Ardennes field trip


Trainer(s): Evert van de Graaff
Duration: 2,5 days with optional extension

Business context

Multidisciplinary discussion of E&P issues based on well exposed analogues of clastic and carbonate reservoirs in Central and Southeastern Belgium (Ardennes).

Who should attend

Geoscientists and petroleum engineers.

Course content

UGS in karstified Carboniferous carbonates at Loenhout / unconsolidated Tertiary sandstones near Louvain / Devonian platform & reefal carbonates / Tertiary karstification in Devonian carbonates / fractured Devonian deltaic clastics. 

Optionally - upon request: outcrops of Carboniferous carbonates and clastics. The shiplift at Ronquières where the Lower Palaeozoic of the Caledonian Brabant Massif is exposed, and where the history of the Energy Industry [coal mining and oil & gas] is discussed.

Learning, methods and tools

In multidisciplinary groups discuss reservoir characterisation, field development and drilling engineering issues based on outcrop analogues. 

Transport: Coach- or alternatively - self drive. 

Accommodation: Hotels

Day by day programme

Day 1     Drive to Belgium by coach or with own transport [departure from The Hague around noon]

  • Loenhout UGS - Discussion topics: Karstified Carboniferous limestones: Role of UGS in gas distribution network; Subsurface risks > seal integrity; Drilling issues
  • Aarschot - Discussion topics: Depositional setting of green [glauconitic] sands; Logging tool responses; Volumetric uncertainty; Field Development Planning; Production forecasting; Well numbers & well positioning; Recovery mechanisms & reservoir compaction

 Day 2    

  • Tailfer - Discussion topics: Depositional setting of Givetian platform carbonates; Poroperm characteristics of carbonates [multiple porosity systems]; Folding and fracturing of carbonates; Logging tool responses in fractured carbonates; Drilling and completion of fractured reservoirs
  • Beauchateau - Discussion topics: Depositional setting of Givetian mud-mound biohermal reef; Comparison platform < > reefal reservoir architecture; Poroperm characteristics of carbonates [multiple porosity systems]; Neptunian dikes in reefal deposits; Reef flank mass-flow deposits; Interaction recovery mechanism(s) and reservoir architecture
  • Fondry des Chiens - Discussion topics: Karstification of carbonates; Seismic signature of karstified carbonates; Logging tool responses in karstified carbonates; Drilling and completion issues in karstified reservoirs

Day 3    

  • Bocq quarries - Discussion topics: Clastics vs carbonates during the Phanerozoic; Devonian deltaic clastics; Natural fracture systems and stress regimes; Hydraulic 'fracking'; Predicting reservoir architecture from well bore data
  • Roelants quarry - Discussion topics: Depositional setting of Oligocene sands; Reservoir < > seal pairs and sea level change; Logging tool responses in 'oil wet' vs 'water wet' rocks; Drilling and completion issues; Gravel pack design considerations
  • Return drive to The Hague area