D343 Depositional Evolution of the GOM Sedimentary Basin
D343 Depositional Evolution of the GOM Sedimentary Basin
Business Impact: Students will learn through lectures and exercises how the interaction of deposition and tectonics (sediment source terrane and basinal salt) set a play level context for exploration success or failure, development challenges, and production trends within this unique yet prolific "super basin"; with an estimated oil and gas endowment over 200 billion barrels oil equivalent.
This course explores the stratigraphic and structural history of the Gulf of Mexico, from foundational tectonic influences through the evolution from rift to divergent margin. Examination of the interplay of sandstones and carbonates, the progressive change from Jurassic eolian systems to Pleistocene abyssal plain fans, and overprint of multiple tectonostratigraphic events allows for key insights regarding reservoir deposition. Coverage will include the eastern Gulf of Mexico as well as onshore unconventional resource plays.
A virtual classroom course divided into 6 webinar sessions (equivalent to a three-day classroom course) comprising of classroom lectures augmented by practical seismic interpretation and well log correlation exercises, key to a full understanding of the basin.
Participants will learn to:
1. Introduction
Exercise: Seismic interpretation of the Gulf of Mexico structural margin
2. Depositional Framework
Exercise: Use of biostratigraphy and CDS (Chronostratigraphic Designation System) in deepwater Gulf of Mexico
3. Mesozoic Depositional History
Exercise: Recognition of unconventional plays from well logs
4. Cenozoic Depositional History
Exercise: Onshore to offshore Mesozoic and Cenozoic stratigraphy in Gulf of Mexico based on 2D seismic, well logs, and biostratigraphic data
5. Established and Emerging GOM Plays
This course has been designed for working geoscientists who wish to develop a thorough understanding of the Gulf of Mexico tectonostratigraphic history, supporting regional and prospect evaluation.
A familiarity with structural and stratigraphic concepts, basic seismic interpretation and basic geological well log evaluation is assumed, such as offered in Basic Application level courses N005 (Tectonic Controls on Basin Development and Petroleum Systems), N085 (Introduction to Seismic Interpretation), and N003 (Geological Interpretation of Well Logs).
This course would be a suitable follow-on from Basic Application level course N043 (Gulf of Mexico Petroleum Systems).
Linked Skilled Application level courses include N071 (Workshop in Geological Seismic Interpretation: Salt Tectonics), N072 (Workshop in Geological Seismic Interpretation: Deep Marine Systems), and N149 (Practical Salt Tectonics).
Background
Dr. Snedden, project leader of the Gulf of Mexico Basin Depositional Synthesis (GBDS) Project, has over 25 years of industry experience with Mobil and ExxonMobil, including 11 years in research. John's technical specialties include sequence and seismic stratigraphy, sedimentology, reservoir characterization, reservoir connectivity analysis, and unconventional resource evaluation. He has worked in a number of basins, including the U.S. Gulf Coast, West Texas Midland Basin, North Sea, Mid-Norway, Barents Sea, Papua New Guinea, Arkoma Basin, Niger Delta, Sarawak (Malaysia), Mahakam Delta (Indonesia), U.S. Atlantic Shelf, Northwest Shelf Australia, Pannonian Basin (Hungary), South Caspian Sea (Azerbaijan-Turkmenistan), China, Norwegian Sea, Gulf of Mexico shelf and slope, North Caspian Basin (Kazakhstan), and the Lower Saxony and Ruhr-Muensterland Basins, Germany (unconventional, CBM, Shale Gas, Light Tight Oil).
John has published over 30 scientific papers: he is the first author on 23 of these. John has a history of leadership in technical societies such as SEPM and the Gulf Coast Section of SEPM. He has also served as technical chair of several large AAPG conventions. He is lead author of the book Gulf of Mexico Sedimentary Basin: Depositional Evolution and Petroleum Applications published by Cambridge University Press in November 2019.
Affiliations and Accreditation
PhD Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
MS Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
BA Trinity University, San Antonio, TX
Courses Taught
N043: Gulf Of Mexico Petroleum Systems
N342: Compartmentalization and Connectivity in Sandstone Reservoirs
N343: Depositional Evolution of the Gulf of Mexico Sedimentary Basin
N349: Practical Methods for Sequence Stratigraphic Prediction
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