Chapter 3

How do We Find Oil/Gas?

The Old Days: Find The Oil Seep

1
Oil Seep: Onshore

Oil Seep: Offshore

Source: Mineral Management Service Pacific OCS Region,

US Department of The Interior

2
Finding The Trap: Outcrop
• Strike

• Dip

• Age (fossil and

isotop)

• Properties
9Sorting
9Compaction
9Angularity

Outcrop Benwood Limestone

Mapping and Connecting The Dots

z Correlate
outcrops and in-
situ data
z Compare and
match rock
characteristics,
layer by layer
z Identifies
discontinuities

3
Seismic

z New era of subsurface mapping

z It involves four steps:

z Acquisition
z Processing

z Display

z Interpretation

4
Acquisition

z The object of this phase is to collect

seismic data that present a picture of
subsurface rock layers and their
structuring.

Offshore
• Seismic source: air
guns filled with
compressed air, and
when they open
abruptly, they
release the air with a
“BANG”, like a
popped balloon.

• Streames can
extend up to 30,000
ft (contains
thounsands of
hydrophones)

5
Onshore
• Geophones or jugs
are placed around
the shot point

Processing

6
7
Prognosis

• Location

• Target depth

• Layers to be penetrated

• Pressure profile

8
Prognosis Versus Actual
ppg Equivalent (ppg)
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
0

1000 Actual
2000
Measurement
3000

4000
Depth (ft)

5000

6000

7000 Estimation
8000
(Prognosis)

9000
Calculated
(Based on Actual Data)
10000