This paper describes the use of ArcGIS and the 3D Analyst extension for the integration of multiple petroleum datasets as part of research undertaken by the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, on behalf of Shell International Exploration and Production. The integration of datasets from both surface and subsurface application areas is essential to present a complete picture for decision-makin...

Temperature, pressure, and time have been thought to control the smectite-to-illite (S-I) reaction, an important diagenetic process used for petroleum exploration. We demonstrated that microorganisms can promote the S-I reaction by dissolving smectite through reduction of structural Fe(III) at room temperature and 1 atmosphere within 14 days. This reaction typically requires conditions of 300 d...

Given a 2D binary image it is sometimes of interest to determine invariant topological properties, such as Euler number and holes which can reflect directly the complexity of a binary image. Counting the number of holes of binary images is an important problem arising in medical image processing, phototypesetting, petroleum exploration, earthquake prediction, and pattern recognition. In this pa...

At the invitation of Prof. Robert Bea, of the Deepwater Horizon Study Group (DHSG), the following technical summary of the "Golden Zone" concept (Buller et al, 2005; Nadeau, 2011), its applications in the US Gulf of Mexico basin, implications for drilling safety, and lessons learned particularly over the last 6 months, has been prepared. It is hoped that this Working Paper with further advance ...

Conventional petroleum exploration targets have become increasingly complex recently. Although geological research of unconventional oil and gas resources has received much attention in recent years, such also face many scientific problems. In this context, the 8th International Symposium on Hydrocarbon Accumulation Mechanisms Petroleum Resources Evaluation was held Beijing from 21 to 23 Octobe...

It is notable that over the past decade, proven reserves of natural gas have dramatically increased as higher prices and advances in technology have turned previously unrecoverable resources into major sources of domestic production. Moreover, the decline in crude oil reserves has significantly slowed over the past decade. Therefore, there would be an end to the conventional hydrocarbon resourc...