Petroleum geologists

For more than a century petroleum geologists have been looking for oil. During this period major discoveries have been made in many parts of the world. However, it is becoming increasingly likely that most of the giant fields have already been discovered and that future finds are likely to be smaller, more complex, fields. This is particularly true for mature areas like the North Sea. 

Frank Jahn has worked as a Petroleum Geologist mainly in Brunei, Thailand, the Netherlands and the UK. He has designed and taught multi-disciplinary training courses related to oil and gas field exploration and development worldwide. After 11 years with a multinational company he became co-founder of TRACS International in 1992 where he is a Director. 

C. Barker, AAPG Continuing Education Course Note Series, American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Tulsa, OMa., 1979, 10, 159 pp. 

C. D. McAuliffe, Contmumg Education Course Note Series Ametcian AssocEBon of Petroleum Geologists, 1978, 8. 

E. Esiinger and D. Pevear, "Clay Minerals for Petroleum Geologist and Engineers," SEPM Short Coarse Notes No. 22. (1988). 

Campbell, C. J. (1997). The Coming Oil Crisis. Brentwood, United.Kingdom Multi-Science Publishing Company. Edwards, J. D. (1997). Crude Oil and Alternate Energy Production Forecasts for the Twenty-first Centuiy The End of the Hydrocarbon Era. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin 81 1292-1305. 

Some petroleum geologists believe that there may be more methane trapped in hydrates than what is associated with natural gas reserves. However, as an energy source, there is considerable uncertainty whether this methane can ever be recovered safely, economically, and with minimal environmental impact. The Russians have experimented with the use of antifreeze to break down hydrates at some onshore locations in Siberia. But perhaps a more promising approach would be to pipe warm surface water to the bottom to melt the hydrates, with a collector positioned to convey the gas to the surface. Another approach might be to free methane by somehow reducing the pressure on the methane hydrates. 

Henry H.R. and Kahout, F.A., Circulation patterns of saline groundwater affected by geothermal heating as related to waste disposal, in Symposium on Underground Waste Management and Environmental Implications, Houston, TX, Cook, T.D., Ed., American Association of Petroleum Geologists, 18, 1973,... 

R.W. Klusman Baseline Studies of Surface Gas Exchange and Soil-Gas Composition in Preparation for C02 Sequestration Research Teapot Dome, Wyoming. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists. AAPG Bulletin. 2005. 89, 981-1003. 

Belitz, K. and J. D. Bredehoeft, 1988, Hydrodynamics of Denver basin, explanation of subnormal fluid pressures. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin 72,1334-1359. 

Bjorlykke, K. and P. K. Egeberg, 1993, Quartz cementation in sedimentary basins. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin 77,1538-1548. 

Clayton, J. L. and P. J. Swetland, 1980, Petroleum generation and migration in Denver basin. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin 64, 1613— 1633. 

Hunt, J. M., 1990, Generation and migration of petroleum from abnormally pressured fluid compartments. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin 74, 1-12. 

Lee, M.-K. and C. M. Bethke, 1994, Groundwater flow, late cementation, and petroleum accumulation in the Permian Lyons sandstone, Denver basin. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin 78,217-237. 

Levandowski, D.W., M. E. Kaley, S. R. Silverman and R. G. Smalley, 1973, Cementation in Lyons sandstone and its role in oil accumulation, Denver basin, Colorado. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin 57, 2217-2244. 

Majorowicz, J.A. Osadetz, K.G. 2001. Basic geological and geophysical controls bearing on gas hydrate distribution and volume in Canada. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, 85, 1211-1230. 

Okay, A.i., Siyako, M., Burkan, K.A. 1990. Geology of the Biga Peninsula and its tectonic evolution. TPJD Bull. (Turkish Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin) 2/1, 83-121 (in Turkish). 

Petroleum geologists commonly call the catagenesis range, in which oil is effectively produced from kerogen as oil windows . One can see this in Figure 2 in a bell-form generation curve. 

Arscott, R. L., 1989, New Directions in Environmental Protection in Oil and Gas Operations In Environmental Concerns in the Petroleum Industry (edited by S. M. Testa), Pacific Section American Association of Petroleum Geologists Symposium Volume, pp. 217-227. 

Choquette, P. W. and Pray, L. C., 1970, Geologic Nomenclature and Classification of Porosity in Sedimentary Carbonates American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Bulletin, Vol. 54, pp. 207-250. 

Nilsen, T. H., 1982, Alluvial Fan Deposits In Sandstone Depositional Environments (edited by P. A. Scholle and D. Spearing), American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Memoir No. 31, Tulsa, OK, pp. 49-86. 

Hydrocarbon compounds can be divided into four major structural forms (1) alkanes, (2) cycloalkanes, (3) alkenes, and (4) arenes. Petroleum geologists and engineers commonly refer to these structural groups as (1) paraffins, (2) naphthenes or cycloparaffins, (3) aromatics, and (4) olefins, respectively and will be referred... 

Hodgson, G. W., 1954, Vanadium, Nickel and Iron Trace Metals in Crude Oils of Western Canada American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, Vol. 38, pp. 2537-2554. 

Sofer, Z., 1984, Stable Carbon Isotope Composition of Crude Oils Application to Source Depositional Environments and Petroleum Alternation American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, Vol. 68, pp. 31 49. 

Schematic longitudinal profile through a semi-isolated basin located in a hot, arid climate and separated from the open sea by a narrow portal. The sill depth, although shallow, is still great enough to permit some two-way flow of surface water. The lines show inferred seawater density (g/cm ) and the arrows show current directions. The pattern of evaporite deposition is based on the relationships between brine density and precipitate composition as shown in Figure 17.1, assuming that salt particles accumulate on the seafloor through the process of pelagic sedimentation. Source-. From Scruton, P. C. (1953). American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, 37, 2498-2512.

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