Reservoir characterisation of the Patchawarra Formation within a deep, basin-margin gas accumulation
Tim Stephens A , Brenton Richards A and Joseph Lim ASenex Energy
The APPEA Journal 54(1) 45-68 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ13009
Published: 2014
Abstract
An exploration program to assess the basin-centred gas (BCG) and stratigraphic trap potential of the Mettika Embayment in the southern Cooper Basin resulted in the discovery of gas at Hornet–1 and Kingston Rule–1. The embayment is a confined fluvial sedimentary depocentre surrounded by prolific gas fields producing from structurally closed anticlines. Gas pay was identified and both wells produced sustained gas flows to surface of between 1.2 and 2.2 MMscf/d after fracture stimulation. Core collected from the Patchawarra Formation sandstone reservoir was analysed to constrain the depositional environment and establish petrophysical properties by routine and special core analysis. An integrated reservoir study was undertaken to understand depositional setting, reservoir architecture, trapping mechanisms, permeability, and saturation controls on productivity. Gas identified in the embayment appears to have accumulated in subtle stratigraphic and combination structural traps against the flanks of existing fields and does not display the geological and physical characteristics of a BCG play. The impact and analysis of hydrocarbon migration and reservoir trapping influences in this basin-margin gas accumulation may be applicable to other under-explored flank and trough plays of the Cooper Basin.
Tim Stephens received a Bachelor of Biotechnology with first-class Honours from the University of Queensland (UQ), and a Master of Science in Petroleum Engineering from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh. Tim has previously held biomedical research positions at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience (UQ), and the Diamantina Institute at the Princess Alexandria Hospital, investigating the role of protein structure and function on disease phenotypes. Tim has worked in various subsurface engineering roles in the upstream oil and gas industry during the past five years, including conventional gas, tight gas, tight oil, coal seam and shale gas, and is presently a reservoir engineer at Senex Energy Ltd. tim.stephens@senexenergy.com.au |
Brenton Richards graduated from the Queensland University of Technology in 2008 with a BSc in geoscience. He joined Origin Energy in 2009 where he worked on oil and gas assets within the Taranaki Basin, New Zealand. Brenton joined Senex Energy Ltd in 2013 as a development geologist working on oil and tight gas assets within the Cooper Basin. brenton.richards@senexenergy.com.au |
Joseph Lim completed a BSc (honours) in geology with the National University of Malaysia, and a Master of Business Administration with Edith Cowan University of Australia. He joined DownUnder GeoSolutions Pty Ltd in 2007 as junior petrophysicist/rock physicist where he worked on projects from different geological settings globally. Joseph held the role of geo-pressure analyst from 2012–13. In 2013 he joined Senex Energy Ltd as petrophysicist. joseph.lim@senexenergy.com.au |
