Elements of Petroleum Geology

This Third Edition of Elements of Petroleum Geology is completely updated and revised to reflect the vast changes in the field since publication of the Second Edition. This book is a usefulprimer for geophysicists, geologists, and petroleum engineers in the oil industry who wish to expand their knowledge beyond their specialized area. It is also an excellent introductory text for a university course in petroleum geoscience.

Elements of Petroleum Geology begins with an account of the physical and chemical properties of petroleum, reviewing methods of petroleum exploration and production. These methods include drilling, geophysical exploration techniques, wireline logging, and subsurface geological mapping. After describing the temperatures and pressures of the subsurface environment and the hydrodynamics of connate fluids, Selley examines the generation and migration of petroleum, reservoir rocks and trapping mechanisms, and the habit of petroleum in sedimentary basins. The book contains an account of the composition and formation of tar sands and oil shales, and concludes with a brief review of prospect risk analysis, reserve estimation, and other economic topics.

• Updates the Second Edition completely
• Reviews the concepts and methodology of petroleum exploration and production
• Written by a preeminent petroleum geologist and sedimentologist with decades of petroleum exploration in remote corners of the world
• Contains information pertinent to geophysicists, geologists, and petroleum reservoir engineers
• Updated statistics throughout
• Additional figures to illustrate key points and new developments
• New information on drilling activity and production methods including crude oil, directional drilling, thermal techniques, and gas plays
• Added coverage of 3D seismic interpretation
• New section on pressure compartments
• New section on hydrocarbon adsorption and absorption in source rocks
• Coverage of The Orinoco Heavy Oil Belt of Venezuela
• Updated chapter on unconventional petroleum