Table of Contents:
  • 1. Introduction
  • Philosophy of Hydrocarbon Exploration
  • Formation of Oil and Gas
  • Applications to Hydrocarbon Exploration
  • Suggested Readings
  • 2. Organic Facies
  • The Carbon Cycle
  • Factors Influencing Organic Richness
  • Examples of Rich and Lean Sediments
  • General Models for Source-Rock Development
  • Summary
  • Suggested Readings
  • 3. Organic Chemistry and Isotopes
  • Names and Structures
  • Stereochemistry and Isomers
  • Reactions
  • Isotopes
  • 4. Kerogen
  • Kerogen Formation
  • Kerogen Composition
  • Kerogen Maturation
  • Summary
  • Suggested Readings
  • 5. Bitumen, Petroleum, and Natural Gas
  • Compounds Present in Bitumen and Petroleum
  • Factors Affecting Composition of Bitumen and Petroleum
  • Comparison of Bitumen and Petroleum
  • Natural Gas
  • Summary
  • Suggested Readings
  • 6. Migration
  • Definitions
  • Primary Migration
  • Secondary Migration
  • Accumulation
  • Effects on Oil and Gas Composition
  • Significance for Exploration
  • Suggested Readings
  • 7. Analytical Techniques
  • Chemical Characterization for Correlations
  • Source-Rock Evaluation
  • Contamination and Weathering
  • Analytical Costs
  • Summary
  • Suggested Readings
  • 8. Source-Rock Evaluation
  • Definition of Source Rock
  • Principles of Source-Rock Evaluation
  • Interpretation of Source-Rock Data
  • Examples of Source-Rock Evaluation
  • Summary
  • Suggested Readings
  • Practice Problems
  • Solutions to Practice Problems
  • 9. Predicting Thermal Maturity
  • Construction of the Geological Model
  • Special Considerations About Burial-History Curves
  • Calculation of Maturity
  • Factors Affecting Thermal Maturity
  • Interpretation of TTI Values
  • Applications to Hydrocarbon Preservation
  • Applications to Exploration
  • Comparison of Several Maturity Models
  • Potential Problems with Maturity Calculations
  • Conclusions
  • Suggested Readings
  • Practice Problems
  • Solutions to Practice Problems
  • 10. Correlations
  • Correlation Parameters
  • Correlation Parameters for Gases
  • Case Studies
  • Conclusions
  • Suggested Readings
  • Practice Problems
  • Solutions to Practice Problems
  • 11. Surface Prospecting
  • Philosophy of Surface Prospecting
  • Surface-Prospecting Techniques
  • Summary
  • Suggested Readings
  • 12. Integrated Applications to Exploration
  • Philosophy of the Model-Based Approach
  • Qualitative Models of Hydrocarbon Systems
  • Quantitative (Volumetric) Models
  • Summary Suggested Readings
  • References.