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Semester 2

Hydrocarbon Reservoir Quality (EASC10015)

Subject

Earth Science

College

SCE

Credits

10

Normal Year Taken

4

Delivery Session Year

2023/2024

Pre-requisites

Course Summary

This course will run in Semester 2 weeks 1 5 This course examines the science underpinning porosity and permeability in sandstone and carbonate reservoirs. This is particularly relevant for hydrocarbon exploration and production, has importance for CO2 permanent storage, sites of short duration methane and hydrogen storage, and can also help understand deep aquifers within sedimentary basins. Depositional features of a sediment strongly control its porosity and permeability. Subsequently during burial, the mineralogy and physical arrangement of sedimentary grains is changed by compaction, geochemical reactions, and fluid flow. That has a systematic impact on spaces between the grains - porosity holding fluids, and permeability enabling flow of fluids. Course themes are divided into Sandstones and Carbonates. Each theme progresses from depositional and shallow burial effects, to processes during deeper burial. Shallow burial (dis)similarities will be explained as will deep burial contrasts and similarities between sandstones and carbonates.

Course Description

The topics are unusual in spanning size scales from micro to macro, and in the integration from surface processes and depositional geology to deep burial geochemistry and long timescale rock mechanics controlled by fluid pressures. Firstly the basin setting and gross depositional and basin architecture, which affects the input detrital mix. Second, the depositional environments produce reservoir scale (in)homogeneities. Thirdly, the cementation and dissolution effects at the pore scale, with integration of geological setting, basin modelling, geochemical measurements fluid flow and (over) pressure, and petrological measurements. The emphasis is on processes during geological timescales, which aims to communicate that the shallow to deep underground is affected by continually changing dynamic processes. Typically one-third of "solid" rock is re-located during the pathway to deep burial. This will help understand how to predict the location and timing of good, or poor, quality porosity and permeability within a sedimentary basin. Delivery depends on virus- but is anticipated to be through a series of recorded lectures, which should be viewed in advance of meeting. A weekly tutorial session allows for formative assessment by class dialogue and interaction. This could be two hours timetabled each week. The lecture slides are available on LEARN. Students will be asked to preview these each week in preparation for class meetings. There will be some formative self-paced Q and A on LEARN. It is intended to provide a few essential references on LEARN for fundamental concepts, and some recent reviews. Formal assessment is via a written essay after the end of the lecture course.

Assessment Information

Written Exam 0%, Coursework 100%, Practical Exam 0%

Additional Assessment Information

Written Exam: 0%, Course Work: 100 %, Practical Exam: 0%.Assessment is an essay of maximum length of 3 sides of A4 including diagrams and references as chosen by individual student. Text as 11pt Arial. The aim is to interpret, critically summarise, and link together a selected topic from the lecture courses. These follow the University of Edinburgh Common Marking Scheme. Assessment DeadlinesEssay to submit electronically through the course Learn site in week 6 of Semester 2. For further details of the time and date for the submission, please refer to the learn page for this course.Assessment deadlinesEssay Semester 2, Week 6. Wednesday, 11.59am (Submit online via Turnitin)

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