Beaumont E.A., Foster N.H. (Eds.) Exploring for Oil and Gas Traps

The American Association of Petroleum Geologists, 1999. — 1153 p. — (Treatise of Petroleum Geology, Handbook of Petroleum Geology). — ISBN 0-89181-602-X.“Exploring for Oil and Gas Traps” is one of four books (Volume 3) of the Handbook of Petroleum Geology, which is part of the Treatise of Petroleum Geology.
The Handbook set is divided into four volumes, each of which addresses one of the four steps of oil and gas prospecting - evaluation of source rocks and migration, evaluation of reservoir quality and properties, evaluation of trapping conditions, and evaluation of economic opportunity. Accordingly, the four volumes of the Handbook are “Source and Migration Processes and Evaluation Techniques”; “Reservoirs”; “Exploring for Oil and Gas
Traps”; and “The Business of Petroleum Exploration”. These publications should be kept close at hand so that when a question arises, an answer can be found quickly and easily.
This book presents, in succinct form, basic concepts of petroleum geology and proven petroleum exploration techniques for locating oil and gas accumulations.
This volume is a handbook about prospecting for oil and gas traps. It is a how-to discussion of techniques used to evaluate the critical elements necessary for discovering oil and gas accumulations. For the most part, the chapters focus on procedures first and then discuss concepts that one must understand to apply the procedures effectively.
The book format is a structured technical writing style known as information mapping. Information mapping makes information more accessible, easier to understand, and easier to remember. It is especially well suited for procedure-based books such as this one.
The book consists of twenty-one chapters subdivided into four parts. The first chapter serves as a jump-off point for the book's vision. It contains five sections that discuss vari­ous aspects of developing an exploration philosophy. Exploration begins in the mind. How one approaches exploration for oil and gas traps is a result of a philosophy developed through experience, interaction with others such as a mentor, and reading.
Part I contains chapters that deal with the concept of a trap and the geological context of a trap in a petroleum system.
Part II contains chapters discussing sedimentary basin analysis and the behavior of fluids within the basin. These chapters show methods of understanding the development and current condition of a basin and its plumbing system.
Part III narrows the focus to specific critical elements of the trap. It contains chapters that discuss tried-and-true methods for predicting the critical elements of a trap, including reservoir performance, seal existence and quality, and preservation of traps.
Part IV contains chapters that discuss various exploration methods and methods for predicting the location of structural and stratigraphic traps.
This volume is directed at professionals with two or more years' experience. It assumes a basic knowledge of most aspects of petroleum geology and petroleum exploration meth­ods. Basic well log analysis, seismic theory, structural geology, stratigraphy, or sedimentology are not detailed. Instead it concentrates on elements of petroleum geology and petroleum exploration methods that are critical for generating viable prospects.