Applied Biostratigraphy is frequently utilized as a service in petroleum exploration and development to aid in age dating and palaeoenvironmental analysis. It also offers valuable insights for detailed sequence analysis, including the identification of unconformities, sedimentation disruptions, flooding surfaces, and condensed sequences. Additionally, biostratigraphy helps characterize facies, whether reservoir or non-reservoir.
The most effective application of biostratigraphy is when its data is integrated with seismic interpretation, sedimentological, and petrographical data. The Energy Applied Biostratigraphy and Sequence Stratigraphy in Oil Exploration & Development training course aims to demonstrate these best practices. The training course will also address common challenges in using biostratigraphical data, particularly those related to the geological context of sediment deposition. It will explore the main fossil groups employed in biostratigraphy, their distribution over time and space, and the environments in which they occur, with plenty of real-world examples.
This Energy training course is designed to showcase the practical applications of biostratigraphy and sequence stratigraphy in both exploration and development phases using actual case studies.
The Applied Biostratigraphy in Oil Exploration & Development training course will cover:
- An overview of various microfossil groups
- An exploration of stratigraphy principles and how biostratigraphy contributes to chronostratigraphy
- Which microfossil groups are suitable for different sediment ages and how they serve as palaeoenvironmental indicators
- Potential pitfalls in biostratigraphy and how to leverage them for improved geological insights
- Using biostratigraphy and biofacies to pinpoint key seismic markers
- Integrating biostratigraphical data with other geological information (sedimentological, petrographical, geochemical) to enhance its value
- Building high-resolution sequence stratigraphy with integrated biostratigraphical data
- Utilizing biostratigraphy in play definition and play-based exploration
- Case studies from exploration and development projects in Africa, South America, and the Middle East.
By the conclusion of this Applied Biostratigraphy & Sequence Stratigraphy in Oil Exploration & Development training course, participants will be able to:
- Acquire knowledge of various microfossil groups and their application to different time periods and palaeoenvironments.
- Explore the principles and uses of chronostratigraphy, lithostratigraphy, biostratigraphy, and geochronology.
- Understand how to integrate biostratigraphical data with other geological data to enhance its role as an interpretative tool.
- Interpret the palaeoenvironment of sediment deposition using biostratigraphical assemblages.
- Utilize biostratigraphy as a predictive tool in exploration and development.
The Energy training course will be based around PowerPoint presentations for each module followed by interactive and participative individual and team exercises. There will also be workshop sessions based around real exploration and development examples to get participants to actively become aware of the predictive capabilities of applied biostratigraphy and sequence stratigraphy. Course participants are also encouraged to bring along biostratigraphic data, logs and seismic where appropriate from their own companies so that real working examples can be interpreted.
For the organization, the advantages will include:
- Maximizing the use of biostratigraphical data, which is often collected but not fully leveraged.
- Efficient planning of biostratigraphical analyses and programs to achieve the best outcomes at the lowest cost.
- Improved reservoir correlations from exploration to development, including flow unit correlations for static models.
- Enhanced sequence and facies interpretations, leading to more accurate reservoir predictions when integrated with seismic data.
- New play definitions, which can result in identifying new leads and prospects.
- Revitalization of mature exploration areas by introducing fresh ideas to uncover previously overlooked oil accumulations.
- Creation of new exploration plays and concepts, fueling wildcat drilling initiatives.
Non-specialist geoscientists often face challenges in effectively using biostratigraphical data provided by service providers. This Energy Applied Biostratigraphy and Sequence Stratigraphy in Oil Exploration & Development training course will equip individuals with the technical expertise needed to confidently incorporate and integrate this data into their daily workflows. This knowledge will support both new hydrocarbon exploration and the development of existing fields.
The Applied Biostratigraphy & Sequence Stratigraphy in Oil Exploration & Development training course will offer:
- Practical, hands-on understanding of various biostratigraphical techniques.
- Insights into planning and optimizing a biostratigraphical program, including selecting the right microfossils and determining optimal sample spacing.
- Guidance on how to effectively apply biostratigraphical data for well-to-well correlations.
- Strategies for recognizing common pitfalls in using biostratigraphical data, ensuring its optimal application across different sediment ages and palaeoenvironments.
- Techniques for using biostratigraphical data to identify sequences and sequence boundaries, along with integrating this data with other geological and seismic information.
- Approaches for utilizing biostratigraphical data to define new exploration plays and for facies interpretation and reservoir correlations in appraisal and development stages.
This Energy training course is suitable to a wide range of professionals but will greatly benefit:
- Exploration Geologists
- Development Geologists
- Seismic Interpreters
- Sedimentologists
- Petrographers
- Upstream Subsurface Professionals who are interested in optimally utilizing geological data as a predictive tool in sedimentary basins and for identifying hydrocarbon plays in active petroleum systems
Day One: Stratigraphy and an Introduction to Micropaleontology
- The Laws of Stratigraphy
- Age dating methods for sediments and igneous Rocks
- The stratigraphical column and Chronostratigraphy
- The different microfossil groups and preparation techniques
- Organic microfossils (palynomorphs) including Acritarchs, Chitinozoans, Dinoflagellates, Pollen and Spores
- Inorganic microfossils including microforaminifera and ostracoda
Day Two: Biostratigraphy
- Microfossil evolution through the stratigraphical Column
- Building stratigraphical range charts
- First downhole occurrence, last downhole occurrence, fossil assemblages
- Numerical methods, abundance increases and maxima
- Index fossils
- Stratigraphical type sections and the relation between Biostratigraphy and Chronostratigraphy
Day Three: Biostratigraphical correlations and correlation techniques
- Pitfalls using biostratigraphical data, downhole caving, reworking, contamination
- Definition of biozones
- Integration of sedimentological and petrographical data
- The integration of geochemical information
- Identification of unconformities / hiatus in the sequences
Day Four: Biostratigraphy, paleoenvironments and Sequence Stratigraphy
- Using Micropalaeontology for palaeoenvironmental interpretation
- Marine microfossils vs. non-marine microfossils
- Preservation of microfossil groups and different lithologies
- Definition of water depth from the different fossil groups
- The identification of sequence boundaries using biostratigraphical Data
- Using biostratigraphical data to identify condensed sequences and maximum flooding surfaces
- Using biostratigraphical data to identify low stand System and high stand system tracts
Day Five: Play definition using Play Based Exploration techniques
- Hydrocarbon Play definition
- Integrated biostratigraphy and its use in Play based exploration techniques
- The deltaic to marine Cretaceous Alagamar Play in Potiguar Basin, Equatorial Marginal of Brazil
- The Cenozoic deep-water turbidites and associated salt play, Lower Congo Basin, Angola
- The Early Silurian Hot shales of the Arabian plate, source rock characterization
