Bohai Basin: Past success and future potential in China's largest petroleum province

Jennings, Joseph; Dowey, Natasha

Abstract

The abundance and relative accessibility of data within a given basin have a significant influence upon the speed and ease with which informed exploration decisions are made. In the classification of Super Basins, these parameters are rarely considered, with interest focusing instead on a volumetric assessment. For some Super Basins, large volumes of well and seismic data are publicly available, organised in a way that allows relatively rapid assessments to be made (e.g., the Permian Basin, United States). For other basins, however, sizable datasets may not be available in an easily digestible format.

This is the case for many Chinese basins, including the Bohai Super Basin, where extensive volumes of scientific data are typically dispersed across a wide range of sources, often with varying degrees of accessibility and language barriers. High-quality seismic and well completion data, for example, is rarely publicly available. In such instances, building a sound geological synthesis can be difficult and, therefore, require novel resources.

To assess the remaining hydrocarbon potential of the Bohai Basin, the regional geological evolution was considered, in combination with data from the PlayFinder™ application, to define the stratigraphic and tectonic controls on key petroleum elements within the basin. Publicly available volumetric data was used to determine the highest producing fields and associated plays linked to these discoveries. The findings from the analysis were then looked at in relation to exploration trends within the basin to ascertain where future exploration may be most promising.

Citation

Jennings, J., & Dowey, N. (2018). Bohai Basin: Past success and future potential in China's largest petroleum province

• Other Type: Other
• Publication Date: 2018
• Deposit Date: Sep 4, 2019
• Journal: Neftex Exploration Insights Magazine
• Pages: 22-29
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/2605829
• Related Public URLs: https://www.ienergy.community/NewsDetails/dt/Detail/ItemID/369/Exploration-Insights-Magazine-May-2018-issue