THE APPLICATION OF EARTH SYSTEM MODELLING TO EXPLORATION

ABSTRACT SUBMISSION DEADLINE: April 15, 2006

REGISTRATION OPEN!

WHEN: July 11^th - 13^th, 2006.

VENUE: Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort Snowbird, which is situated just to the north of Salt Lake City, in the western Uinta Mountains. This is a geologically spectacular part of the United States.

Further information about the Snowbird venue can be found at: http://www.snowbird.com/meetings/

CONFIRMED KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Paul Valdes (University of Bristol) – coupled ocean-atmosphere modelling

Chris Paola (University of Minnesota) – fluvial erosion and transport modelling

Martin Wells & Peter Allison (Imperial College, University of London) – palaeotide modelling

Richard Tyson (University of Newcastle) – organic carbon modelling

A.Y. Huc & F. van Buchem - source rock modelling

J. Macquaker - organic carbon sequestration

M. Keller - mudstone depositional modelling

CONFERENCE PURPOSE: Computer modelling of the Earth System provides a means of predicting the past distribution of depositional systems through time, and is therefore a powerful tool for oil and gas explorationists to use for assessing the nature and extent of source, reservoir and seal facies, especially in frontier areas where data may be sparse and exploration risk is high. This research conference is being organized to bring together the leading international experts in the fields of Earth Systems Modelling and Frontier Exploration in order to explore and discuss these issues. Through the keynote lectures and submitted posters and talks, we hope to provide the following: an overview of the current status of applied Earth System Modelling; case histories in exploration; an indication of model uncertainties; and, in particular, an environment in which to facilitate greater inter-disciplinary and Industry-Academia collaboration.

FORMAT OF MEETING: 3-day conference; oral and poster presentations; invited papers. The poster sessions will be linked to the oral sessions (we would like to encourage oral presenters to provide a poster summary of their talk, if that is possible, as a means for aiding discussion during breaks – this is totally voluntary). Also to facilitate discussion, the number of active participants will be limited to 100 individuals. General attendance is limited.

We encourage all participants to submit an abstract, which can also include poster reviews of their work as well as active research projects.

TECHNICAL SESSIONS (Preliminary)

1. Earth System Modelling – This includes models of climate, oceanography, tides, waves, vegetation and chemistry. This session provides a background to what these models are and can do (for those who are not familiar with their use), and their pros and cons. It will also include presentations on model uncertainty (some variables are more robust than others) and how models can/are being tested, and how rigorous this is.
2. Modelling Source Facies – Source rocks are fundamental to any petroleum system, and have been the main emphasis of previous exploration-related palaeoclimate modelling, especially the prediction of productivity (ocean upwelling). In this theme, we want to encourage submissions on all aspects of source rock depositional systems and efforts to model this, including not only the production of organic matter, but its transport and preservation.
3. Modelling Reservoir Facies – An understanding of clastic reservoir depositional facies requires an understanding of sediment supply and transport; this in turn necessitates an analysis of terrestrial processes (weathering, erosion, vegetation, palaeodrainage, etc.). Carbonate reservoir facies are more complex still and we would particularly like to see submissions on this topic.
4. Modelling Seal Facies - Seal facies have been largely ignored in exploration facies modelling. Many of the principles used to model source and reservoir facies apply here, especially as pertaining to the deposition of fine-grained clastics.
5. Integrated Modelling – Putting the systems together. There have been some attempts at integrating all of the processes responsible for source, reservoir and seal facies, and in this final session, such studies would be of interest.

These sessions deal separately with source, reservoir and seal depositional systems, but with the acknowledgement that in terms of modelling there is considerable overlap between the processes responsible for each (e.g. rivers provide not only an organic and a clastic influx, of interest to source and reservoir modellers, but also a nutrient flux that can affect local productivity seaward of the river mouth). For each theme we encourage authors to concentrate on how their work furthers our understanding of the depositional systems, and what aspects can be robustly modelled. In many cases this may actually become clearer during the meeting.

TECHNICAL CONVENERS

Paul Markwick (GETECH): paul@markwick001.freeserve.co.uk

John Suter (ConocoPhillips): john.r.suter@conocophillips.com

Joe Curiale (Chevron): jcuriale@chevron.com

ABSTRACT SUBMISSION: Abstracts may be between 1 to 4 pages and include up to 2 optional figures. MS Word documents or pdfs are preferable. Please e-mail these to Paul Markwick at: paul@markwick001.freeserve.co.uk.

Authors will be notified of acceptance or rejection by April 15^th, 2006.

DEADLINE FOR ABSTRACT SUBMISSION: April 15, 2006

REGISTRATION OPEN!

PUBLICATIONS: Program with abstracts at the meeting and a planned post-conference SEPM-GSL Special Publication.

ACCOMMODATION: Details are on the Registration page.  A special $119 per room rate is available for the conference.

REGISTRATION: Register for the meeting HERE

$500   SEPM/GSL members

$700   Non-members

$250   Student SEPM/GSL member

$350   Student non-member

Students wishing to attend and who have submitted an abstract can apply for financial support through by contacting the conveners.

CONTACT DETAILS

Further information about this conference can be found on the SEPM and Geological Society, London websites:

SEPM: http://www.sepm.org/events/researchconferences/rconferencehome.htm

GSL: http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/template.cfm?name=geoevents

We would like to express our thanks to the current sponsors of this conference.

ExxonMobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Shell, GETECH, GeoMark, Hydro, Fugro-Robertson