Selley Richard Curtis - Elements of Petroleum Geology

The Past: Petroleum geologist looking for oil in Persia (now Iran) in the early twentieth century. (Courtesy of the British Petroleum.)

The Present: Petroleum geoscientists looking for oil anywhere in the world in the late twentieth century. (Courtesy of Esso UK plc.)

The Future: Post-millennial cyber-cadet seeking abiogenic petroleum anywhere in the universe. (Courtesy of Paradigm Geophysical, created by Sachnowitz & Co.)

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ISBN: 978-0-12-386031-6

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The first edition of Elements of Petroleum Geology was published in 1985, some 30 years ago. The objective of the book was to describe the elements of petroleum geology. Beginning with the deposition and maturation of a source rock, followed by the migration of petroleum from the source into a porous permeable reservoir rock trapped beneath an impermeable seal. This book also described the science and technology of petroleum exploration and production, from the first geophysical surveys to the finale of enhanced recovery.

When the second edition was published in 1998 the fundamental elements of petroleum geology remain little changed, but the science and technology of petroleum exploration and production had evolved. For example, ever improving computer power enabled the development of 3D seismic surveys. The ability to interpret reflecting horizons progressed to interpreting the amplitude of individual seismic wave traces.

When Elsevier requested the production of a third edition RCS, by now in the spring time of his senility, felt daunted by the task. Elsevier suggested a co-author. SAS accepted the challenge and has made a major contribution to the revision. In the intervening years between the second and third editions the importance of unconventionally occurring petroleum has been realized. Technological advances, notably in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing have enabled gas and oil to be produced from the very source rocks themselves, without migration and entrapment in a conventional reservoir. The production of gas and oil from shale, together with coal bed methane is accelerating. This shift has many economic and environmental benefits, not least because it diminishes reliance on burning coal leading to a cut in carbon dioxide emissions.

We hope that this third edition will, like its predecessors, be useful for student geoscientists and engineers preparing for a career in the energy industry, and also for mature practitioners in the upstream petroleum industry seeking a wide ranging account of a large area of science and engineering.

RCS, Royal School of Mines, Imperial College, London, UK

SAS, Colorado School of Mines Golden Colorado, USA

There are two main problems to overcome in writing a book on petroleum geology. The subject is a vast one, ranging from arcane aspects of molecular biochemistry to the mathematical mysteries of seismic data processing. The subject is also evolving very fast as new data become available and new concepts are developed. I am very grateful to the many people who read draft of the manuscript, pointed out errors of fact or emphasis, and suggested improvements. Much of this load was borne by staff at the Imperial College, London University. The geophysical sections were dealt with by Dr Thomas-Betts and the late Weildon and the late Williamson, geochemistry by the late Dr Kinghorn, petroleum engineering by the late Professor Wall, and most of the remaining topics by the late Professor Stoneley. Mr Maret of Schlumberger reviewed formation evaluation section.

For permission to use previously published illustrations I am grateful to the following: Academic Press, the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Applied Science Publishers, Badley Earth Sciences Ltd., Blackwell Scientific Publications, BP Exploration, Gebruder Borntraeger, Geoexplorers International Inc., Cambridge University Press, the Canadian Association of Petroleum Geologists, Chapman and Hall, Esso UK plc., Coherence Technology Company, W.H. Freeman and Company, Geology , The Geologists Association of London, Geological Magazine , the Geological Society of London, the Geological Society of South Africa, Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies, the Geophysical Development Corporation, GMG Europe Ltd., GVA International Consultants, the Institute of Petroleum, the Journal of Geochemical Exploration , the Journal of Petroleum Geology , Marine and Petroleum Geology , McGraw-Hill, the Norwegian Petroleum Society, NUMAR UK Ltd., the Offshore Technology Conference, Paradigm Geophysical Corporation, Princeton University Press, Sachnowitz & Co., Schlumberger Wireline Logging Services, Schlumberger Oil-field Review, the Society of Petroleum Engineers, the Society of Professional Well Log Analysts, Springer-Verlag, John wiley & Sons, World Geoscience UK Ltd., and World Oil.