Hendratta Ali

Fundamentals of Petroleum Geology

This chapter provides an overview of the fundamental concepts, processes, and theories associated with petroleum exploration and exploitation. The content of this chapter is structured into four main topics. The first topic provides a brief history of the modern petroleum industry and the role that petroleum plays in the society today. The second topic covers the geological basis, and discusses the material, processes, time span, and conditions under which petroleum forms and migrates in rocks. The third topic discusses how petroleum accumulates and concentrates in economic quantities in rocks to warrant exploitation, and the last topic describes the sophisticated methods and techniques that are used in finding, locating, and extracting the petroleum that is found deep in the subsurface. Modern prospecting uses methods of exploration such as three-dimensional seismic surveying and geophysical well logging that have revolutionized how we explore and locate new petroleum reservoirs in the subsurface, to fuel todays fossil fuel addiction. Although petroleum and fossil fuel derivatives have been around for thousands of years, the dominance of petroleum as a global source of energy and petrochemicals products, only developed in the last couple of centuries. Extensive research has led to detailed understanding of the geological and geochemical processes that generate, migrate, and accumulate economic quantities of this essential resource. Additional studies on the source, nature, and composition of petroleum will continue to improve our ability to find, produce, refine, and utilize petroleum products. The chapter concludes with a look at the future of petroleum and its exploration in the world.

SEG student programs result in life-changing experiences

As far back as my freshman year and all the way through my doctorate, I have navigated through different academic programs. I now find myself in an unlikely place—on the faculty of a petroleum geology program—when I look back at the early beginnings of my college life! When I graduated from high school, I had no knowledge of the geosciences. In fact, I first heard the word “geology” (not to mention “exploration” geology) during my freshman year. Initially, as a science student in Cameroon, I planned to attend medical school and become a physician. Therefore, I studied biochemistry my freshman year. I discovered physical geology in my general education classes and was convinced by my professor to change my major to geology. While enrolled in the geology program, I focused closely on aspect biology and geochemistry. Later, after working as an environmental geologist on the Chad/Cameroon pipeline project, I decided to pursue graduate studies in the petroleum geosciences.