Burial History Modelling

Burial history modelling can be performed in either 1, 2 or 3 dimensions; the fourth dimension of time is also present in all three.

1-D burial history modelling is a relatively quick and cheap method to estimate the present and paleo down hole temperature and hence maturity gradients for any given location (drilled or seismically defined). When combined with source rock kinetics, the timing and extent of hydrocarbon generation can be estimated. Because modelling is performed in a single spatial diemnsion, no direct investigation of hydrocarbon migration can be made. Despite this limitation, the benefits of performing 1-D burial history modelling can not be underestimated.

In order to investigate migration (and other parameters such as pressure) in progressively more detail, 2-D and 3-D burial history modelling can be employed. However, the time spent constructing and calibrating these models increases dramatically.