NGU in Petromaks 2 Hydrocarbon Migration Modelling

Geological Survey of Norway (NGU) is looking for consultancy services on migration modelling of hydrocarbons within Petromaks 2, ‘Norcrust’.

Petromaks 2, Norcrust is a collaborative project lead by the Geological Survey of Norway (NGU). Partners are ‘Cage – Center for Arctic Gas Hydrate, Environment and Climate’ at the University of Tromsø, Statoil ASA, Lundin Norway AS, and ENI Norge and is funded by the Research Council of Norway.

Norcrust aims at supporting the industry in search for petroleum prospects on the Norwegian shelf by integrating geological and geochemical data from hydrocarbon seepage sites at the seabed with potential underlying hydrocarbon reservoirs.

This requires knowledge of timing of hydrocarbon migration to the sea-floor, ability to distinguish hydrocarbon origin from shallow biogenic and deep thermogenic sources and reliable assessment of the temperature and depth of hydrocarbon formation.

For the hydrocarbon migration modelling task, NGU aims to integrate active leakage zones at the sea-floor west of Svalbard and in the northern Barents Sea with potential source rocks concepts through migration modelling for improved spatial and temporal constraints on migration, spill and trap filling routes. The NGU aims for a petroleum system analysis software package that numerically models and describes processes of hydrocarbon generation, migration, trapping and leakage to the sea-floor (plus methanhydrate balance) within sedimentary basin over geological times in a geo-framework derived from seismic and well data and builds upon a probabilistic Monte Carlo type modelling approach.

Assignment and Description

Design and run a Petroleum System Analysis (PSA) model to quantify the amount, timing and location of methane seepage history at the sea-floor in the Norwegian/Barents Sea derived from thermogenic sources;

– Design and run PSA model exclusively build on Monte Carlo modelling strategies to quantify input and out uncertainties;

– Design a PSA model which considers seafloor seepage tapping multiple methane pathway options such as leakage from traps / vertical migration / faults leakage;

– Account for geometrically correct fault planes (3D features) – SGR dynamically adjusted over time;

– Account for incorporation of high resolution seismic (many layers – fine stratigraphy at <10m resolution) and allow for high-resolution stratigraphy (many sub-layers);

– Design a PSA model that accounts for dynamic behaviour of methane hydrate stability zone over time;

– Account for methane hydrates in hydrocarbons (HC) bulk mass balance (incl. loss from model via hydrate zone destabilisation);

– Design a PSA model that links new 3D P-cable seismic data with an existing 2D line model into a joint model across the Vesnesa Ridge, north-western Svalbard;

– Design PSA model which are calibrated against;

– Classical PSA parameter (thermal, HC columns, etc.);

– New PSA parameters (methane leakage rates, saturation of pore space with methane

The 4-year project is valued between NOK 700 000 – 800 000 per year.

The deadline for the submission of tenders is May 27, 2016.