Tracing Migration through Mudstone Top Seals: a Case Study from the Vienna Basin

International Conference on Fault and Top Seals, pp. 1–5

Abstract

Summary Seal rock characterization became increasingly relevant in a geological storage context in recent years, as the suitability of proven hydrocarbon traps is not yet well understood for alternative pore fluids such as H2 or CO2. Structures which do not contain hydrocarbons as an indirect proof of their integrity may nevertheless be potential storage sites. Furthermore, the exploration of new hydrocarbon prospects still requires an understanding of all petroleum systems elements including the quality distribution of regional and local seal rocks such as mudstones. This work introduces a comprehensive seal rock investigation workflow including multiple petrophysical and image-based porosimetry techniques to capture and compare multiscale (nm to mm) porosity characteristics. Furthermore, geochemical evidence (based on Fluid Inclusion Chemostratigraphy and Rock-Eval pyrolysis) of hydrocarbon migration into and diffusion through a working Middle Miocene (Badenian) top seal in the Vienna Basin is presented. The main aims of this contribution are i) to highlight the capabilities of different state-of-the-art characterization techniques to visualize multi-scale changes in cap rock properties as a result of depositional variations, and ii) to present a new geochemical tool to prove migration and/or diffusion through low-permeable top seals.

Authors 9

1. David Misch

   Montanuniversität Leoben

   Affiliation as printed

   Montanuniversitaet Leoben

2. Sanja Vranjes-Wessely

   Montanuniversität Leoben

   Affiliation as printed

   Montanuniversitaet Leoben

3. Sándor Körmös

   University of Szeged

   Affiliation as printed

   University of Szeged

4. Xiangyun Shi

   Montanuniversität Leoben

   Affiliation as printed

   Montanuniversitaet Leoben

5. Sulzer Wolfgang

   OMV (Austria)

   Affiliation as printed

   OMV Exploration & Production GmbH

6. A. Zamolyi

   OMV (Austria)

   Affiliation as printed

   OMV Exploration & Production GmbH

7. Bo Liu

   Northeast Petroleum University

   Affiliation as printed

   Northeast Petroleum University

8. Timo Seemann Aachen

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   RWTH Aachen University

9. Reinhard F. Sachsenhofer

   Montanuniversität Leoben

   Affiliation as printed

   Montanuniversitaet Leoben