Postgraduate Course: Hydrocarbon Reservoir Quality (EASC11002)
Course Outline
| School | School of Geosciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | The main focus will be on cementation and dissolution effects at the pore scale, with integration of geological setting, basin modelling, geochemical measurements and petrological measurements. Topics include Sandstones and Carbonates. |
| Course description |
This course examines the science underpinning porosity and permeability in sandstone and carbonate reservoirs. This is particularly relevant for hydrocarbon exploration and production, has importance for CO2 storage sites and can also help understand deep aquifers. The mineralogy and physical arrangement of sedimentary grains is changed during burial by compaction, geochemical reactions, and fluid flow. That has a systematic impact on spaces between the grains - porosity holding fluids, and permeability enabling flow of fluids. Course themes are divided into Sandstones and Carbonates. Each theme progresses from depositional and shallow burial effects, to processes during deeper burial. Shallow burial (dis)similarities will be explained as will deep burial contrasts and similarities between sandstones and carbonates..
The focus will be on several scales. Firstly the basin setting and gross depositional and basin architecture. Second the reservoir scale depositional (in)homogeneities. Thirdly, the cementation and dissolution effects at the pore scale, with integration of geological setting, basin modelling, geochemical measurements and petrological measurements. This will help understand how to predict good, or poor, quality porosity and permeability within a basin. Delivery will be through a series of four lecture days, shared with BSc and MSc classes from Edinburgh. There is also a whole-day excursion to the core store archive of North Sea reservoir rocks, hed at BGS in Riccarton west Edinburgh. Students will be expected to travel there and back by bus or their own method for one Monday at the end of the course, 13 Feb or 20 Feb to be decided. Formative assessment is by class dialogue and interaction, with some self-paced Q and A on LEARN. Formal assessment is via witten essay and exam. Although lectures are shared between U/G and P/G a higher quality standard is expected from P/G
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Develop a critical understanding of how sandstone and carbonate reservoir porosity and permeability in the subsurface is influenced by sedimentological effects of depositional mineralogy, grainsize, and sorting.
- Develop a detailed understanding of the effects, from shallow-to-deep burial of compaction, cementation and dissolution. This knowledge will be integrated with basin modelling, geochemical measurements and petrological measurements.
- Illustrate some of the research and commercial methods, with case examples, by which porous reservoirs can be assessed
- Engage with synthesis and condensation of information, via an assessed critical essay. This will showcase students detailed understanding of specific topics, linkage into a coherent understanding, and with objectives to offer professional level interpretations of forefront developments.
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Reading List
| Notified during class and by information on LEARN |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
Weeks 1 -4 Monday 10.00 - 16.00 in Room 4, Crew Annexe
Core visit excursion 9:30 to 16:30 BGS Riccarton, 13 Feb or 20 Feb to be decided
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| Keywords | Hydrocarbons,Sedimentology,Sandstones,Carbonates |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Stuart Haszeldine
Tel: (0131 6)50 8549
Email: S.Haszeldine@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Susie Crocker
Tel: (0131 6)51 7126
Email: Susie.Crocker@ed.ac.uk |
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