Abstract

Predicting the present by modeling the past is a powerful tool for oil and gas industry and Petroleum System Modeling studies provide inkling to the elements and processes controlling hydrocarbon accumulations. The present modeling study pertains to southern part of Assam shelf also known as Upper Assam South Shelf (UAS). The UAS has reservoirs from Basement to Tipam and the exploration is in mature stage but exploration surprises and new play corridors keep opening. The existence of Petroleum System in the basin is a foregone conclusion but to mitigate exploration risk, the elements and processes need to be understood. It is documented that source rocks on the Assam shelf are not mature and it is assumed that mature source rocks are present below the Schuppen Belt. However, presences of organic rich source rocks in a few wells in the UAS, capable of generating of hydrocarbons have made it possible to model migration pathways. The generated and expelled volumes are low but it still depicts a fill-spill pattern of reservoir filling at multiple levels with faults having impact on hydrocarbon migration and accumulation. The analysis has brought out the charge risk in the study area and will help in mitigating exploration risk in future.