Simulation models in petroleum geology: Application to the Danish North Sea, hydrocarbon migration and salt dynamics

An integrated quantitative analysis has been performed on the Northern part of the Danish Central Graben. Modelling of the hydrocarbon generation combined with an assessment of the excess fluid pressure lateral drive for fluid flow revealed possible migration pathways and areas of hydrocarbon accumulation. Four areas of hydrocarbon accumulation were predicted. Three of these were known and rated commercial. The fourth area was suggested as a new target for further exploration.; Difficulties in modelling a particular pseudo well led to development of a method to handle thermally anomalous wells where the thermal anomaly is caused by subsurface salt diapirs. Before extrapolating thermal parameters from an anomalous well to a pseudo well, the temperature profile, maturity profile, and the heat flow are divided into background components and excess components caused by the presence of salt. The background components are then extrapolated to the pseudo well.; The division of the temperature profile and maturity profile into background and excess components could then be used for assessing the flow speed of salt relative to sediments, thereby enhancing our ability to understand and reconstruct the dynamical evolution of a given salt diapir.; Since the hydrocarbon migration apparently is pressure driven in the study area, the question is addressed of how the interaction of buoyancy drive and hydrodynamic drive on hydrocarbons, influence migration and accumulation. A simulation model is developed mimicking the behavior of the oil/gas-water interface in a hydrodynamic environment, and several steady state cases investigated. Hubbert's (1953) physical experiments are reproduced numerically to test the model and more complex settings are discussed.