Evaluation of shale oil and gas plays - Part I: Shale reservoir property modelling of the North Sea Kimmeridge Clay Formation

Journal article


Phethean, J., Akinwumiju, A. and Satterfield, D. 2024. Evaluation of shale oil and gas plays - Part I: Shale reservoir property modelling of the North Sea Kimmeridge Clay Formation. Marine and Petroleum Geology. 164, pp. 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2024.106824
AuthorsPhethean, J., Akinwumiju, A. and Satterfield, D.
Abstract

The Kimmeridge Clay Formation (KCF) forms the source rock for most conventional hydrocarbon accumulations within the UK North Sea. However, only a few previous studies have analyzed the potential of the KCF for unconventional resources (i.e., shale oil and gas).

Here, we use machine learning techniques combined with established rock property equations to generate geochemical, petrophysical and geomechanical logs for 16 wells within Quadrant 15 of the Outer Moray Firth, UK North Sea. The neural network models used to generate geochemical logs are trained using the Levenberg-Marquardt backpropagation algorithm. The generated well logs and new KCF depth maps, constrained by an existing Base Cretaceous Unconformity (BCU) map of the UK North Sea and well top information from 48 wells, are used for 3D geostatistical modelling of KCF properties across the area. The resulting KCF property maps allow us to assess the shale oil and gas play potential across the region.

Our results suggest good organic richness and hydrocarbon yield potential for the KCF within the study area, with up to 9 wt% original total organic carbon (TOCo), 48 mg/g original hydrocarbon yield (S2o), and 607 mg/gTOC original hydrogen index (HIo). Modelled total porosity values range between 2 and 13%, and brittleness indices lie between 25 and 65%, within the range reported for proven shale oil and gas plays.

A sweet spot map, created by integrating our modelled KCF properties, indicates prospective areas for shale oil and gas exploitation within the central Witch Ground Graben, and to a lesser extent areas of the Piper Shelf and Claymore-Tartan Ridge. These areas show good potential based on all investigated properties, with respect to industry standards.

KeywordsKimmeridge Clay Formation; UK North Sea; 3D geostatistical modelling
Year2024
JournalMarine and Petroleum Geology
Journal citation164, pp. 1-14
PublisherElsevier
ISSN 1873-4073
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2024.106824
Web address (URL)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264817224001363
Publisher's version
License
File Access Level
Open
Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Online27 Mar 2024
Publication process dates
Deposited10 May 2024
Permalink -

https://repository.derby.ac.uk/item/q650z/evaluation-of-shale-oil-and-gas-plays-part-i-shale-reservoir-property-modelling-of-the-north-sea-kimmeridge-clay-formation

Download files


Publisher's version
1-s2.0-S0264817224001363-main.pdf
License: CC BY 4.0
File access level: Open

  • 69
    total views
  • 12
    total downloads
  • 2
    views this month
  • 2
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

Central Afar: An analogue for oceanic plateau development
Rime, V., Keir, D., Phethean, J., Kidane, T. and Foubert, A. 2024. Central Afar: An analogue for oceanic plateau development. Geology. pp. 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1130/G52330.1
Geochemical characterization and paleo-burial history modelling of unconventional resources: A case study from the Kimmeridge Clay Formation (KCF) in the UK North Sea
Akinniyi A. Akinwumiju, Dorothy Satterfield and Akinwumiju, A. 2024. Geochemical characterization and paleo-burial history modelling of unconventional resources: A case study from the Kimmeridge Clay Formation (KCF) in the UK North Sea. Unconventional Resources. 4, pp. 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.uncres.2024.100098
The Davis Strait proto-microcontinent: The role of plate tectonic reorganization in continental cleaving
Luke Longley, Jordan Phethean and Schiffer, C. 2024. The Davis Strait proto-microcontinent: The role of plate tectonic reorganization in continental cleaving. Gondwana Research. 113, pp. 14-29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2024.05.001
Halokinetically overprinted tectonic inversion of the Penobscot 3D volume offshore Nova Scotia, Canada
Peace, A., Phethean, J., Jess, S. and Schiffer, .C 2024. Halokinetically overprinted tectonic inversion of the Penobscot 3D volume offshore Nova Scotia, Canada. Pure and Applied Geophysics. pp. 1-30. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-024-03462-8
Dense melt residues drive mid-ocean-ridge “hotspots”
Phethean, Jordan, Papadopoulou, Martha and Peace, Alexander L. 2022. Dense melt residues drive mid-ocean-ridge “hotspots”. in: In the Footsteps of Warren B. Hamilton: New Ideas in Earth Science Geological Society of America.
The African continental divide: Indian versus Atlantic Ocean spreading during Gondwana dispersal
Peace, Alexander L. and Phethean, Jordan 2022. The African continental divide: Indian versus Atlantic Ocean spreading during Gondwana dispersal. in: In the Footsteps of Warren B. Hamilton: New Ideas in Earth Science Geological Society of America.
Evidence for basement reactivation during the opening of the Labrador sea from the Makkovik province, Labrador, Canada: insights from field data and numerical models
Peace, Alexander, Dempsey, Edward, Schiffer, Christian, Welford, J., McCaffrey, Ken, Imber, Jonathan and Phethean, Jordan 2018. Evidence for basement reactivation during the opening of the Labrador sea from the Makkovik province, Labrador, Canada: insights from field data and numerical models. Geosciences. 8 (8), p. 308. https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences8080308
Madagascar's escape from Africa: A high-resolution plate reconstruction for the Western Somali Basin and implications for supercontinent dispersal
Phethean, Jordan, Kalnins, Lara M., van Hunen, Jeroen, Biffi, Paolo G., Davies, Richard J. and McCaffrey, Ken J.W. 2016. Madagascar's escape from Africa: A high-resolution plate reconstruction for the Western Somali Basin and implications for supercontinent dispersal. 17 (12), pp. 5036-5055. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016gc006624
The Jan Mayen microplate complex and the Wilson cycle
Schiffer, Christian, Peace, Alexander, Phethean, Jordan, Gernigon, Laurent, McCaffrey, Ken, Petersen, Kenni D. and Foulger, Gillian 2018. The Jan Mayen microplate complex and the Wilson cycle. Geological Society Special Publications. 470 (1), pp. 393-414. https://doi.org/10.1144/sp470.2
A review of Pangaea dispersal and large igneous provinces – In search of a causative mechanism
Peace, A.L., Phethean, Jordan, Franke, D., Foulger, G.R., Schiffer, C., Welford, J.K., McHone, G., Rocchi, S., Schnabel, M. and Doré, A.G. 2019. A review of Pangaea dispersal and large igneous provinces – In search of a causative mechanism. Earth-Science Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2019.102902
An evaluation of Mesozoic rift-related magmatism on the margins of the Labrador Sea : implications for rifting and passive margin asymmetry.
Phethean, Jordan, Peace, Alexander, McCaffrey, Ken, Imber, Jonathan, Nowell, Geoff, Gerdes, Keith and Dempsey, Edward 2016. An evaluation of Mesozoic rift-related magmatism on the margins of the Labrador Sea : implications for rifting and passive margin asymmetry. Geosphere. https://doi.org/10.1130/GES01341.1
Analogue Modeling of Plate Rotation Effects in Transform Margins and Rift‐Transform Intersections
Farangitakis, Georgios-Pavlos, Sokoutis, D, McCaffrey, Kenneth, Willingshofer , Ernst, Kalnins, Lara, Phethean, Jordan, van Hunen, Jeroen and van steen, V 2019. Analogue Modeling of Plate Rotation Effects in Transform Margins and Rift‐Transform Intersections. Tectonics. 38 (3), pp. 823-841. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018TC005261
The eastern French Pyrenees: from mountain belt to foreland basin
Satterfield, Dorothy, Rollinson, Hugh and Suthren, Roger 2019. The eastern French Pyrenees: from mountain belt to foreland basin. Geology Today. 35 (6), pp. 228-240. https://doi.org/10.1111/gto.12291
Sedimentology of the Late Cretaceous in the Western Aude Valley, Southern France
Satterfield, Dorothy and Suthren, Roger 2014. Sedimentology of the Late Cretaceous in the Western Aude Valley, Southern France. British Sedimentological Research Group.
Teaching sedimentology: opportunities for interdisciplinary, variety, innovation and employability.
Davies-Vollum, S., Satterfield, Dorothy, Suthren, Roger and Whiteley, Martin 2015. Teaching sedimentology: opportunities for interdisciplinary, variety, innovation and employability. British Sedimentological Research Group.