PetroMod Express

Quick-look petroleum charge assessments

PetroMod Express is an easy-to-use tool for rapid initial assessments of basic risk elements in exploration based on the petroleum systems approach—the first step towards full 3D petroleum system analysis in PetroMod software. PetroMod Express is fully integrated in all map-based PetroMod tools (PetroBuilder, MapEditor, and Viewer tools) and assessment can be performed during all stages of exploration—from frontier basins and play concepts with limited data or well control, to well-explored areas and prospects.

Key functionalities include

• drainage area calculation—the size of area from which petroleum can migrate to a specific play or prospect
• source rock maturity and petroleum generation—whether sufficient amounts of petroleum have been generated in an area of interest
• flash calculation methods for 2-phase/2-component PVT-controlled calculations—hydrocarbon phases (liquid or vapor) in the subsurface and at surface conditions
• petroleum migration—preferred petroleum migration directions in a regional carrier system
• accumulation location and size
• open or closed fault effects
• seal integrity—how much of the migrated petroleum can be retained in a trap
• charge volume uncertainty—how uncertainties in the data affect the analysis results.

PetroMod Express uses PetroMod flash calculation methods for 2-phase/2-component PVT-controlled calculations of in situ hydrocarbon phases and compositions in reservoirs at subsurface temperatures and pressures. Calculations at surface conditions for a selected accumulation determine API gravities, GOR values, and other properties. The calculated transformation ratio overlay is based on the simplified temperature history and shows the quantitative transformation of the original organic material based on the total organic carbon content and hydrogen index in the source rock.

PetroMod Express evaluates seal integrity by comparing fluid buoyancy pressure with capillary entry pressure, enables probabilistic estimates of hydrocarbon volumes, and estimates the impact of faults. Fault data is integrated by using fault-horizon intersections, and faults can be modeled as either open or closed to vapor and liquid flow. The uncertainty analysis function provides flexible options to calculate the volume of potential accumulations using probabilistic estimates of different uncertainty distributions.