Rifts play a crucial role in understanding the stretching of the crust and upper mantle, which leads to normal faulting due to extension. Although rift basins are geographically limited, they are essential for interpreting a significant portion of Earth's geological history. These basins appear throughout various geological periods, including the Palaeozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic eras.
In addition to their geological importance, rift basins are also key hydrocarbon provinces. Despite their limited size, they contribute to 12% of the world’s known oil reserves.
This Seismic Interpretation & Basin Analysis of Rift Basin Systems training course will explore the tectonic environments, structural features, stratigraphy, and hydrocarbon production characteristics associated with rift basins. The course will include case studies of specific basins, such as the Lusitanian Basin in Portugal, the Potiguar Basin in Brazil, and the Orange Basin in Namibia, along with exercises and examples based on seismic data.
Key topics of this Seismic Interpretation & Basin Analysis of Rift Basin Systems training course include:
- Types of Sedimentary Basins
- An Introduction to Rift Basins
- Tectonic Evolution and Structural Features of Rift Basins
- Identifying Rift Phases and Stratigraphy of Rift Basins
- Developing Petroleum Systems in Rift Basins
- Case Studies of Rift Basins, including the Lusitanian Basin (Portugal), Potiguar Basin (Brazil), and Orange Basin (Namibia)
Upon completing this Seismic Interpretation & Basin Analysis of Rift Basin Systems training course, participants will be able to:
- Grasp the geological processes responsible for the formation of rift basins.
- Identify and interpret key seismic structural features typical of rift basins.
- Understand and interpret the primary stratigraphic phases present in rift basins.
- Gain insights into the development of petroleum systems in rift basins and the geographical distribution of major hydrocarbon plays.
- Develop the ability to identify potential hydrocarbon traps within rift basins.
This Energy Seismic Interpretation & Basin Analysis of Rift Basin Systems training course will feature PowerPoint presentations combined with interactive individual and team exercises. Participants will engage in sessions based on real exploration and development case studies, designed to enhance their understanding of the seismic and geological characteristics of typical rift basins. Additionally, the training course will cover the petroleum potential of each basin. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own stratigraphic data, logs, and seismic information when relevant, allowing for the review and interpretation of real-world examples from their own companies.
For the organization, the advantages will include:
- Maximizing the value of expensive seismic and well data.
- Predicting play trends to inform potential new acreage acquisitions.
- Improving the accuracy of geological risk assessments for prospects.
- Uncovering new plays, leads, and prospects.
- Providing staff with advanced skills in oil exploration for immediate use in projects.
- Enhancing the accuracy of Expected Monetary Value (EMV) estimates for evaluating the economics of prospects.
Personal impact includes:
- Recognizing key structural and stratigraphic features in rift basins and identifying them in seismic data.
- Gaining an understanding of the main hydrocarbon trap types in rift basins and their locations.
- Developing the skills to evaluate the presence and effectiveness of hydrocarbon source rocks and their connection to reservoirs.
- Enhancing the ability to predict the presence and distribution of clastic reservoirs, while identifying new plays, leads, and prospects.
- Improving geological risk assessment skills for leads and prospects in rift basins.
- Strengthening oil-finding expertise, leading to greater professional recognition and contribution to the company.
This Energy training course is suitable for exploration and development geologists, seismic interpreters, sedimentologists, petrographers and other upstream subsurface professionals who are interested in optimally utilizing seismic and geological data in the interpretation of rift basins and identifying the main hydrocarbon plays
Day One: An Introduction to Rift Basins
- Outline and Overview
- Earth processes that lead to a rift Basin
- East Africa as a modern example of a rift basin
- Typical features of a rift Basin
- Rifting phases
- Outcrop Geology and the study of rift basins
Day Two: Tectonic Evolution and magmatism of Rift Basins
- Crustal stretching models, extension and the development of rift basins
- Identifying the main features of rift basins on seismic
- Footwall uplift and associated processes
- Hanging wall processes
- Magmatism in rift basins
- Transtensional overprint and more complex basin development
Day Three: The Stratigraphy of Rift Basins
- Pre, syn and post rift development and identification
- Controls on rift basin stratigraphy
- Sequence stratigraphy and seismic sequence stratigraphy in rift basins
- Break-up unconformity and syn to post rift transition
- Seismic facies and sedimentary systems in rift basins
- The use of applied biostratigraphy in rift systems
Day Four: The Development of Petroleum Systems and other Georesources in Rift Basins
- Hydrocarbon source rock development and distribution in rift basins
- Reservoir presence and development in rift basins
- Seal presence and hydrocarbon seal integrity
- Migration of hydrocarbons in rift basins
- Structural, stratigraphic and combination traps
- the use of seismic attributes to explore in rift basins and the pitfalls
- Mining, geothermal energy and other georesources in rift basins.
Day Five: Case Studies of Rift Basins
- The distribution of rift basins around the world
- Conjugate margins – similarities and differences
- The Lusitanian Basin, Portugal
- Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, Canada
- Potiguar Basin, Brazil
- Orange Basin, Namibia