September, 2003
HGS and Other Selected Meetings

HGS Dinner Meeting

"The Deep Shelf Play, A Bright Future without Bright Spots"

Abstract:

The Deep Shelf Play in the Gulf of Mexico represents the logical evolution of exploration in a world class basin. Once obvious salt related features were exploited, evolving seismic technology created an HCI driven exploration effort utilizing closely spaced 2-D, and then regional 3-D coverage to illuminate low risk “anomalies”. The method was effective but required little in the way of insightful geologic analysis. After years of diligent effort, the waning availability of shallow “anomalies”, decreasing reserve sizes and increasing decline rates has caused exploratory attention to shift to the deeper, predominantly Miocene section.

This new exploration venue has tremendous potential but it’s prosecution requires a higher level of geoscience integration coupled with state of the art drilling technology. Successful exploration of this trend demands careful attention to regional geology; documenting depositional fairways and structural timing. The necessity of reliable seismic imaging requires rigorous re-processing of surface seismic and the integration of borehole seismic for a scalable interpretation. Prospect analysis and risking techniques are the key to creating a deep shelf portfolio that will generate consistent results and provide the opportunity for “company maker” discoveries. The confluence of high gas prices, advanced technology and a prospect trend rich in potential and covered with infrastructure creates an opportunity set unique our careers.

Biographical Sketch:

Kevin J. McMichael is senior vice president of El Paso Production Company, a subsidiary of El Paso Corporation. Building upon El Paso’s commitment to finding and developing solutions for increasing energy demands, El Paso Production is one of the most active drillers for natural gas in North America. The company has extensive natural gas reserves and manages a large portfolio of domestic and international acreage. El Paso Production’s drilling inventory and technological leadership will play a vital role in fulfilling El Paso Corporation’s commitment to finding energy solutions.

McMichael assumed his present position with El Paso Production following El Paso’s 2001 merger with The Coastal Corporation. Most recently, he served as vice president of exploration. Prior to joining El Paso Corporation, McMichael served as executive vice president for Meridian Resource Corporation. He began his career with Texaco in 1978. In 1981, McMichael began working for Louisiana Land & Exploration Company where he held several managerial positions before being promoted to vice president of Exploration in 1995.

He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in geology and anthropology from Tulane University.

McMichael is a certified petroleum geologist with the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. He also is a registered geologist in the states of Arkansas and Mississippi. In addition, McMichael is a member of the New Orleans Geological Society, Southern Geophysical Society, Southwest Louisiana Geophysical Society, and the Houston Geological Society.

mailto:kevin.mcmichael@elpaso.com, (832) 676-3353

PESGB-HGS: Second Annual International Symposium
"Africa: New Plays - New Perspectives"

Details:

The Houston Geological Society - Inernational Explorationists Group and Petroleum Exploration Society of Great Britain (PESGB) will hold a two-day conference on Africa E & P September 3-4, 2003 at the Westchase Hilton, 9999 Westheimer in Houston.

This will be the first Symposium to be organized in the USA under HGS/PESGB auspices. The inaugural meeting, last September, in London provided a comprehensive program of exploration and production presentations in this increasingly important continent.

The objective of this second Symposium is to create an even more widely ranging agenda including all regions of Africa and its conjugate margins. The focus is on New Plays and New Perspectives. A full two-day program of 20+ oral presentations augmented with technical posters is planned. Sponsorships are also available. We invite offers of short talks (25 minutes maximum) or posters. Contributions on all regions of Africa and its conjugate margins are welcome, but preference will be given to topics that will draw the maximum interest. Every effort will be made to ensure no up and coming areas are neglected.

REGISTER EARLY!

There has been a remarkable response to the Symposium and we expect to approach capacity of the hotel!

Plan to attend opening reception at Home of Gene and Astrid Van Dyke! -Tuesday evening September 2nd. (Transportation by bus from Westchase Hilton- ONLY! Busses leave 6-6:30PM)

Register SOON, and surely BEFORE Friday August 29 to ensure a seat.

If you are involved with Africa you will not want to miss this symposium convened jointly by the Houston Geological Society, International Group and PESGB. The program includes two full days of oral presentations and technical posters that cover all regions of Africa as well as its conjugate margins. Leading speakers from operating companies, national oil companies, key consultants and Universities in USA and UK will be attending. Response has been outstanding with many more topics submitted than expected. Expect a full program of top speakers, great talks and posters.

National Oil Companies that plan to attend or make technical presentations include: Guinea Bissau, Senegal, Ghana, Cameroon, Angola, Namibia, South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and possibly Chad and Madagascar.

PRELIMINARY PROGRAM:

Click here (or "right-click" and "save-as") Click here to (or “right-click: and “save-as”” to view or download pdf of SCHEDULE as of Augsut15

Click here Click here to (or “right-click: and “save-as”” to view or download pdf of ABSTRACTS as of Augsut15

Click here (or "right-click" and "save-as") to read the "Instruction to Authors".

Hotel Special rates for HGS Africa Symposium:

A LIMITED number of rooms are offered at special rates at The Westchase Hilton and three nearby hotels. BOOK EARLY!

Click here (or “Right click” and “save as”) to download the details of Special Rates.


Co-conveners:

Houston Geological Society (HGS)

Summary:

The 2003 APPEX Prospect & Property Expo will be held September 9 - 11, 2003 at the George R. Brown Convention Center, Houston, Texas. HGS is a co-convener of the event. This is a great opportunity for buyers and sellers: a terrific venue to bring prospect generators and investors together and to do great networking. APPEX remains the best value in prospect expositions. Also the forum “Perspectives on the Upstream Business of Oil & Gas” and the short course “Risk and Asset Development” will be presented. Plan to attend as an exhibitor or as a viewer.

Volunteers are needed for marketing, bag stuffing, registration, exhibitors’aids (Booth Doctors) and other matters. Please volunteer. Contact Jerry McQueen at 281.358.2463 or at mailto:jemc@kingwoodcable.comor Mike Barnes at 281.980.2771 or at mailto:prideog@pdq.net.

APPEX Schedule of events

Tuesday September 9

7:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Registration

Mezzanine B

8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Upstream Perspectives Forum

Ballroom B

8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

AAPG Course #1: "Risk & Asset Development"

Room #309

11:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.

Exhibitor Setup

Exhibit Hall B

11:45 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

Power Lunch

Ballroom A

4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Forum Participants' Reception

Ballroom B

Wednesday, September 10

7:30 a.m.-7:00 p.m.

Registration

Mezzanine B

7:30 a.m.-9:00 a.m.

Last Minute Exhibitor Setup

Exhibit Hall B

9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.

APPEX EXPO OPEN

Exhibit Hall B

9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m.

Continental Breakfast

Exhibit Hall B

11:45a.m.-1:45 p.m.

Lunch Service

Ballroom A

4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.

APPEX RECEPTION (in Expo)

Exhibit Hall B

Thursday, September 11

7:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

Registration

Mezzanine B

8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

APPEX EXPO OPEN

Exhibit Hall B

8:00 a.m.-9:15 a.m.

Continental Breakfast

Exhibit Hall B

11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

Lunch Service

Exhibit Hall B

3:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.

Exhibitor Teardown

Exhibit Hall B

Tuesday Forum Program

07:00 Registration

08.30 Chairperson’s Welcome
Paul Hoffman, Cox & Perkins Exploration,Inc.
Deborah Sacrey, Auburn Exploration

08:35 Global Perspectives
Issues and Outlook - Pete Stark, Ph.D., VP, IHS Energy

9:00 African Perspectives
Keynote - Antonio de Pinho, VP, Devon Energy
Issues and Outlook -Lyndon West, Ph.D., Studies Director, IHS Energy
Panel Q&A Session

9:50 Coffee 10:0 Asia Perspectives
Keynote - Carl Scharpf, China Exploration Manager, Burlington Resources
Issues and Outlook - Ian Cross, VP, IHS Energy
Panel Q&A Session

11:00 Latin American Perspectives
Keynote - Kurt Neher, Chief Geologist, Occidental Petroleum
Issues and Outlook - Michael Dyer, Sr. Regional Mgr.- Latin America, IHS Energy
Panel Q&A Session

11:50 Lunch: Keynote Speaker: Charles Davidson, Chairman, Noble Energy
“Transforming a Domestic Independent into a Competitive International Energy Company”

1:20 North American Gas Perspectives-I: Gulf of Mexico
Moderator: Dan Tearpock, Chairman & CEO, SCA Companies
Keynote Panel - John Adamick, VP, Business Development, TGS - NOPEC;
Dr. Guillermo Perez-Cruz, VP, Pemex.
Issues and Outlook -Jim Flanagan, Deepwater GOM GEPS manager, IHSE
Panel Q&A Session

2:30 North American Gas Perspectives - II
Issues and Outlook - Bob Lydecker , Manager North American Gas Business Model, IHS Energy

2:50 Coffee

3:10: North American Gas Perspectives - II (Continued)
Keynote Panel: - Kevin McMichael - Exploration VP, El Paso Natural Gas
Steve Sonnenberg, AAPG President, ENCANA
Britt Dearman, Coalbed Methane Manager, Apache Corporation Panel Q&A Session

4:25 Chairman’s Closing Remarks & End of Conference

4:30 Drinks Reception

HGS International Dinner Meeting

" Red Mango and Iron Horse Discoveries - Columbus Basin, Trinidad "

Abstract:

The Columbus Basin of Trinidad is one of the largest emerging gas provinces in the western hemisphere. Major Trinidadian gas fields operated by bpTT include Immortelle (1967), Cassia (1983), Mahogany (1994), Flamboyant (1994), Amherstia (1995), Corallita (1996), and Kapok (1997-98). Two recent gas discoveries - Red Mango (2000) and Iron Horse (2003) - add substantial resources for bpTT.

The Red Mango discovery represents the classic trap type for offshore Trinidad with multiple, stacked reservoir horizons extending across several separate fault blocks. The trap is a rollover anticline formed on the downthrown side of a large listric normal fault. The anticlinal crest is collapsed by a series of synthetic and antithetic normal faults. Gas-water contacts may be common across fault blocks depending on fault juxtaposition and fault sealing capability. The Red Mango well has eight stacked pay horizons with over 900 feet of net pay. The gas pay is distributed in five separate fault blocks ranging in depth from 6000 ft. to 14000 ft. below sea level. Pliocene reservoir sands are 100 to 400 ft. thick with porosities ranging from 20% to 31% and net to gross ratios ranging from 43% to 95%.

The Iron Horse discovery is deeper and older than most of the Red Mango reservoir sands and represents a new play type for Trinidad. The single level reservoir is aerially extensive and lacks the structural complexity of Red Mango.

The trap is a large tilted fault block bounded by major normal faults to the west and east. The southern up-dip portion of the trap is bounded by a minor cross fault that appears to have sealing capacity due to a pressure regression in the reservoir sand. The trap may also have an up-dip stratigraphic component. Based on structural closure, the gas column height for Iron Horse is believed to be at least 1700 ft. extending from 11300 ft to 13000 ft TVDSS. At the well, the Pliocene age reservoir sand is approximately 300 ft. thick with an average porosity of 19% and an average net to gross ratio of 77%.

Recent discoveries in Trinidad result from several extensive 3D seismic surveys which image complex, faulted, and stacked reservoirs. Conformance of bright amplitude anomalies to structural closure and “flat spot” detection are key techniques for mapping gas reservoirs. The reservoirs characteristically exhibit bright amplitude anomalies that conform to structure. Flat spots in the thicker horizons correspond to fluid contacts. Excellent seismic resolution of mapped reservoir horizons allowed for a relatively high pre-drill chance of success for both Red Mango (90%) and Iron Horse (80%). Continued exploration is planned by bpTT to expand the natural gas resource base for Trinidad and Tobago.

Biographical Sketch:

Cathy L. Farmer was the lead geologist responsible for bpTT’s Red Mango gas discovery and worked on the initial play concept for the Iron Horse discovery. She is currently the chief geologist for BP Venezuela. With twenty-five years experience in the oil and gas industry, her career has focused on worldwide exploration in locations such as Venezuela, Trinidad, Norway, West Africa, and the Middle East. Before Trinidad, she spent six years as an expatriate in Stavanger, Norway where she worked on Valhall Field and explored the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. She began her career with Amoco in Denver working the Montana-Wyoming thrust belt, California’s San Joaquin Basin and Alaska’s North Slope. Cathy is a graduate of Colorado School of Mines with a BS in geological engineering and an MS in geology.

Edward R. Shaw is a practicing geophysicist with BP where he has gained experience in various exploration roles working more than 15 countries over the last 35 years. He is currently a project leader for BP's shelf team for offshore Trinidad. He was lead geophysicist for four large discoveries in Trinidad - Iron Horse, Red Mango, Immortelle Deep, and Parang. He is also know in the industry for his lead role in the discovery of BP's (formerly Amoco’s) giant Liuhua Field in China during the 1980’s. Ed is a graduate of Michigan State University with a BS in Physics, and a graduate of University of Houston with an MS in geophysics. He has been a leader in BP/Amoco’s recruiting efforts for 25 years.

HGS Northside Meeting

"Using Petroleum Geochemistry to Solve Field Development and Production Problems"

Abstract:

During field development and production, a variety of common problems can be solved through integration of geochemical, geological, and engineering data. For example, such studies can identify reservoir compartmentalization, allocate commingled production, identify completion problems (such as tubing string leaks, or poor cement jobs), predict fluid properties (viscosity, gravity) prior to production tests, characterize induced fracture geometries, monitor the progression of floods, or explain the causes of produced sludges. For each of these applications, geochemical approaches are appealing for three reasons:

  1. Geochemistry provides an independent line of evidence that can help resolve ambiguous geological or engineering data. For example, geochemical data can reveal whether small differences in reservoir pressure reflect the presence of a no-flow barrier between the sampling points.

  2. Geochemical approaches are commonly far cheaper than engineering alternatives. For example, geochemical allocation of commingled production can be achieved typically for only 1-5% of the cost of production logging.

  3. Geochemical approaches have applicability where other approaches do not. For example, geochemical allocation of commingled production can be performed even on highly-deviated or horizontal wells, and even on wells with electrical submersible pumps - well types not amenable to production logging.

This presentation will discuss these applications of geochemistry, and will highlight how geochemistry complements other reservoir management tools. A variety of case studies will illustrate key points. In addition, sampling pitfalls and potential sources of contamination will be addressed.

Biographical Sketch:

Dr. McCaffrey received his B. A. (1985) from Harvard University, magna cum laude with highest honors in geological sciences, and his Ph.D. (1990) in geochemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Mark is a California Registered Geologist (License #5903) and an AAPG Certified Petroleum Geologist (#5339). Author of 28 articles, Dr. McCaffrey was the 1995 recipient of the Pieter Schenck Award from the European Association of Organic Geochemists for "outstanding work on biomarkers in relation to paleoenvironmental studies and petroleum exploration." After 10 years at Chevron and Arco, Mark co-founded OilTracers, L.L.C., a firm specializing in the integration of geochemistry, geology and engineering data to solve a variety of oil exploration and production problems. Mark was a 2001-2002 Distinguished Lecturer for the Society of Petroleum Engineers, and was Chairman of the 2002 Organic Geochemistry Gordon Conference.

HGS Lunch Meeting

" Exploration for deep Miocene Reservoirs in S. Louisiana: The Story of the Etouffe Discovery, Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana "

Abstract:

In 1997 Geco-Prakla and Union Pacific Resources secured a seismic option covering all the unleased acreage owned by Continental Land and Fur in western Terrebonne Parish to undertake one of the first regional, truly exploratory, 3D surveys in the onshore of south Louisiana. Earlier 3D surveys had typically targeted producing fields making imaging of deep targets problematic. The Etouffee Prospect was the first well drilled based on this new 3D survey and became a significant success, with estimated reserves of 250 Bcfe. Comparing the Etouffee discovery to other activity in South Louisiana shows it to be the one of the largest discoveries made during the 1990’s.

The Etouffee discovery south of Kent Bayou Field in Terrebonne Parish is a downdip extension of the prolific middle Miocene Robulus “L” producing trend. Prior to the discovery, the closest production from the Robulus “L” section was 5 miles to the northeast and structurally 4000 feet higher across a system of large growth faults of varying age. The Etouffee Sands were deposited with thinly bedded shales on the distal front of a shelf-edge delta. Slumping, faulting, and salt tectonics combined to deform the large shelf edge delta and control sand distribution. Hydrocarbon migration probably occurred early as the Etouffee Sands formed a typical rollover anticline associated with growth faulting. The overlying Cibicides opima section prograded over the Etouffee deltaics forming a southward-thickening wedge of sands and shales. This subsidence of Cibicides opima sediments south of Kent Bayou began the rotation of the Etouffee structure onto south dip. Further rotation onto south dip and complications due to Cristellaria “I” aged deposition and faulting completed the formation of the structure as it appears today. From Biginerina humblei time to present, the structure uniformly subsided to its current depth. A 700-foot gas column was preserved on a faulted, down thrown, three-way closure within the Robulus “L” aged Etouffee sands.

The Union Pacific Resources Continental Land & Fur #1 reached a total depth of 19226 feet and logged 156 feet of pay between the depths of 18654-18954 feet on October 31, 1999. Since that time, five development wells have been drilled with net pay counts as high as 306 feet in the CLF #4. Production rates peaked in April 2002 at 95400 Mcfd, 18600 Bcpd, and 0 Bwpd. The current field rate (6/1/03) is 80000 Mcfd, 18700 Bcpd, and 3000 Bwpd. The Etouffee Sands cumulative total production to date is 66.7 billion cubic feet of gas and 14.4 million barrels of oil and condensate. Converted to gas, the field has produced 153 Bcfe or a little more than half the estimated reserves.

Three separate reservoirs have been recognized based on log correlation, pressure analysis, and fluid properties. The Etouffee 1 and Etouffee 2 sands are high-temperature and high-pressure gas condensate reservoirs. The Etouffee 3 sand is an oil reservoir. Porosities range from 14 to 32 percent with permeabilities ranging from 50 millidarcies to 5 darcies. These rock qualities lead to excellent production rates, especially for reservoirs below 18000 feet. Early onset of overpressure and high bottom hole pressures (17000 psi) have helped to preserve the excellent reservoir parameters

Biographical Sketch:

University of Houston Geosciences Alumni Association Dinner Meeting

"Analysis of fault paleojuxtaposition relationships in the West Netherlands Basin for prospect risk assessment."

Abstract:

Reconstruction of fault movement history over time forms an important part of properly risking lateral juxtaposition risk for gas prospects in the heavily-inverted West Netherlands Basin. This is particularly true for areas in the basin that lack access to present-day or Tertiary hydrocarbon charge. Doing this reconstruction is complicated, however, by the great amount of erosion subsequent to basin inversion that removed direct evidence of fault reactivation in many cases because many of the bounding faults were eroded below their null points.

Three techniques were developed to estimate the amount of reverse-sense fault reactivation in highly-inverted settings. These include

  1. analysis of differential uplift by using seismic interval velocities,
  2. statistical analysis of reactivation as a function of fault strike in the inverted areas of the basin, and
  3. comparison of structural styles seen in areas having more completely-preserved sections with the heavily-inverted area under study.

Each of these techniques indicated that the prospect under study underwent significant reverse reactivation along its main boundary fault and that a previously-unrecognized paleojuxtaposition charge retention risk was therefore present.

Biographical Sketch:

Bryan DeVault graduated from the University of Houston in 1990 with degrees in mathematics and physics. After he received a Ph.D. in geophysics from the Colorado School of Mines in 1998 he worked for Royal Dutch/Shell as a member of the international staff in the Netherlands, where he was posted to its Dutch operating company, the Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij (NAM), at which he did the work forming the subject of this talk. He is presently a senior exploration geophysicist with Anadarko Petroleum in Houston where he prospects the Deepwater GOM. His geoscience interests include prospect generation, AVO analysis, sequence stratigraphy, and multicomponent seismology.

HGS North American Explorationists Dinner Meeting

"Basin-Center Gas or Subtle Conventional Traps?"

Abstract:

Tight gas plays are an important gas resource of many Rocky Mountain basins and basin-center gas (BCG) models have been proposed to characterize much of this resource. Recent drilling and 3D seismic results require modifications of the currently accepted BCG models that were first introduced over 25 years ago. Several tight gas plays in the Greater Green River Basin in southern Wyoming are reviewed to illustrate inconsistencies with the prevalent BCG models. The key to future exploration success in the Rocky Mountain region is recognizing the subtle conventional stratigraphic and structural controls of these tight gas plays.

Current BCG models depict a relatively uniform enigmatic pressure seal separating conventional traps with associated down-dip water from “unconventional” traps characterized by anomalous reservoir pressure and lack of associated water. These concepts have led to the misconception of predicting commercial basin-wide gas deposits below a given structural elevation or thermal maturation depth that can lead to predicting overstated reserves and overly optimistic drilling success rates.

New subsurface data have revealed inconsistencies with the established BCG models (presence of down-dip water, subtle fault traps, fracture and stratigraphic controls, etc.). More contemporary BCG models invoke a “sweet spot” concept to highlight the need to identify areas of improved reservoir quality to increase the probability of economically successful results. More recent studies of BCG plays reveal that the primary trap controls are better described as conventional, although subtle, stratigraphic and structural traps.

Biographical Sketch:

Wayne Camp is currently Exploration Supervisor for Anadarko Petroleum Corporation’s Western States Division (Cretaceous Exploration Group) responsible for exploration activities within Anadarko’s extensive land grant holdings in southwest Wyoming. Wayne has 25 years industry experience, 23 with Anadarko, and has worked a wide variety of exploration and development projects including the Rocky Mountains, West Texas, Gulf of Mexico and Mid-Continent in the U.S; and China, Indonesia, India and Algeria, internationally. His experience with Rocky Mountain unconventional reservoirs began in 1999 with Anadarko’s Helper (Uinta basin, Utah) and County Line (Powder River basin, Wyoming) coalbed methane fields. His current focus is Cretaceous tight gas reservoirs in the Greater Green River basin of Wyoming.

Wayne has previously presented his work to the HGS on Wilburton gas field in the Arkoma basin, Oklahoma and Mahogany subsalt field in the Gulf of Mexico. Wayne and coauthor Don McGuire were awarded “best paper” for their paper titled “Mahogany field, a subsalt legend: a tale of technology, timing and tenacity, offshore Gulf of Mexico” published in the October 1997 HGS Bulletin. His current paper was originally presented in May at the AAPG Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City.

Wayne received a M.S. degree in Geology from Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, in 1979 and a B.A. degree in Geology from State University College at Oneonta, New York in 1976. He is a member of AAPG, GSA, RMAG and Sigma Xi.

He is married, has two daughters and lives in Kingwood, Texas.