Concepts and Applications of Sequence Stratigraphy  

Instructor: Dr Boyan Vakarelov 

Who Should Attend

Exploration and development geologists, geophysicists and reservoir engineers who need to get a practical appreciation of the basic concepts and application of sequence stratigraphy.

About the Course

The development of modern sequence stratigraphy has had a profound effect on regional exploration over the last few decades, however it has much potential to assist at the reservoir scale using high resolution techniques based on core, well log and biostratigraphic data and 3D seismic. Unfortunately, during its rapid development many users have become overwhemled by the large amount of jargon that has tended to reduce understanding of the basic concepts of stratigraphy. Furthermore, a general misconception has been developed that sequence stratigraphy is all about matching your rocks to the 'global sea level chart' which may work well in some basins, but typically will lead to erroneous conclusions especially in basins influenced strongly by tectonics (eg. foreland, strike slip and continental interior basins).This course will focus on the pragmatic application of sequence stratigraphy and will avoid the jargon where possible. It will be hands-on, using lots of exercises to emphasise the main issues, and attendees should be able to leave the course and directly apply this knowledge to either regional scale exploration or reservoir scale development. A comprehensive course guidebook is provided to attendees.

Course Content

1. Fundamental principles of sequence stratigraphy and controls on sedimentation patterns.
   Introduction to sequence stratigraphy, flexible pragmatic integrated approach not template, sediment supply, accommodation, effects of variations in base level, relationship between accommodation and facies patterns, rates of processes, influence of climate
2. Stratigraphic patterns
   Relative sea level, regression and transgression; coastal onlap
3. Stratigraphic Cycles
   Small scale cycles, cyclothems, parasequences, larger scale stacking patterns and cycles, depositional sequences, sequence hierarchies, depositional system tracts, forced regressions & Incised valley fills, creating and using Wheeler diagrams
4. Log and facies expression of key surfaces
   Sequence Boundaries - What are sequence boundaries?, Non-marine settings, coastal and shelf settings
   Maximum Flooding Surfaces - What are transgressive and maximum flooding surfaces?, Non-marine, coastal and shelf settings
5. Seismic expression of key surfaces, sequences and systems tracts
   Seismic stratigraphic methodology, seismic reflection terminations, seismic facies analysis, seismic sequence mapping, megasequences and seismic sequence defintion, chronostratigraphic diagrams (Wheeler diagrams), The Global Sea Level Chart uses and abuses.
6. Practical Guidelines
   Palaeogeographic setting, regional scale depositional environments, time span interval (biostratigraphic control), facies stacking patterns in well logs and cores, integration with seismic data, picking transgressive-regressive cycles, and key surfaces, systems tracts, calibration check with global chart eustacy or regional tectonic control? Using sequence stratigraphy as a prediction tool, limitations and pitfalls
7. Exercises
   Applications of sequence stratigraphy to exploration and reservoir development using case studies & exercises from the Cooper Basin ( Australia ) Bowen Basin (Australia), Surat Basin (Australia), West Canada basin, Book Cliffs, (USA), Amadeus Basin (Australia), Kutei Basin (Indonesia), Maturin Basin (Venezuela) and many others

Course Duration

Three days, ideally following the two day companion Reservoir Sedimentology Course