oa Portfolio Rejuvenation in a Mature Hydrocarbon Province, Sultanate of Oman

The Sultanate of Oman has seen over 50 years of exploration and over 40 years of oil production. The<br>petroleum systems span over 800 Million years of geological rock record, and over 40 plays have been<br>identified. It comes as no surprise that most of the structural plays are heavily creamed. PDO<br>exploration has continued to be successful in this mature but prolific hydrocarbon basin, by sustained<br>effort and focus on rejuvenating the portfolio. Significant potential remains in stratigraphic traps, deep<br>plays and unconventional hydrocarbon systems. Technology and play based exploration are seen as<br>key enablers to deliver this potential.<br>3D Seismic capabilities within PDO are undergoing a revolution at the moment. An aggressive<br>exploration campaign acquiring over 8000 km2 of high quality 3D seismic to unlock the potential of pre<br>-salt and intra-salt plays is underway. The step change in seismic imaging quality combined with new<br>quantitative interpretation methods are essential components not just in salt related plays but also in<br>delineating stratigraphic traps within the shallower plays. Alternative delineation methods considered<br>are also novel drilling techniques and non-seismic geophysical techniques.<br>New technologies, in combination with regional play based evaluation, have resulted in the<br>identification and high grading of several attractive new play segments: 1) a thrust faulted play<br>segment within the yet to be proven pre-salt play, 2) a northwards extension of the prolific intra salt<br>Stringer play, 3) an extension of the challenging intra-salt Athel silicilyte play, and 4) a stratigraphic<br>play segment within the Gharif.