Abstract
Exploration challenges are increasing every day since easy-to-access hydrocarbon resources have been mostly exploited in past decades and the search for profitable deep-water plays is increasing worldwide. The approach is not only to look for hydrocarbons in new areas, but also to look for hydrocarbons in old places with new ideas, whilst managing exploration risk. An integrated petroleum systems based software suite allows identification and characterization of prospective areas. This approach facilitates a systematic and consistent progression from play-based exploration, to assessment of geological chance-of-success and probabilistic volumetric calculations for each prospect in a play.
A new integrated petroleum system based play evaluation workflow has been implemented to screen the Makassar Strait based on available public domain data and literature. The prospective areas were studied in detail by incorporating 3D seismic data to gain a better understanding of structural controls and lithological variations on prospectivity.
Regional interpretation maps of widely spaced 2D seismic lines from reports were used, in conjunction with different published literature for the basin, to understand the regional geological concepts and build a play fairway model. A facies dependent reservoir porosity map was prepared based on a porosity-depth relationship for the different lithologies and later improved with facies derived from the 3D seismic data. By evaluating the key elements of petroleum system possible accumulation areas were identified within the basin. Depending on the geological scenario, different geological parameters were transformed applying simple and complex transformations using a Play Chance Mapping tool to generate combined Geological chance of success (COS) maps and Economical COS of each prospect along with their associated uncertainties, through integrated prospect assessments. This Integrated Methodology minimizes the cost of exploration, especially related to drilling and management of uncertainties. It serves as guide in acquiring the right acreage for right price at right time.
