Hydrodynamics to assess hydrocarbon migrationin faulted strata-methodology and a case study from the North West Shelf of Australia

Pressure distribution in a reservoir affected by capillarity and hydrodynamic drive: Griffin Field, North West Shelf, Australia

“…This plot shows a typical pressure profile for the Scindian/Chinook wells, with a fresh water pressure gradient for the aquifer at 9.81 kPa m −1 . When corrected to reservoir pressure and temperature (Underschultz et al. 2003) this gradient represents a formation water salinity of about 34 000 mg l −1 , which matches the measured salinity (33 877 mg l −1 ) of a production water sample from Chinook‐1.…”

“…1A) is drilled in the crest of the anticline and will encounter a pressure profile as shown on the accompanying pressure–elevation plot. On the pressure–elevation plot the slope of the pressure gradient is proportional to the in situ density of the fluid it represents (Underschultz et al. 2003) according to: where ρ is the fluid density and g is the gravitational constant.…”

“…There have been a few regional hydrodynamic evaluations of the Carnarvon Basin that included the Griffin/Scindian/Chinook Field area (Hennig et al. 2002; Underschultz et al. 2003).…”

Multi-disciplinary approach to fault and top seal appraisal; Pyrenees–Macedon oil and gas fields, Exmouth Sub-basin, Australian Northwest Shelf

“…7. In keeping with the regional aquifer trend (Otto et al, 2001;Hennig et al, 2002;Underschultz et al, 2003), the potentiometric surface in Fig. 7 defines a hydraulic gradient and flow toward the northeast parallel to the structural grain.…”

Hydrocarbon migration and accumulation along a long-term growth fault: Example from the BZ25-1 oilfield of Bohai basin, eastern China

“…Fault activities facilitate fluid flow under the power of overpressure (Xie et al, 1999), and also weaken or stop fluid migration. In recent years, several authors have studied the sealing and opening of faults and their hydraulic behavior using the shale smear factor (Knipe, 1997), structural heterogeneity (Aydin, 2000), hydrodynamics (Underschultz et al, 2003) and fault cement (Boles et al, 2004). Even though these studies are important steps forward, understanding the role of faults in hydrocarbon entrapment, migration and flow is far from satisfactory.…”