ABSTRACT

The recent development of numerical modelling techniques in petroleum exploration is largely due to the introduction of geochemical concepts into geological analysis. The recognition that hydrocarbon generation is a temperature controlled process, and that hydrocarbon migration is a separate phase transport phenomenon driven by bouyancy and pressure gradients was achieved in the late 70's and early 80's.

Subsequently, several groups tried to simulate numerically the physical equations which were believed to describe these processes through geological time: compaction and overpressure development; burial, heat transport and paleotemperatures; permeability evolution and fluid transport; paleothermics and maturity, etc.

We present three "state-of-the-art" examples of such models developed at IFP:

• Matoil is a 1D model, which will be used to discuss paleo heat flow considering observed maturity distribution,
• Themis is a 2D model, which will be used to discuss overpressure development and fluid flow along a regional section in the Viking Graben.
• Therkim is a 2D model, which reconstructs dynamically the subsurface temperatures during thrust emplacement.

The principle advantage of using these models is 1) the possibility of introducing sensitivity analysis; and 2) to address petroleum occurrence through dynamic processes.

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