Greg has undertaken a wide range of studies over the years, from petrographical to basin scale, including analytical, mentoring, interpretational, reporting and editorial roles in more than 250 technical projects. The examples below provide a flavour of the technical and regional variation in the projects that Greg has been involved in.
Client: Amerada Hess. Field: Scott. Region: Outer Moray Firth, UKCS. Environment: Coastal / Shoreface
Sedimentological, petrographical and reservoir quality analysis of 10+ wells, leading up to a field-wide review. The review included detailed evaluations of the geological controls on reservoir quality, and identification of porosity and permeability trends. Detailed geochemical studies were also undertaken (fluid inclusions, stable isotopes, cathodoluminescence), to determine the controls on quartz, carbonate and sulphide cementation.
Client: Shell UK. Field: Cormorant and Pelican Fields. Region: Northern North Sea, UKCS. Environment / Stratigraphy: Fluvio-Deltaic / Brent Fm.
Detailed analysis of the geological controls on reservoir quality in the Cormorant and more deeply buried Pelican Fields. The study entailed integrated evaluation of petrography, SEM, XRD and fluid inclusions to determine the relative timing of hydrocarbon emplacement and quartz / illite cementation.
Client: BP. Field: Thunderhorse / Mad Dog. Region: Gulf of Mexico. Environment: Deep Water Turbidites
Sedimentological, petrographical and reservoir quality analysis of several wells to provide high resolution petrographical data for predictive modeling of porosity and permeability using the Touchstone pore system evolution modelling software. This predictive system was then used to constrain the model builds.
Client: Kuwait Oil Company (KOC). Field: Mauddud. Region: Kuwait. Environment: Carbonate Ramp
Field-scale evaluation of sedimentogical and reservoir quality architecture in a carbonate ramp sequence. Involved integrating sedimentology, petrography, SCAL, borehole images and NMR (logs and core analysis), to get the best possible understanding of the geological controls on poroperm. Significant and systematic diagenetic trends were identified which related to filling history. These trends and parameters were supplied to the BP model builders based in KOC. We worked closely with the modelers to determine the most realistic way of representing these trends. Over 6000ft of core was logged as part of this project.
Client: Petroleum Dev. Oman (PDO). Stratigraphy: Al Khlata (Permian). Region: Oman. Environment: Glacial
Regional multi-well evaluation of sedimentology and reservoir quality trends. Determining geological controls on reservoir quality. Creating depositional models. Mapping high quality sand fairways. The results from this study were used by the assets to help identify opportunities for near-field exploration.
Client: BP. Fields: Chirag-Gunashli-Azeri. Region: Caspian. Environment / Stratigraphy: Fluvio-Deltaic / Tertiary
Petrographical and reservoir quality analysis of rapidly buried clastic sediments (5km+), subject to catastrophic dewatering and framework collapse, in a rapidly subsiding basin. Entailed working closely with structural geologists and geophysicists to try and relate compaction and dewatering fabrics to large-scale structural fabric.
Client: Burlington Resources. Field: Millom. Region: Irish Sea. Environment / Stratigraphy: Aeolian / Fluvial / Rotliegend
Detailed sedimentological, petrographical and reservoir quality analysis aimed at providing a detailed set of parameters for the modelling of the Millom Field. The modelling was undertaken by RML.
Client: Anadarko / Sonatrach. Field: Hassi Messoud. Region: Algeria. Environment / Stratigraphy: Aeolian-Fluvial / TAGI
Sedimentological, petrographical and reservoir quality analysis aimed at providing a detailed set of parameters for the modelling of the Hassi Messoud as part of a major field development plan preparation. Included integration of sedimentology and borehole image (BHI) analysis. Borehole image analysis provided information both on depositional facies distribution and orientation in uncored intervals, and the structural framework for the subsurface model. In particular the BHI helped us to identify palaeocurrent directions, sandbody orientations and depositional styles which were affected by syn-depositional faulting. Sandbody dimensions were derived by analogy from a variety of sources, including outcrop and subsurface analogues.
Client: Petroleum Dev. Oman (PDO). Environment: Fluvial. Region: Oman . Stratigraphy: Gharif (Permian)
Multiple studies carried out as part of our service contract with PDO. Included detailed experimental studies of pre- and post-flood test samples using petrography, XRD and SEM to try and determine the possible causes of formation damage which appeared to be affecting subsurface flow-rates. Included extensive discussions with reservoir engineers to try and design remedial action. Also, detailed geochemical studies using petrography and fluid inclusion analysis to determine cementation histories, hydrocarbon API gravity and filling histories. Studies also undertaken using petrography and SEM in selected fields to determine the cause of anomalous resistivity measurements (low resistivity – high net pay intervals).
Client: LASMO-ENI. Stratigraphy: Mesozoic. Region: Atlantic Margins, UKCS. Environment: Various
Exploration-scale play fairway analysis of the Porcupine basin, working closely with geophysicists (3D seismic), and integrating sedimentological observations from traded wells in adjacent basins, within the context of regional palaeogeographical reconstructions and known depositional systems on the Atlantic margins. This project was undertaken in the client’s offices, working to a very tight schedule to aid management decisions on whether to drill or relinquish.
Client: BP In Salah and In Amenas. Fields: Teg, Reg, In Salah. Region: Algeria. Stratigraphy: Carboniferous and Cambro-Ordovician
Sedimentological evaluations, depositional modelling and detailed petrographical analysis of geological controls on reservoir quality. Providing parameters and trends for reservoir modellers. Also trying to identify petrographical characteristics which could be used at the well head to help steer horizontal wells. Particular interest in identifying the cause and controls on the occurrence of high porosity intervals.
Client: OGDCL. Region: Indus Fan, Pakistan. Stratigraphy: Tertiary
Regional seismic and stratigraphic analysis of the Indus Fan, leading to sequence stratigraphic models used in play fairway analysis and risking.
Client: Impact Oil. Fields: Exploration. Region: South Africa. Stratigraphy: Cretaceous and Tertiary
Regional sequence stratigraphic and sedimentological modelling involving extensive seismic interpretation of offshore shelf, slope and basin floor settings.
Client: Sonangol. Fields: Exploration. Region: Angola. Stratigraphy: Permian to Tertiary
Evaluation of the prospectivity of the onshore and offshore basins of Angola in preparation for licensing rounds. Integrating potential fields geophysics and seismic stratigraphy with palaeogeographic modelling, drainage modelling, source rock modelling and burial history modelling.
The best way to test your thinking and find out if your ideas are organised in your mind is to teach. You cannot stand in front of a group of people and tell them something if it is not clear in your mind!
Seems obvious doesn’t it? However, few of us have been taught “how to learn”. In school you either knew and passed your exams, or you didn’t, and you failed!