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CCHARACTEROFPROSPECTSSUCHASTHELIZPROSPECTPROVIDEGOODINDICATIONSTHATGOODQUALITYRESERVOIRROCKSMAYBEPRESENTTRAPSTHE2DAND,INPARTICULAR,THE3DSEISMICDATASHOWANUMBEROFSTRUCTURALANDSTRATIGRAPHICTRAPPINGMECHANISMSPLAYCONCEPTTHE1,000METRESTHICKSOURCEROCKISMATUREONLYATTHEBASEINTHEDEEPERPARTSOFTHEBASINTHEOVERLYING,IMMATURE,SOURCEROCKISAVERYEFFECTIVEREGIONALSEAL,SEEFIG4,ANDITISBELIEVEDTHISHASPREVENTEDTHEUPWARDMIGRATIONOFOILINTOTHEOVERLYINGHORIZONSTHESESHALLOWERHORIZONSWERETHEMAINTARGETINTHEFIRSTDRILLINGCAMPAIGNANDTHEFAILURETOFINDCOMMERCIALHYDROCARBONSMAYBETHERESULTOFTHEDIFFICULTYINCHARGINGTHESEHORIZONSDESIRENOWBELIEVESTHATTHEMAJORPOTENTIALOFTHEBASINMAYBEINTHEUNTESTEDFLANKSOFTHEBASINATTHELEVELOFTHEMATUREOILSOURCEROCKASSHOWNINFIG4ATTHISLEVELTHEOILWOULDHAVEONLYASHORTDISTANCETOMIGRATEFROMTHEMATUREOILSOURCEROCKTOTHEPREDICTEDRESERVOIRROCKSINADDITIONTHEBESTRESERVOIRDEVELOPMENTMAYBEONTHEFLANKSOFTHEBASINTHE3DSEISMICDATAACQUIREDIN2005WASDESIGNEDSPECIFICALLYTOTESTTHISNEWMODELPROSPECTSNINEPROSPECTSHAVEBEENIDENTIFIEDSEEFIG1,MOSTOFWHICHHAVEMULTIPLETARGETSONLYTWOOFTHESEWILLBEDESCRIBEDINDETAILTOILLUSTRATETHEVARIETYOFPROSPECTTYPESFOUNDINTHEBASINLIZPROSPECTTHISISTHELARGESTPROSPECTANDISLIKELYTOBETHEFIRSTONEDRILLEDINTHENEXTCAMPAIGNITISASTRATIGRAPHICTRAPANDBASEDONSEISMICAMPLITUDEMAPPINGHASGEOMETRYSUGGESTIVEOFAFANDELTADEPOSITEDBYALARGERIVERFLOWINGINTOTHELAKESEEFIG5THISFANDELTAISDETACHEDBYFAULTINGFROMTHEUPDIPFEEDERCHANNELANDLATERALSEALINGISPROVIDEDBYTHERICHOILSOURCEROCK,WHICHISMATUREATTHEDISTALENDOFTHEFANTHEFEEDERCHANNELSHOWSDRAPEONTHESEISMICDATAANDTHISISPOSSIBLEEVIDENCEFORTHEPRESENCEOFCOARSESANDSTONES,WHICHARELIKELYTOPROVIDEGOODRESERVOIRSINADDITIONTOTESTINGTHELIZFANATTHEWELLLOCATIONTHEEDGEOFTHEBETHFANWILLALSOBEDRILLEDTHEWATERDEPTHISAROUND350METRESANDTHETOTALDEPTHOFTHEWELLWILLBECIRCA3,000METRESNINKYPROSPECTTHISISANEXAMPLEOFASTRUCTURALTRAPATANUMBEROFLEVELSIMMEDIATELYABOVETHEMATUREOILSOURCEROCKTHESTRUCTURALCONTOURSARECLOSEDAGAINSTAFAULTUNLIKETHELIZPROSPECTVERTICALMIGRATIONUPAFAULTISREQUIREDTOFILLTHETRAPSBUTONTHESEISMICAFAULTISCLEARLYDEFINEDREACHINGFROMTHEMATURESOURCEROCKTOTHEOVERLYINGTRAPSASTHISPROSPECTISNEARTHECENTREOFTHEBASIN,THINNERPOORERQUALITYRESERVOIRSMIGHTBEEXPECTEDBUTAGAINSEISMICAMPLITUDEGEOMETRICSSUGGESTTHATTHICKERDISTALFANSANDSTONESMIGHTBEPRESENTTHISPROSPECTISLOCATEDINAWATERDEPTHAROUND400METRESWITHAPLANNEDTOTALDEPTHOFCIRCA3,100METRESENVIRONMENTDESIRERECOGNISESTHEINTERNATIONALIMPORTANCEOFTHEENVIRONMENTOFTHEFALKLANDISLANDSANDISCOMMITTEDTODOINGEVERYTHINGPOSSIBLETOMINIMISEANYIMPACTONTHEENVIRONMENTITSOPERATIONSMAYHAVEALLOFTHEOPERATIONSWILLBECARRIEDOUTINACCORDANCEWITHUKNORTHSEASTANDARDSANDONLYWATERBASEDDRILLINGMUDSANDLOWTOXICITYCHEMICALSWILLBEUSEDTOIDENTIFYALLTHEPOSSIBLEIMPACTSOFTHETHREEWELLOPERATION,DESIRECOMMISSIONEDRPS,ONEOFTHELEADINGENVIRONMENTALCONSULTANCIESINEUROPE,TOUNDERTAKEANENVIRONMENTALIMPACTASSESSMENTEIARPSSUGGESTEDANUMBEROFMEASURESTOMINIMISEENVIRONMENTALIMPACTANDCONCLUDEDTHATTHEPROPOSEDOPERATIONSCANBECARRIEDOUTWITHOUTASIGNIFICANTIMPACTONTHEENVIRONMENTFULLDETAILSOFTHEEIACANBEFOUNDONTHEDESIREWEBSITEATWWWDESIREPLCCOUKDRILLINGDRILLINGINTHENORTHFALKLANDBASINISRELATIVELYSTRAIGHTFORWARDTHEFIRSTDRILLINGCAMPAIGNESTABLISHEDTHATTHEREWERENOSERIOUSDRILLINGHAZARDSANDTHATA3,000METREWELLCOULDBEDRILLEDINJUSTOVERTWENTYDAYSINADDITIONTHEWATERDEPTHS350410METRESARENOTCONSIDEREDDEEPINTODAYSTERMSANDTHEWEATHERCONDITIONSARESIMILARTOTHECENTRALNORTHSEAASARESULTAHEAVYDUTYDEEPWATERDRILLINGRIGISNOTREQUIREDAND,ASINTHEPREVIOUSCAMPAIGN,DESIREINTENDSTOUSEATHIRDGENERATIONSEMISUBMERSIBLERIGASSHOWNINFIG6DEVELOPMENTINTHEEVENTOFACOMMERCIALOILDISCOVERYTHEMOSTLIKELYDEVELOPMENTSCENARIOISONENOWWIDELYEMPLOYEDTHROUGHOUTTHEWORLDANDPARTICULARLYINTHENORTHSEAITWOULDINVOLVECOMPLETINGTHEPRODUCINGWELLSONTHESEABEDANDTYINGTHEMBACKTOAFPSOFLOATINGPRODUCTION,STORAGEANDOFFLOADINGFACILITYOILWOULDBETRANSPORTEDTOAREFMERYLOCATEDANYWHEREINTHEWORLDBYSHUTTLETANKERSMINIMALONSHOREFACILITIESWOULDBEREQUIREDINTHEISLANDSECONOMICSBASEDONTHEABOVEASSUMPTIONS,ANUMBEROFECONOMICMODELSHAVEBEENRUNASARESULTOFTHEFAVOURABLEFISCALREGIMEINTHEFALKLANDS,RELATIVELYSMALLOILFIELDSARELIKELYTOBECOMMERCIALFOREXAMPLE,BASEDONA30/BARRELOILPRICEANDA10DISCOUNTFACTOR,OILFIELDSCONTAINING40MILLIONBARRELSWOULDBECOMMERCIALOILPRICESHAVERISENCONSIDERABLYDURING2005AND,ALTHOUGHCOSTSHAVEALSORISEN,ITISBELIEVEDTHEOVERALLCOMMERCIALITYOFADISCOVERYHASBEENCONSIDERABLYENHANCEDCONCLUSIONS1AWORKINGHYDROCARBONSYSTEMINTHENORTHFALKLANDBASINHASBEENESTABLISHED2THEAREAHASTHEPOTENTIALTOBECOMEAMAJORHYDROCARBONPROVINCE,BUTFURTHERDRILLINGCANONLYPROVETHIS3DESIREHASIDENTIFIEDNINEPROSPECTSFORDRILLINGANDPREPARATIONSAREWELLUNDERWAYFORRESUMPTIONINDRILLINGASSOONASASUITABLERIGCANBECONTRACTED4ANENVIRONMENTALIMPACTASSESSMENTHASDETERMINEDTHATATHREEWELLEXPLORATIONDRILLINGPROGRAMMEWILLNOTHAVEASIGNIFICANTIMPACTONTHEENVIRONMENTFURTHEREXPLANATORYDIAGRAMSCANBEFOUNDONDESIREWEBSITEATWWWDESIREPLCCOUKCCOPYRIGHTRETAINEDBYDESIREPETROLEUMPLCREFERENCESRICHARDS,PCANDHILLIER,BV,2000POSTDRILLINGANALYSISOFTHENORTHFALKLANDSBASINPART2PETROLEUMSYSTEMANDFUTUREPROSPECTSJOURNALOFPETROLEUMGEOLOGY,VOL233,PP273292ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSIWOULDLIKETOTHANKDRCOLINPHIPPSFORHISHELPFULSUGGESTIONSINTHEPRESENTATIONOFTHISARTICLE石油,包括石油勘探,是?？颂m群島下一個(gè)大的主題。我們很高興地出版這非常充實(shí)詳細(xì)的北方福蘭克群島石油前景研究。伊恩鄧肯博士是DESIREPETROLEUMPLC的首席執(zhí)行官，這個(gè)領(lǐng)域的領(lǐng)頭者，在現(xiàn)狀下，他的文章是權(quán)威的。北?？颂m盆地石油地質(zhì)伊恩鄧肯博士，DESIREPETROLEUMPLC的首席執(zhí)行官在福蘭克群島指定區(qū)域有三個(gè)主要盆地北?？颂m盆地，?？颂m高原盆地，南福克蘭盆地。這篇文章以北?？颂m盆地為主，自1997年開(kāi)始DESIREPETROLEUM已在此勘探烴類(lèi)物質(zhì)。北?？颂m盆地是岡瓦納古陸解體時(shí)形成的衰退峽谷。板塊構(gòu)造重組學(xué)說(shuō)指出整個(gè)福蘭克地區(qū)在解體之前侏羅紀(jì)與白堊紀(jì)南大西洋板塊開(kāi)放之時(shí)，從南非東南部移動(dòng)到現(xiàn)在位置。北?？颂m盆地可進(jìn)一步細(xì)分為南北兩部分，北部也就是主要的包括A區(qū)到F區(qū)，南部盆地為I區(qū)和L區(qū)。南部盆地未被鉆探，并含有一套比北部盆地老的巖層。這篇文章把重點(diǎn)放在將要開(kāi)始鉆探的C區(qū)和D區(qū)?？碧綒v史第一階段的探索是在90年代初由頻譜獲得整個(gè)地區(qū)第一個(gè)詳細(xì)的二維地震數(shù)據(jù)。這些數(shù)據(jù)指出了福蘭克北部盆地輪廓,大約有180公里寬長(zhǎng)和30公里寬,形成了1996年第一輪評(píng)價(jià)的基礎(chǔ)。在1997年7個(gè)許可證被授予SHELL,AMERADA,LASMO,INTERNATIONALPETROLEUMCORPORATIONIPC和DESIRE公司。這些公司獲得了超過(guò)許可證更多的二維地震數(shù)據(jù)，另外，SHELL公司獲得了小部三維調(diào)查許可。1998年，SHELL,AMERADA,LASMO和IPC組成了FOSA組織（?？颂m群島海岸共享協(xié)議）來(lái)共同管理鉆井工程。在1998年4月，BORGNYDOLPHIN半潛式鉆探簽約并開(kāi)始鉆探。AMERADA公司鉆了兩口井14/91和14/92井；SHELL公司鉆了兩口井14/51和14/101井LASMO公司和IPC公司各鉆了一口井14/131和14/241井。鉆探于1998年11月結(jié)束。在這6口井中，5口有良好的油氣顯示，但是烴類(lèi)物質(zhì)的商業(yè)儲(chǔ)量并不足夠。在以后的幾年里，AMERADA,SHELL和LASMO公司將從?？颂m地區(qū)退出，這導(dǎo)致DESIREPETROLEUM公司成為C區(qū)和D區(qū)經(jīng)營(yíng)者，ARGOSEVERGREEN公司成為A區(qū)經(jīng)營(yíng)者。通過(guò)2000年更深的地震測(cè)井，TALISMAN獲得了IPC成為F區(qū)的經(jīng)營(yíng)者。持續(xù)低迷的油價(jià)抑制了該地區(qū)的所有活動(dòng)直到2004年獲得了C區(qū)和D區(qū)800KM2的地震數(shù)據(jù)。在這一年，洛克霍普勘探公司獲得了這一地區(qū)的開(kāi)發(fā)許可。2005年初，DESIRE公司斥巨資投資北?？颂m盆地深部鉆井，ROCKHOPPER加入到C區(qū)和D區(qū)。在本文攥寫(xiě)時(shí)（2005年12月）DESIRE公司正在尋找鉆機(jī)盡快開(kāi)鉆。在2005年DESIRE公司承擔(dān)了F區(qū)100的產(chǎn)權(quán)，ROCKHOPPER獲得了該地區(qū)更多的開(kāi)發(fā)許可。最近的開(kāi)發(fā)許可位置如圖1所示。圖1北?？颂m盆地目前許可和前景圖地質(zhì)北?？颂m盆地?fù)碛幸惶滓躁懴噘_紀(jì)到下白堊紀(jì)為主下附泥盆紀(jì)的地層。這些陸相沉積物上附晚白堊紀(jì)到新近紀(jì)海相沉積序列。在盆地D區(qū)最深部分總截面厚度要超過(guò)5千米。這些陸相巖層在一個(gè)大的湖泊中沉積，幾條大型河流匯入形成砂巖三角洲和扇形沉積，如圖2所示。這個(gè)湖和現(xiàn)在東非的湖泊大小相近，湖中慢慢沉積細(xì)粒粘土礦物，這些物質(zhì)在缺氧環(huán)境下沉積導(dǎo)致巖石有機(jī)碳含量很高，這些巖石是石油主要來(lái)源。最終在早白堊紀(jì)，海平面上升造成盆地海相條件確立。北?？颂m群島盆地含有尋找烴類(lèi)物質(zhì)的所有條件，即烴源巖，儲(chǔ)集層，蓋層和圈閉。圖2北福克蘭盆地下白堊紀(jì)地質(zhì)圖烴源巖1998年鉆井確定了厚的（超過(guò)1000米）被認(rèn)為是世界上最富集的陸相石油烴源巖，6口井中5口烴源巖是不成熟的，只有一口是成熟的。從井14/101中開(kāi)采出來(lái)的石油API值為27已標(biāo)記在表面。烴源巖在盆地更深部分已經(jīng)成熟，那里的溫度和壓力已經(jīng)足夠高到產(chǎn)生和排泄石油。這一地區(qū)的成熟烴源巖“廚房”位置如圖3所示。只有基部烴源巖是有大部成熟源巖組成。2000年RICHARDS（英國(guó)地質(zhì)調(diào)查）和HILLERSHELL公司估計(jì)在這些源巖中曾產(chǎn)生和排泄石油600億桶。還有一個(gè)更深的獨(dú)立成熟源巖可生成天然氣，就像在井14/51中深部良好的天然氣顯示一樣。蓋層整個(gè)地區(qū)豐富的粘土礦物含有未成熟的頂部，這提供了良好的潛在封閉條件。儲(chǔ)層DESIRE公司認(rèn)為有效儲(chǔ)集層的發(fā)現(xiàn)是該地區(qū)發(fā)現(xiàn)烴類(lèi)物質(zhì)商業(yè)儲(chǔ)量的關(guān)鍵。例如，優(yōu)質(zhì)砂巖可產(chǎn)生較高的產(chǎn)油率可以成為商用。然而預(yù)期的地震特性如利茲預(yù)測(cè)提供的良好預(yù)測(cè)表明良好的優(yōu)質(zhì)儲(chǔ)積巖會(huì)顯現(xiàn)出來(lái)。圖3北?？颂m盆地?zé)N源巖分布圖圈閉二維，特別是三維地震數(shù)據(jù)顯示了大量的結(jié)構(gòu)和地層圈閉機(jī)制。PLAYCONCEPT1000米厚的烴源巖只有在深部盆地的基底是成熟的。上附未成熟源巖是一種有效的局部圈閉，見(jiàn)圖4，這被認(rèn)為阻擋了石油向上附巖層的運(yùn)移。這些較淺地層是第一次鉆井工程的主要目標(biāo)，把握這些地層的困難可能是導(dǎo)致商業(yè)烴化物發(fā)現(xiàn)失敗的原因。圖4未檢測(cè)區(qū)域DESIRE公司認(rèn)為主潛力盆地可能位于與圖4所示烴源巖同一水平位置的未檢測(cè)盆地的兩翼部分。從這一位置，石油從成熟烴源巖到預(yù)測(cè)儲(chǔ)積巖只有很短一段距離。此外，最好的油氣開(kāi)發(fā)可能位于盆地的兩翼。2005年三維地震數(shù)據(jù)的獲得就是專(zhuān)門(mén)為測(cè)試這個(gè)新模型而設(shè)計(jì)的。前景預(yù)測(cè)9個(gè)前景已經(jīng)被認(rèn)同（圖1），多種擁有多重目標(biāo)。只有他們中的兩個(gè)將被詳細(xì)的描述以說(shuō)明這個(gè)盆地所發(fā)現(xiàn)前景類(lèi)型的多樣性。利茲預(yù)測(cè)這將是最