Title: Use of quantitative stratigraphic correlation in hydrocarbon exploration

Authors: Frits P. Agterberg, Gang Liu

Addresses: Geological Survey of Canada, 601 Booth Street, Ottawa, K1A 0E8, Canada. ' Faculty of Earth Resources, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei, 430074, China

Abstract: After a brief introduction of quantitative stratigraphy and its use in exploration, the paper describes how computer simulation experiments can be conducted to test the user-friendly, interactive computer program RASCW version 20 for ranking, scaling and correlation of biostratigraphic events. These techniques are further illustrated by application to a Cenozoic 30-well database from the North Sea Basin. The fossil events in this example are shown to satisfy the logarithmic series frequency distribution model. Special attention is paid to methods to solve the problem of cycling that arises when a ranked optimum sequence of fossil events is to be derived from observed super positional relations between the events. The problem of cycling involving three or more events is solved differently in RASCW version 20. Cycling algorithms are illustrated by application to the 30-well North Sea Basin database. Finally, it is shown how the new technique of |depth scaling| can be used. [Received: May 5, 2008; Accepted: June 24, 2008]

Keywords: hydrocarbon exploration; quantitative stratigraphic correlation; RASC method; ranking and scaling method; CASC method; correlation and standard error calculation method; biostratigraphic events; fossil events; simulation; North Sea Basin; depth scaling.

DOI: 10.1504/IJOGCT.2008.020368

International Journal of Oil, Gas and Coal Technology, 2008 Vol.1 No.4, pp.357 - 381

Published online: 19 Sep 2008 *

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