This three-day seminar will cover the application of geoscience concepts to hydrocarbon exploration and development. The first part will focus on the concept of play based exploration, the second part will be dedicated to field development plans. The primary objective of the course is to highlight the role and the responsibility of the geoscientist in hydrocarbon exploration and development. Students will get an impression how scientific methods and principles in sedimentology, structural geology and geochemistry will be applied in a typical work environment, demonstrating how geoscience drives commercial decisions. Since modern hydrocarbon exploration and development is always a team effort, students will also be familiarized with the interface to other disciplines like reservoir and drilling engineering. An important element of the seminar will be a group exercise where participants will develop a case study in a team.

Students will acquire knowledge on the basic principles of play based exploration and the basic concepts of risk management in exploration. In the field development session, the course will provide a basic understanding of the impact of geological modeling on reserves, the prediction of fluid flow in the reservoir and the resulting infrastructure decisions. Last not least the course will touch on success factors and pitfalls of effective team work.

Participation in the group exercises

- Rose, Peter (2001): Risk Analysis and Management of Petroleum Exploration Ventures (AAPG Methods in Exploration No. 12)
- Jahn, Cook and Graham (2008) Hydrocarbon Exploration & Production (Developments in Petroleum Science)