Evaluation

Petroleum System Fundamentals and Basin Analysis

Source Rocks and Organic Geochemistry

• Identification of source rocks through Total Organic Carbon (TOC) analysis and Rock-Eval pyrolysis to determine hydrogen and oxygen indices.
• Understanding the process of kerogen maturation, including the transition from diagenesis to catagenesis and the calculation of vitrinite reflectance (Ro) to assess thermal maturity.
• Mapping hydrocarbon generation windows, including oil, wet gas, and dry gas zones, based on geothermal gradients and burial history.

Migration, Trapping, and Seal Integrity

• Primary migration of hydrocarbons from source rock to carrier beds and secondary migration driven by buoyancy and capillary pressure.
• Classification of structural traps (anticlines, fault-bounded blocks, and salt domes) and stratigraphic traps (unconformities, reefs, and pinch-outs).
• Evaluating seal capacity using displacement pressure and capillary entry pressure to ensure the trap can hold a hydrocarbon column without leaking.

Geophysical Exploration and Subsurface Imaging

Seismic Acquisition and Interpretation

• Processing workflows including deconvolution, normal moveout (NMO) correction, and stacking to transform raw seismic data into interpretable subsurface images.
• Seismic stratigraphic interpretation, such as identifying sequence boundaries, systems tracts, and depositional environments from reflection patterns.
• Direct Hydrocarbon Indicators (DHIs), including the interpretation of 'bright spots,' flat spots, and AVO (Amplitude Versus Offset) anomalies to predict fluid content.

Well Logging and Petrophysical Analysis

• Interpretation of open-hole wireline logs, including Gamma Ray for lithology identification, Density-Neutron logs for porosity calculation, and Resistivity logs for water saturation determination.
• The Archie Equation application for calculating water saturation in clean, water-wet formations and modifications for clay-rich reservoirs (shaly sand analysis).
• Integration of core analysis with log data to calibrate petrophysical models and determine accurate permeability and movable fluid volumes.

Reservoir Engineering and Characterization

Fluid Properties and Phase Behavior

• Understanding Equation of State (EOS) models to predict the behavior of reservoir fluids under changing pressure and temperature conditions.
• Analysis of Pressure-Volume-Temperature (PVT) reports to determine bubble point pressure, oil formation volume factor (Bo), and gas solubility (Rs).
• Distinguishing between black oil, volatile oil, retrograde condensate, and wet/dry gas systems to optimize production strategies.

Reservoir Drive Mechanisms and Volumetrics

• Calculating Original Oil in Place (OOIP) and Original Gas in Place (OGIP) using volumetric methods, incorporating net-to-gross ratios and drainage areas.
• Analyzing primary drive mechanisms, including fluid expansion, rock compaction, gas cap drive, water drive, and gravity drainage.
• Material balance equation applications to estimate the performance of a reservoir over its productive life and determine ultimate recovery factors.

Production Engineering and Field Development

Well Completion and Stimulation

• Designing completions based on reservoir pressure, fluid types, and sand production risks, including the use of liners, screens, and gravel packs.
• Enhancement techniques such as hydraulic fracturing and matrix acidizing to bypass near-wellbore damage and increase inflow performance.
• Artificial lift methods, including Gas Lift, Electrical Submersible Pumps (ESP), and Sucker Rod Pumps, tailored to declining reservoir pressures.

Field Development Planning and Optimization

• Designing effective well spacing patterns, including infill drilling and horizontal well placement to maximize the recovery of bypassed pay.
• Implementation of secondary recovery methods such as waterflooding and pressure maintenance, including sweep efficiency calculations.
• Economic evaluation basics, including Net Present Value (NPV), internal rate of return, and risk assessment related to drilling success ratios and cost overruns.