PALYNOSTRATIGRAPHICAL CORRELATION & INTEGRATED SEQUENCE STRATIGRAPHY

Integrated high-resolution correlation from reservoir to basin scale

Benefits for HC Exploration

• highly accurate tool for stratigraphic correlation of surface & sub-surface sections – cores and cuttings
• high-resolution stratigraphic schemes from Palaeo – zoic to Cenozoic – global and regional scale
• access a wide range of depositional settings – from deep-marine to near-shore & terrestrial systems
• provides data on basin development additional to sedimentological and geochemical analyses
• provides marker horizons based on specific palyno – facies proxies as additional stratigraphic tools
• sequence boundaries and maximum flooding surfaces clearly identified by major palynofacies changes
• high-resolution correlation often beyond biostrati – graphic resolutions – from basin to reservoir scale
• improves strongly the reliability of sequence strati – graphic analysis – particuarly for sequences with rare internal discontinuities

Overview

Palynostratigraphical Correlation

Palynofacies Analysis

Integrated Sequence Stratigraphy

Add Ons for integrated HC system analysis

Optical Kerogen Analysis – Integrated analysis of kerogen composition and preservation for improved evaluation of hydrocarbon potential

TOC / CNS analysis – quantification of total organic carbon and information on depositional environment

Core Logging & Thin Section Analysis – texture & composition of potential source & reservoir rocks

Spatial data management & Modelling – mapping and distribution of HC system relevant parameters in 1D to 3D models

Palynostratigraphical Correlation

Palynostratigraphy is a powerful, highly accurate tool for stratigraphic correlation of surface and sub-surface samples, from  cores and cuttings. It provides high-resolution stratigraphic schemes from throughout earth history, from the Palaeozoic to the Cenozoic, on global and regional scale. Palynomorphs give access to a wide range of depositional settings – from deep marine to near-shore and terrestrial environments. Palynostratigraphy has become a standard tool for stratigraphic correlation in exploration studies as in research projects. GeoResources has a strong focus on Palaeozoic palynostratigraphic studies worldwide, with regional experience from the northern and the southern hemisphere

Palynofacies Analysis

Palynofacies analysis is the quantitative analysis of the composition and the preservation of all organic matter in the rocks. It provides data on basin development additional to data from sedimentological and geochemical analyses. Palynofacies analysis identifies changes in the depositional settings regarding sedimentary input, sea- level and proximal-distal trends. It also indicates palaeoenvironmental conditions like oxic / anoxic conditions, salinity, light and alkalinity. Based on specific palynofacies proxies additional marker horizons can be defined to get used as additional stratigraphic tools. Palynofacies analysis helps to understand, if the organic matter accumulation in the studied basin is controlled by production or by preservation. It provides essential data for integrated sequence stratigraphic analysis and gives first information on the hydrocarbon potential of the studied units

Integrated Sequence Stratigraphy

A multidisciplinary cross-calibrated approach on sequence stratigraphic analysis, based on specific palynofacies proxies from extended palynofacies analysis combined with lithological data from wireline logs and mud logs and seismic data (unconformities, geometries). It enables enhanced identification of sequence boundaries and maximum flooding surfaces by major changes in palynofacies: the sequence boundary is identified by the most proximal palynofacies, while the maximum flooding surface is marked by the most distal palynofacies. Integrated sequence stratigraphy provides high-resolution correlation often far beyond biostratigraphic resolutions – from basin down to reservoir scale. It improves significantly the assessment of lateral continuities and vertical connectivities for flow and reservoir units, just as source units. Integrated sequence stratigraphy strongly improves the reliability of sequence stratigraphic analysis, particuarly in systems with rare internal unconformities and low angle geometries like type-2 sequences.