M2 - Exploration and Reservoir Geology

Definition, typology and in-depth analysis of naturally fractured reservoirs (NRF) in different geological contexts: different rock types (carbonates, clays, basement), burial, diagenesis, exhumation, folding, fault damage, cooling, mineralogical change. Anthropogenic induced fracturing systems (hydraulic, thermal), applications to clay reservoirs (shale plays), cap clays and storage sites.
Integration of this knowledge into the exploration and exploitation of fractured reservoirs.
Concept and workflow for editing DFNs (discrete fracture networks).
Free 2-day talk by Bertrand Gauthier from Total: Static and dynamic properties of fractured petroleum reservoirs.

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Training in the evaluation and numerical simulation of fractured reservoirs.
Workflow from structural model construction under Petrel from seismic tapping, to the construction of DFN (discrete fault/fracture network), including the integration of structural data of wells and the restoration of the structural model.

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Organic matter (OM) represents only a small part of the sedimentation. Unlike other deposited particles, it can evolve rapidly during burial by interacting with the grains of the host rock and producing fluids (gases and liquids) that will be very mobile. Because of its degradation by bacteria, its preservation depends on many parameters but above all on the fine grain size of the grains deposited at the same time. Thus, clays represent the most favourable environment for the preservation of OM, but their complex mineralogy makes them a particular material that will also be transformed during burial. The products of their interactions have of interest to the mining and then to the oil industry, of course, since these processes are at the origin of large series of coal and the production of hydrocarbons. But recently, studies have been increasingly interested in these two elements as tracers of the origin of sediments and as markers of burial, which is of major interest in understanding the filling of basins and their post-deposition evolution.

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Mineral deposits, exploration techniques, geostatistics, mining economics. The training is mainly focused on interventions by professionals (mining and quarrying). Two days of field work illustrate certain exploration methods, in particular through the study of uranium mineralization and gypsum.

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• Introduction and reminders of the objectives of a diagraphic interpretation
• Data pre-processing and correction
• Determination of tanks and roofs
• Conventional deterministic approach (clay volume, porosity, saturation)
• Quicklook processing chain
• Final estimate (cutoff, "net to gross")
• Implementation using tutorials and then Techlog software (Schlumberger).

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• Presentation of the methods for carrying out a deep borehole, taking into account both the technological aspects of drilling and the control of mud and chips ("mud logging").
• Presentation of geophysical methods in drilling or "deferred logging" (electrical, nuclear, acoustic and seismic methods as well as the techniques developed for in-situ temperature, pressure or permeability measurements).
• Use of these methods for petroleum and environmental applications.

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Major points addressed: Petrophysics, carbonate rocks, silico-clastic rocks, oil flows, diagenesis

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The emphasis will be on alteration processes and fluid/rock interactions, but above all on structural and textural constraints to propose constrained, innovative and original deposit models. In this course, we will insist on the structural specificity of each deposit and on the dangers of the sometimes blind application of book models.

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This course introduces the fundamental concepts needed to understand the genesis and functioning of geothermal reservoirs.

Initially, the different types of geothermal energy, from very low-energy to high-energy geothermal energy for electricity production, are discussed in detail, with real-life case studies. A global overview is provided to assess the energy potential of geothermal resources.

The UE will then focus on several points specific to geothermal energy, such as mass and heat transfer mechanisms in reservoirs. These will be discussed and illustrated on real cases using numerical modeling. The geological signature of geothermal reservoirs, such as mineral alteration, will also be studied in detail through case studies.

The problem of storage will be addressed by considering applications such as underground storage of CO2, heat or energy. The influence of the mechanical properties of reservoir rocks, as well as interactions between stored fluids and surrounding rocks, will be highlighted, with the aim of considering the feasibility and durability of these storage devices.

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This course details the internal structure, mineralogical composition and petrophysical properties of faults as well as the geological conditions (stresses) that control their tightness and integrity in faulted reservoir environments. We discuss the different types of fault seals and the tools commonly used in the geological reservoir industry to predict fault permeability.
Major points discussed:
- Fault and top seals (juxtaposition, SGR, mechanical and diagenetical seals).
- Fault zoning,
- Deformation mechanisms,
- Deformation bands in porous sandstones,
- Permeability of fault zones.

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This course consists of the realization of two resource evaluation projects based on case studies applied in the mining and petroleum fields. The student will have access to the digital imaging platform. They will be introduced to the use of specific interpretation and evaluation software that will allow them to manipulate the data sets provided (software such as Techlog, Coralis, Petrel, etc.). The results resulting from the interpretation of these data will be relocated in a synthetic and argued way in the form of two reports or presentations.

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5-6 month internship in a company, design office or laboratory.

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