Course Description

This course focuses on the dynamic petroleum system concept, exploration geochemistry of conventional and unconventional petroleum, and reservoir geochemistry. It provides interpretive guidelines for sample collection and project initiation, how to evaluate prospective source rocks, and how to define petroleum systems through oil-oil and oil-source rock correlation. Case studies and exercises illustrate how geochemistry can be used to solve exploration, production, and development problems while minimizing cost. The course contents improve basic understanding of the processes that control petroleum quality in reservoir rocks and the bulk, molecular, and isotopic tools that facilitate that understanding. The contents cover TOC, Rock-Eval pyrolysis, vitrinite reflectance, thermal alteration index, kerogen elemental analysis, geochemical logs and maps, reconstructed generative potential calculations, water analysis, gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of oil and gas, compound-specific isotope analyses (CSIA) of light hydrocarbons, biomarkers, and diamondoids, and chemometrics to classify oil families, identify compartments, and de-convolute mixed oils. 

Course Goal

To enhance the participants’ knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to understand the dynamic petroleum system concept, exploration geochemistry of conventional and unconventional petroleum, and reservoir geochemistry.
 

Course Objectives

By the end of this training course, participants will learn to:

• Use geochemistry to reduce the risk associated with petroleum exploration
• Predict oil quality from inexpensive wellbore measurements
• Identify reservoir compartments and de-convolute commingled petroleum, 
• Assess completion problems. 

Who Can Benefit

Exploration, Production, and Development Geologists