Why the term “fault block” is a useless way to describe a trap
In most prospective basins, the simpler and larger anticlines and high-side fault blocks have mostly been drilled. In order to find what is remaining, explorers can look for new trap…
Worldwide
Fresh water in deep-marine sandstones – how come?
“A famous example of anchoring is finding a high resistivity anomaly on a structure in a deep-water turbidite play and assuming it can only be petroleum related,” wrote exploration geologist…
Evaluating the uncertainty in a Saturation Height model
Even the ‘ground truth’ of core data is uncertain when you really think about it. There is nothing better than a lump of rock to look at, touch, smell, or…
Deciphering Earth’s secrets
Faults on geological maps are far more than just lines; they are a critical form of communication, conveying essential information about the Earth’s subsurface structure and tectonic history. Central to…
And all the while, hydrocarbons are transitioning away from us
”It’s the hope that keeps us here,” wrote Neil Hodgson and the Searcher team this week. He alluded to those promising ultra-deepwater fields that are about to be discovered. Hope…
Subsurface noise, Issue 2, 2025
THE EARLY DAYS OF SUBSURFACE MODELS I recently spoke to a geologist who was heavily involved with the introduction of the first generations of reservoir modelling software. He told me…
Taking a seat on the 4-legged stool of honest energy policy
It’s time to start being honest to ourselves regarding the suitability of an ambitious, high-profile goal such as “net zero”. The unpopular truth is that it has long been evident…
Can we stop exploring?
“Why would we still explore for oil and gas?” asked René Jonk from ACT GEO at the end of his talk for the Geoscience Energy Society of Great Britain this…
How data analysis and 1D models help understand messy vitrinite data
In my last column, I hinted at a case study, where I was able to interpret likely fluid migration based on temperature and vitrinite data in a single well. This…
TMC’s bold move
Frustrated by delays at the International Seabed Authority (ISA), the UN-affiliated body regulating mining in international waters, TMC is making a daring move. In Q2 2025, the Canadian company plans…
CCS – a roller coaster ride from an oil crisis to a climate change solution
Initially, at the time of the 1970s oil crisis, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) was proposed as a way of getting more oil out of the ground through enhanced oil…
Is it a true conjugate fracture set?
Conjugate faults or fractures are a set of shear fractures that formed simultaneously under the same stress conditions. According to Andersonian Fault Theory, this could involve a series of left-lateral…