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oa Integrated Trap Analysis – Best Practices and Workflows for Evaluating Potential Fault Traps and Closures
- Publisher: European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers
- Source: Conference Proceedings, 2nd EAGE International Conference on Fault and Top Seals - From Pore to Basin Scale 2009, Sep 2009, cp-136-00001
- ISBN: 978-90-73781-69-6
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Abstract
ExxonMobil's Integrated Trap Analysis (ITA) is a set of best practices and technical workflows for evaluating trap and seal in specific business environments. The ITA workflows contain recommendations for the application of appropriate tools and technologies in fault interpretation, bed and fault seal evaluation, and volumetric assessment of potential traps and closures for all upstream business stages. ITA best practice workflows differentiate between time scales (exploration vs. production) and the technical workflow is adjusted to reflect the time scale being analyzed. As well, rather than forcing an improbable solution using a single technology (e.g., capillary seal analysis), ITA workflows require the analyst to integrate multiple approaches to seal evaluation, which allows solutions that incorporate multiple seal mechanisms. Application of ITA workflows and associated technologies has impacted business decisions ranging from frontier and mature basin exploration, to development plans in new fields, to infill and near-field wildcat drilling in and around mature fields. Implementation of the ITA best practices has improved efficiency and quality in fault interpretation and structural mapping, promoted consistent application of appropriate technologies for trap and seal definition, and improved linkage of trap and seal analysis with volumetric assessment.