Research Article | OPEN ACCESS
Effect of Some Input Parameters on 3D Basin and Petroleum Systems Modelling: A Case Study of the Norwegian Section of the Northern North Sea
1Joel Ben-Awuah, 1Spariharijoana Andriamiaja, 1Abubakar Mijinyawa, 1Abdullah Ali, 1, 2Numair Ahmed Siddiqui and 3Gerald Wemazenu Adda
1Department of Geosciences, Faculty of Geosciences and Petroleum Engineering,
University Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP), 31750 Tronoh, Perak-Malaysia
1, 2Department of Petroleum Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology,
Karachi, Pakistan
3Petroleum Commission, Ghana
Research Journal of Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology 2014 18:3746-3762
Received: July 25, 2013 | Accepted: August 12, 2013 | Published: May 10, 2014
Abstract
The objective of this study is to test the influence of some key input parameters in basin modelling and to evaluate the resultant effect of varying these parameters on the model. 3D basin modelling and petroleum system analysis of the northern North Sea has been carried out using the PETROMOD software. The model was calibrated using well 34/8-7 in the Visund field. Different input parameters such as heat flow, source rock properties, fault properties, paleo water depth, source rock kinetics, migration methods and different erosion scenarios have been varied and their effects on the model assessed. The effect of the various input parameters has been assessed in terms of hydrocarbon volumes in the Kvitebjørn and Visund fields, source rock maturity, transformation ratios, hydrocarbon saturations and the time hydrocarbon generation began in the Draupne and Heather Formation source rocks. Increase in heat flow increases source rock maturity, the start of hydrocarbon generation, transformation ratios and results in the generation of a lot more gas than oil. Hydrocarbon generation starts at shallower depths with higher heat flow. Increasing Total Organic Content (TOC) and Hydrogen Index (HI) generally results in increase in the volume of hydrocarbons generated. The increase in HI, however, results in the generation of a lot more oil than gas. High TOC and HI also increase the hydrocarbon saturations in the source rock. Increasing Paleo Water Depth (PWD) has a marginal effect on the model. It increases the volume of oil and decreases the volume of gas marginally. Varying the PWD has no significant effect on source rock maturity, transformation ratios and hydrocarbon saturations. Opening the fault planes resulted in an increase in the volume of hydrocarbons generated. The increase was more evident in the volume of oil than gas. This increase in volumes is a consequence of additional migration pathways created by the faults. Varying the erosion thickness of the Draupne Formation did not have any effect on the model.
Keywords:
Basin modelling, heat flow, input parameters, petroleum system modelling, source rocks,
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Competing interests
The authors have no competing interests.
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