PTTC Texas Region

Stratigraphic Synthesis of Paleozoic Oil-bearing Depositional Systems: Data and Models
for Recovering Existing and Undiscovered Oil Resources from the Permian Basin

Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Center for Energy and Economic Diversification

Tuesday, December 7, 2004
Houston Core Research Center

Summary
The Bureau of Economic Geology (BEG) is starting a major new initiative to create an integrated depositional and stratigraphic synthesis of the Permian Basin. This synthesis will result in an integrated database of geological, geophysical and petrophysical information that will provide fundamental data and information to guide future exploration and development of the remaining hydrocarbon resources in the Permian Basin. Partial funding for the program has been provided by the Department of Energy. We are now soliciting the involvement of industry groups who desire to participate in this program.

Agenda
Stephen Ruppel:	Stratigraphic Synthesis of Paleozoic Oil-Bearing Depositional Systems: Data and Models for Recovering Exisiting and Undiscovered Hydrocarbon Resources from the Permian Basin [Presentation in PDF Format]
Stephen Ruppel:	Key Questions and Issues in Permian Basin Reservoir Plays [Presentation in PDF Format]
Charlie Kerans:	Deep Water Carbonates in the Permian Models and Directions
Bob Loucks:	Challenges in Ellenburger Hydrocarbon Exploitation [Presentation in PDF Format]
Core and poster displays
Issues and answers to understanding reservoir performance in carbonate reservoirs—Permian and Ordovician rock perspectives by BEG team.

Background
The Permian Basin is the largest oil and gas basin in the US with 23 billion barrels of mobile oil remaining in existing reservoirs and a projected 3.5 billion barrels of undiscovered oil and NGL resources. Key to recovery of these resources is knowledge of and ready access to existing geological data in an integrated and synthesized database. Such a synthesis will provide needed fundamental stratigraphic and reservoir specific data in a readily accessible and useable format. These data will decrease the risk and increase the efficiency of companies currently active in the Basin and form the basis for new engineering approaches and completion practices.

Program Overview
Key deliverables will be a comprehensive GIS (ARC/GIS) database of regional structure maps, depositional systems maps, facies maps, cross sections, core descriptions and data, outcrop descriptions and sections, reservoir data, and an extensive bibliographic database. This will be supported by a written synthesis of depositional history, stratigraphy, facies, structural history, and reservoir development in the Permian Basin. Seismic sections will also be included to illustrate major geologic features and depositional relationships.

Purpose
The purpose of this meeting is to solicit industry input on project scope and design as well as commitments to participate in funding and data needs. Key members of the BEG's Permian Basin research staff will be on hand at this meeting to describe the elements of the program in more detail and to answer questions.

Who Should Attend
• Exploitation and exploration managers interested in gaining a competitive edge on other companies exploring and developing Permian Basin oil and gas resources
• Geologists, geophysicists, and engineers who desire comprehensive, integrated, geological data sets and models of the Permian Basin to aid in exploiting the remaining resource.
• Managers, scientists, and engineers interested in geological support for their reservoir characterization, exploitation, and exploration operations.

Bureau of Economic Geology Research Staff in Attendance
Steve Ruppel	Ph.D. in Geology. Twenty-nine years experience in carbonate sedimentology and stratigraphy, including three years with Chevron and 22 years at the Bureau. Active in Permian Basin since 1985 and has expertise in several reservoir successions, including the Silurian and Devonian, San Andres, Grayburg, and Clear Fork.
Charlie Kerans	Ph.D. in Geology. Twenty-three years experience in carbonate sedimentology and sequence stratigraphy. Director of the Carbonate Reservoir Characterization Research Laboratory (RCRL) at the Bureau of Economic Geology since 1987. Has has carried out research in Ellenburger, San Andres, Grayburg, Pennsylvanian, Wolfcampian, and Leonardian reservoir successions and analogous outcrops.
Bob Loucks	Ph.D. in Geology. Thirty-one years experience in carbonate sedimentology and stratigraphy. Twenty years in industry with Mobil and Arco focusing on carbonate and clastic depositional systems worldwide. Special interest in Permian Basin karst systems.