Houston Geological Society Academic Liaison Committee 1 HGS Petroleum Exploration Methods What Geologists and Geophysicists do to find oil and gas Cerro Azul #4 blow-out, Veracruz, Mexico February 1916

Houston Geological Society Academic Liaison Committee 2 Part II: Petroleum System: Accumulation HGS Petroleum Exploration Methods

Houston Geological Society Academic Liaison Committee 3 Where oil can be found

Houston Geological Society Academic Liaison Committee 4 Oil and gas are trapped in accumulations or fields

Houston Geological Society Academic Liaison Committee 5 Prudhoe Bay Oil Field (1968) Largest field in North America Over 8 Billion barrels recoverable Anticlinal element of trap South North Sealevel -10,000’ -20,000’ -30,000’

Houston Geological Society Academic Liaison Committee 6 East Texas Oil Field (1930) Largest North American field before Prudhoe Bay More than 5 billion barrels recoverable 120°F

Houston Geological Society Academic Liaison Committee 7 Source:US Energy Information Administration's US Crude Oil, Natural Gas, and Natural Gas Liquids Reserves, November 2001

Houston Geological Society Academic Liaison Committee 8 HGS Petroleum Exploration Methods Part III: Early Exploration Spindletop, 1903

Houston Geological Society Academic Liaison Committee 9 The first oil well, 1859 The discovery was important but only produced about 25 barrels per day

Houston Geological Society Academic Liaison Committee 10 The first major oil discovery Spindletop, Texas 1901 The “Lucas Gusher” produced over 100, 000 barrels of oil per day into the air before the well could be capped and controlled This was the first realization that a significant supply of the well-known fuel could be achieved. It was also the first time that fortunes were made in the oil fields.

Houston Geological Society Academic Liaison Committee 11 The largest oil discovery Cerro Azul, Veracruz State, Mexico, 1916 The Cerro Azul #4 flowed 850, 000 barrels of oil between February before it was capped and controlled. The well produced over 57 million barrels in its lifetime.