Basin Modeling

Advanced Basin Chemical Modeling applies the IBCM strategy to:

* Predict diagenetic sequences and resulting porosity and permeability changes in potential reservoir rocks.
* Predict formation damage in producing reservoirs.
* Assess the sealing potential of faults (due to diagenesis) and structural trap timing relative to timing of hydrocarbon generation and migration.
* Assess the timing of thrusting related to generation and expulsion of hydrocarbons
* Verify calculated thermal history via source rock maturity indicators such as vitrinite reflectance, steranes, and hopanes, and via oil and gas kinetics.
* Estimate, ahead of the drill, the timing, API gravity, and extent of hydrocarbon generation based on the thermal history.
* Indicate migration pathways as determined by dominant controls such as evolving permeabilities, porosities, and pressures resulting from consideration of multiple geochemical reactions.
* Assess spatial and temporal evolution of hydrocarbon accumulations in frontier basins.

Success With IBCM

IBCM was initially tested in mature North American Basins with a wealth of rock data and water data. Since that time, predictions of pressure, thermal maturity, porosity, permeability, diagenetic minerals and sequences have been compared to actual measured data in numerous frontier basins worldwide. IBCM has a proven success ratio of over 80% when predicting such important geological parameters.

General Input for IBCM

* General litho-stratigraphy and age data
* An approximate strike cross-section constructed from well logs and seismic data
* A consideration layer subdivision for modeling of pore pressure, fluid flow and mineral diagenesis
* Heat flow data from IBCM geodynamic settings.

For an extensive study of a basin, a minimum of two cross-sections is preferable: one in the paleo-dip direction and one in the paleo-strike direction.

Optional Output from IBCM

* Simple Backstripping
* De-compaction/Compaction
* Diagenesis/Cementation
* Porosity Evolution
* Permeability Evolution
* Pressure Evolution
* Fluid Flow Vectors
* Paleo-surface Temperatures
* Thermal Evolution (Paleo-temperatures)
* Thermal Maturity (Vitrinite, Sterane, Hopane)
* Rate of Oil and Gas Generation
* Timing of Peak Oil and Gas
* O/C and H/C Ratios
* API Gravity

One IBCM Success Story

Predicted parameters for risk assessment compare closely with actual data in the Danish Central Graben. Temperature, pressure, permeability and porosity for one well were graphed to show the high correlation between measured data and predicted results. More importantly, the calculated fluid flow via IBCM indicated the presence of an accumulation that was later discovered.


ABCM, Inc. is committed to providing quality basin modeling service to the petroleum industry. We would be happy to discuss the application of our technology to your exploration and exploitation needs. Please contact:

ABCM Inc. leases and applies the 123D Simulation & Visualization model , on a Desktop. In 3D you can assess:
* the oil and gas field filling history
* the evolving oil and gas pore volumes
* the oil, gas and brine flow based on 3D-viscous (Darcy) flow using saturation dependent relative permeability, capillary pressure, and over pressure.

 Contact  •  About  •  Basin Modeling  •  Resume  •  Publications