Conventional petroleum systems involve four major components that need to occur

Question

Conventional petroleum systems involve four major components that need to occur or form in a precise sequence in order to generate a sufficiently large reservoir of oil or natural gas. List the four major components of a conventional petroleum system in the proper order that will produce such a reservoir.

- Choose one of the three types of unconventional hydrocarbons discussed in lecture and briefly describe which of the above 4 components of a conventional petroleum system is/are missing in the formation of that unconventional source of hydrocarbons.

Explanation / Answer

The four major components of a conventional petroleum system responsible for generating a large reservoir of oil, gas are:

1. Overburden (Topmost Layer)

2. Seal

3. Reservoir

4. Source (Bottom Layer)

If these layers are arranged in correct spatial and temporal order along with appropriate processes like trap formation and hydrocarbon migration then the probability of finding petroleum is high.

In unconventional hydrocarbons such as shale gas, the source, seal and reservoir act as one single unit. Such a unit formed as a result of the force of overburden over muddy sediments mixed with organic matter deposited in the geological past. So the three of the components (found in a conventional system) do not occur as three distinct units in an unconventional source.

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