Accurate Assessment of Fill History - A Critical Element when Adressing Seal Potential

Accurate determination of hydrocarbon fill history is critical to the effective validation of predictive trap integrity models. In most instances, such models are validated using the distribution of hydrocarbon discoveries, thereby excluding the majority of the well results that are water wet. Interpreting the fill history of presently water-wet traps is desirable because it enlarges the footprint of investigation and helps produce a more statistically reliable predictive model. A reliance on conventional hydrocarbon shows, which are easily degraded over geological timeframes or during the drilling process and where there is uncertainty in the significance of oil show intensity, often makes reliable determination of the hydrocarbon charge history of water wet traps equivocal.