TY - JOUR
T1 - Semi-conventional play
T2 - Definition, exploration strategy and the example of the Chalk Group in Denmark
AU - Sandrin, Alessandro
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, GEUS - Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland. All rights reserved.
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - Play analysis has been widely used in hydrocarbon exploration for decades with great success. In recent years, progress has also been made to describe reservoir properties of very low permeability reservoirs. However, compar-atively little research has been conducted into play analysis for such reser-voirs, which may lead to misleading estimates of their hydrocarbon potential. Here, the concept of a semi-conventional play is defined and characterised as having a reservoir of such low permeability that a hydrocarbon column can form down-dip of an effective dry trap. A new exploration approach is proposed for such plays using the Chalk Group Play in the Danish North Sea as an example. It is suggested that together with the usual risk elements, a more detailed analysis of ‘charge’ is necessary, paying particular attention to identifying possible hydrocarbon entry-points, palaeostructures and the maximum distance from these entry-points that the hydrocarbons may have reached since they first entered the reservoir. The application of this novel approach for semi-conventional plays in mature basins could help unlock further resources in proximity of existing fields, and reduce the risk of failure in frontier exploration.
AB - Play analysis has been widely used in hydrocarbon exploration for decades with great success. In recent years, progress has also been made to describe reservoir properties of very low permeability reservoirs. However, compar-atively little research has been conducted into play analysis for such reser-voirs, which may lead to misleading estimates of their hydrocarbon potential. Here, the concept of a semi-conventional play is defined and characterised as having a reservoir of such low permeability that a hydrocarbon column can form down-dip of an effective dry trap. A new exploration approach is proposed for such plays using the Chalk Group Play in the Danish North Sea as an example. It is suggested that together with the usual risk elements, a more detailed analysis of ‘charge’ is necessary, paying particular attention to identifying possible hydrocarbon entry-points, palaeostructures and the maximum distance from these entry-points that the hydrocarbons may have reached since they first entered the reservoir. The application of this novel approach for semi-conventional plays in mature basins could help unlock further resources in proximity of existing fields, and reduce the risk of failure in frontier exploration.
KW - Chalk
KW - Denmark
KW - Low-permeability reservoir
KW - Play analysis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85096044849&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.34194/geusb.v44.4836
DO - 10.34194/geusb.v44.4836
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85096044849
SN - 1604-8156
VL - 44
JO - Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin
JF - Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin
M1 - 4836
ER -