SPE Moscow Section - AAPG: Dr. John Karlo - Back to Basics is the most important thing I learned from a decade of exploring for turbidite traps

AAPG: Dr. John Karlo - Back to Basics is the most important thing I learned from a decade of exploring for turbidite traps

Thursday, 26 April 2007 Read 5710 times

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We invite you to take part in the SEG, EAGE, AAPG, joint session. The session will take place on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 in the Conference Hall of “MSU Science Park”. Time: 7:00 p.m.

Back to Basics is the most important thing I learned from a decade of exploring for turbidite traps

Abstract:

In any discussion of “Unconventional Traps”, stratigraphic trapping is sure to feature prominently. There is a perception that any trap involving a stratigraphic component is high risk and that exploration for strat-traps have a low success rate.

This is the perception but in turbidites this is not the reality. In turbidite discoveries and prospects, stratigraphic trapping is the norm rather than the exception and has proven very successful. After more than a decade of working in turbidites, a central conclusion about turbidite strat traps is that more prospects fail from bad evaluations than from risky seals.

Exploration for “Unconventional Traps” in general and strat-traps in particular is really about back to basics:

1) What is the trap model?

2) What are the critical success factors and how does one test the model?

There are a number of distinct strat-trap plays in turbidites which can be grouped into three basic categories: channels draped across anticlines, toe-of-slope traps and lateral onlap/pinchout traps.

Each of these has a different set of critical success factors. These will be discussed and some examples shown of prospect evaluations that succeeded or failed depending on whether or not they addressed those success factors.

Biography

John Karlo holds MA and PhD degrees in structural geology and tectonics. His prior life was as Assistant Professor teaching structure and geophysics at Central Michigan University followed by 27 years experience in some 25 basins worldwide for Shell Exploration. His in-house expertise is in understanding basin evolution and play evaluation. He is currently working in New Ventures, most recently at Sakhalin, offshore Pacific Russia. He has turbidite exploration experience in Brazil, Nigeria, NW Borneo as well as some of the Russian Basins.