Geochemical Services

Oil and Gas Exploration



The following case studies review the benefits of using GORE™ Surveys in frontier block evaluation, prospect evaluation, and field development through difficult geologic sequences containing volcanics and salt and climates including permafrost, desert, forest, and jungle.  They include structural, stratagraphic, and combination traps of petroleum phases including dry gas, wet gas, condensate, and oil.



Algeria, Berkine Basin
Structural trap: Delineating oil reservoirs

Arctic North America
Permafrost – Arctic North America

Bolivia, Sub-Andean Thrust Belt
Structural highs: Detecting potential charge

Custer/Roger Mills Counties, Oklahoma, USA
Thirty wells drilled in conjunction with the information provided by the GORE™ Survey. Client’s net sand thickness isopach based on wells drilled post-survey closely matches the GORE™ Survey result.

Development - Lithuania
The survey area is located in the Baltic Syneclise petroleum province, Lithuania. Target was an on-shore marine Cambrian sandstone. Producing horizon is about 2,000 m deep. Reservoir traps are a result of Caledonian tectonism. Goal of the survey was to determine the field limits and identify reservoir sweet spots.

Dry Gas Exploration - Romania
ROMGAZ, the national gas company of Romania, and W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. conducted a GORE™ Survey on two exploration prospects in Romania. The primary goal was to reduce exploration risk and increase chances of finding natural gas. The natural gas in these prospects was known to be "dry", greater than 99% methane by volume, and provided a unique challenge for the survey.

Egypt, Onshore
GORE™ Survey was able to detect hydrocarbon microseepage through thick salt sequences. The next well drilled on GORE™ Survey data (FH85-8) produced 800 bopd; the highest production rate in the region.

Frontier - Chile
No geological information was available at the time of the survey. The potential for encountering hydrocarbon-bearing zones was unknown. The main objective of the survey was to locate and evaluate the potential of finding hydrocarbons indicative of deeper fossil fuel deposits, and therefore, focus further exploration efforts.

Frontier Experience
This document contains a comprehensive list of Gore's frontier project experience including survey area, terrain, and project logistic information.

Multi-Layer Gas Exploration – Texas
A surface geochemical survey was conducted on a natural gas exploration prospect in Texas, USA. The exploration target was a structure, defined by seismic data and located at depths of 3,300 meters, thought to contain Wilcox gas. Producing oil and gas wells exist in the area along a major upthrown growth fault. Overlying the target structure were shallow oil and gas producing zones.

Northern Russia, West Siberian Basin
GORE™ Survey indicated several large geochemical features for both gas-condensate and oil. The observed geochemical features correspond perfectly with the known seismic situation. There are similarities between both geochemical models, indicating that the hydrocarbons are chemically related.

Papua New Guinea, Mogulu Structure
Survey was able to detect hydrocarbon microseepage through thick aquifers and thick volcanic sequences. It mapped out fault blocks, showing that some fault blocks have more potential than others

Red River Country, Texas, USA
GORE™ Survey results correctly redefined field trend - Pre-survey geologic and seismic interpretation indicated the trend of deposition to be in a NW to SE direction. The GORE™ Survey indicated the trend was NE to SW, which was confirmed by drilling.

Selected Offshore Experience
Information about Gore's experience in selected offshore projects.