Method to determine the presence of source rocks and the timing and extent of hydrocarbon generation for exploration, production and development of hydrocarbons

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9890617-B2
Application number	US-201514844141-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 3, 2015
Priority date	Sep 18, 2014
Publication date	Feb 13, 2018
Grant date	Feb 13, 2018

Abstract

A method and system are provided for exploration, production and development of hydrocarbons. The method involves analyzing a sample for a geochemical signature, which includes a multiply substituted isotopologue signature and/or a position specific isotope signature. Then, historical temperatures are determined based on the signature. The historical temperature is used to define generation timing, which is used to develop or refine an exploration, development, or production strategy.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for exploration, production, and development of hydrocarbons comprising:
obtaining a sample comprising hydrocarbons associated with a subsurface source interval;
analyzing the sample for a geochemical signature, wherein the geochemical signature comprises one or more of a multiply substituted isotopologue signature and a position specific isotope signature for a one or more specific hydrocarbon compound;
determining one or more historical temperatures based on the one or more of multiply substituted isotopologue signature and position specific isotope signature;
defining generation timing based on the determined one or more historical temperatures; and
developing or refining an exploration, development or production strategy based on the defined generation timing.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining one or more historical temperatures comprises one or more of (i) performing molecular modeling of equilibrium and non-equilibrium concentrations of clumped isotopes or positional effects to determine the one or more historical temperatures and (ii) determining empirically by measurements of signatures of a given hydrocarbon compound at different temperatures to determine the one or more historical temperatures.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the one or more historical temperatures comprises comparing methane isotopes to a different hydrocarbon isotope to compare temperature equilibration rates.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein defining generation timing comprises:
developing a time-temperature history of the source interval or a reservoir interval;
comparing the one or more historical temperatures with model temperatures predicted using a basin model; and
determining the generation timing from the comparison.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein developing the time-temperature history of the source interval comprises using a basin model calibrated from one or more of fluid inclusion temperatures and indirect maturity information about the source interval.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein defining generation timing comprises:
using the one or more historical temperatures with assumptions of trap timing or seal timing to calibrate a basin model;
determining a time-temperature history of the source interval based on the calibrated basin model; and
determining the generation timing of hydrocarbons based on the time-temperature history.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein defining generation timing comprises:
determining initial hydrocarbon temperatures by correcting determined temperatures for changes that have developed as a function of time-temperature history determined from a basin model; and
determining a source rock from which the hydrocarbons were generated based on comparison of the determined initial hydrocarbon temperatures with modeled gas generation temperatures for each source interval from basin models.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the geochemical signatures comprise one or more of bulk composition, isotopic signatures, molecular geochemistry, multiply substituted isotopologue geochemistry, position specific isotope geochemistry, and physical parameters.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising producing hydrocarbons based on the exploration, development, or production strategy.

10. A computer system for exploration, production, and development of hydrocarbons comprising:
a processor;
memory in communication with the processor; and
a set of instructions stored in memory and accessible by the processor, the set of instructions, when executed by the processor, are configured to:
analyze a hydrocarbon sample associated with a subsurface source interval for a geochemical signature, wherein the geochemical signature comprises one or more of a multiply substituted isotopologue signature and a position specific isotope signature for a one or more specific hydrocarbon compound;
determine one or more historical temperatures based on the one or more of multiply substituted isotopologue signature and position specific isotope signature;
define generation timing based on the determined one or more historical temperatures; and
develop or refine an exploration, development or production strategy based on the defined generation timing.

11. The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the set of instructions that are configured to determine one or more historical temperatures, are further configured to: perform one or more of:
(i) molecular model equilibrium concentrations of multiply substituted isotopologues or positional effects to determine the one or more historical temperatures and applying a model derived kinetic compound specific correction of time-temperature changes to the measured signature; and
(ii) determine by comparison with empirical measurements the kinetic correction of signatures of a given hydrocarbon compound at different temperatures to determine the one or more historical temperatures.

12. The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the set of instructions that are configured to determine one or more historical temperatures, are further configured to: compare methane isotopes to a different hydrocarbon isotope to compare temperature equilibration rates.

13. The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the set of instructions that are configured to define generation timing, are further configured to:
develop a time-temperature history of the source interval or a reservoir interval;
compare the one or more historical temperatures with model temperatures predicted using a basin model; and
determine the generation timing from the comparison.

14. The computer system of claim 13 , wherein the set of instructions that are configured to develop the time-temperature history of the source interval, are further configured to: perform maturation modeling using a basin model calibrated from one or more of fluid inclusion temperatures and indirect maturity information about the source interval.

15. The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the set of instructions that are configured to define generation timing, are further configured to:
obtain the one or more historical temperatures and settings for trap timing or seal timing to calibrate a basin model;
determine a time-temperature history of the source interval based on the calibrated basin model; and
determine the generation timing from the time-temperature history.

16. The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the set of instructions that are configured to define generation timing, are further configured to:
determine initial hydrocarbon temperatures by correcting determined temperatures for changes that have developed as a function of time-temperature history determined from a basin model; and
determining a source rock from which the hydrocarbons were generated based on comparison of the determined initial hydrocarbon temperatures with modeled gas generation temperatures from basin models.

17. The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the set of instructions that are configured to display the exploration, development or production strategy.

Assignees

• Lawson Michael
• Peterson Brian K
• Davis Cara L
• Formolo Michael J
• Belien Isolde
• Summa Lori L
• Pottorf Robert J
• Eiler John M
• Exxonmobil Upstream Res Co

Inventors

• Lawson Michael
• Peterson Brian K
• Davis Cara L
• Formolo Michael J
• Belien Isolde
• Summa Lori L
• Pottorf Robert J
• Eiler John M

Classifications

• E21B43/00 Primary

  Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells (applicable only to water E03B) · CPC title

• G01N33/241

  for hydrocarbon content · CPC title

• G01V9/007 Primary

  by detecting gases or particles representative of underground layers at or near the surface (analysing earth materials G01N33/24; analysing gases per se G01N) · CPC title

• G06F30/20

  Design optimisation, verification or simulation (optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30) · CPC title

• G01V99/005

  Physics · mapped topic