Oil and Gas
Oil and Gas | Structure and Tectonics
Fault Seal Analysis: Concepts, Methods and Applications
Format and Duration:
3 days
5 sessions
Next Event
Location: Virtual
Date:
15th - 19th Nov 2027
Start Time:
14:00 GMT
Event Code: N587a27V
Fee From: USD $3,720
(exc. Tax)
Business Impact: This course provides participants with the skills and knowledge to characterize fault- related fluid flow during all stages of the E&P cycle in structurally-complex fields. Faults have the potential to act as significant seals in hydrocarbon reservoirs, withholding large fluid volumes and separating significant pressure differences over geological and production timescales. This course focuses on fundamental structural concepts that can be easily applied to most datasets, to generate an estimation of the seal capacity, and understand the risks associated with faulted reservoirs both in exploration and development settings.
This course builds upon understanding the basic concepts and application of fault seal analysis using worked examples through a series of classroom based lectures and exercises. Participants will be introduced to the fundamental concepts of structural geology and fault seal analysis, before learning in detail how simplistic methods can be employed to gain a comprehensive understanding of fault sealing behavior and risk.
Schedule
Event Code: N587a27V
Sessions: 5 sessions
Instructors: David Lewis
Dates:
15th - 19th Nov 2027
Start Time:
14:00 GMT
Location: Virtual
Fee From
USD $3,720
(exc. Tax)
Good Availability
Please login to book.
Duration and Training Method
This is a classroom course comprising lectures, worked examples and training exercises. Lectures will focus on the theoretical concept of structural geology and fault seal analysis, and will include worked examples from exploration and development environments. Exercises will look at how methods can be applied to working datasets to evaluate sealing behaviour and address fault seal risk.
Course Overview
Learning Outcomes
Participants will learn to:
- Evaluate complex fault geometries using 2D and 3D approaches.
- Assess fault interpretations.
- Predict fluid flow based on fault zone properties and fault juxtaposition
- Assess the dynamics and impacts of fault reactivation.
- Examine methods and tools for fault zone analysis
- Develop models of fault zone parameters from well logs
- Evaluate subsurface applications and calibrations
Course Content
Part one will focus on introducing structural geology theory to focus on how faults grow and develop in to complex structures that allow the trapping of hydrocarbons. Concepts of fault growth, segmentation, and linkage will be introduced and related to how different fault architectures impact flow.
Part two focuses on the components of faults that allow for the sealing / baffling of hydrocarbon flow. Fault rock processes and fault zone architecture (shale gouge ratio, shale smear factor) will be introduced to conceptualize how faults can form impermeable seals, and combined with seal capacity calculations to demonstrate how faults can become sealing through the calculation of pressure differences and potential hydrocarbon column heights.
Part three focuses on combining all theory and exercises in to worked examples of sealing evaluations and quantifying fault seal uncertainty in both exploration and development settings.
- Fault Geometry, Fault Evolution, and Fault Systems
- Basic concepts and definitions
- Idealized and natural fault geometries
- Relations and scaling of fault parameters
- Fault segmentation, relays, and growth
- Fault populations and parameter distributions
- Examples and case studies
- Fault Zones and Properties
- Fault zone architecture
- Structural processes and lithologies, and hydraulic impacts
- Examples and case studies
- Fault Seal Analysis
- Strategic and practical approaches
- Static fault seal
- Dynamic fault seal
- Subsurface methods and tools
- Examples and case studies
Who Should Attend and Prerequisites
This course is relevant to all subsurface geoscientists and engineers who are concerned with the exploration, appraisal and development of hydrocarbons in structurally complicated fields. The course is aimed at further understanding fault-related fluid flow and associated risk.
Instructors
Robert Krantz
Background
Bob consults for both hydrocarbon and metals companies through his business, GeoStructure LLC, providing technical solutions and professional training. As an Adjunct professor he teaches classes and workshops, collaborates on research, and supervises graduate and undergraduate student projects. Bob completed his undergrad degree at the University of Utah, and graduate degrees at the University of Arizona, all focused on structural geology and tectonics, and especially on faults and fracture systems. After grad school, Bob was an ELF-Aquitane Research Fellow at the Universite de Rennes, where he modelled fault reactivation.
Bob was the Principal Structural Geologist at ConocoPhillips, Geological Technology before retiring. He started his career in the Geological Research Division of ARCO. Since then, he held positions in R&D, exploration, and production geology at ARCO, Phillips, and ConocoPhillips. Bob has worked on fault and fracture systems for more than 30 years. His current research focuses on the evolution of the Paradox basin in Utah, including fault zones and their fluid histories, the structural and tectonic evolution of the Catalina-Rincon metamorphic core complex in southern Arizona, and how best to teach structural geology, with a synthesis of core concepts and 3D cognitive skills.
When not engaged in geology, Bob enjoys hiking, biking, and skiing in Colorado, photography, and auto mechanics and restoration.
Affiliations and Accreditation
BSc University of Utah, Geology
MSc University of Arizona, Structural Geology
PhD University of Arizona, Structural Geology
Courses Taught
N579: Understanding Faults and Fault Rupture – Applications to Fluid Trapping, Pressure Containment, and Induced Seismicity for Hydrocarbons and CCS (Utah, USA)
N587: Fault Seal Analysis: Concepts, Methods and Applications
David Lewis
David joined Tetra Tech in mid-2025 as a Technical Advisor in Houston. His role includes working with clients to meet their training needs, collaborating with instructors to tailor their classes, and developing new training materials. He combines a background in structural geology and stratigraphy to evaluate complex geological problems, from plate tectonic modeling to play and prospect analysis. Prior to establishing his own consultancy and joining Tetra Tech, David worked in oil and gas exploration and development for ExxonMobil, Maersk Oil (in the US and Europe), BHP Billiton, and Woodside Energy. He was the primary author of internal play analysis guidelines for three of those companies. He has served as a structural geology technical lead, been a member of assurance teams, and provided internal instruction and mentoring. David’s research and teaching interests include plate modeling, regional geology, basin formation and deformation, play and prospect assessment, salt tectonics and salt–sediment interaction, trap mapping, and structural geology. He is currently focused on understanding the development of the Caribbean and South Atlantic basins in the context of the new discoveries in those regions.
Affiliations and Accreditation
PhD University of Idaho - Geology
MsC University of Alabama - Stratigraphy/Sedimentology BA Rice University - Geology
Certified Petroleum Geologist, AAPG
Courses Taught
N753: Analysis of Normal Faulting Mechanisms and Structural Deformation – Taking Faults from Seismic to Static/dynamic Reservoir Models (Utah, USA)
N754: Salt Evolution and Coeval Sedimentation in the Paradox Basin (Utah, USA)
N087: Play Fairway Analysis and Exploration Prospecting
N587: Fault Seal Analysis: Concepts, Methods and Applications
Accreditation and Certification
CEU: 2.1 Continuing Education Units
PDH: 21 Professional Development Hours
Certificate: Certificate Issued Upon Completion
RPS is accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and is authorized to issue the IACET CEU. We comply with the ANSI/IACET Standard, which is recognised internationally as a standard of excellence in instructional practices.
We issue a Certificate of Attendance which verifies the number of training hours attended. Our courses are generally accepted by most professional licensing boards/associations towards continuing education credits. Please check with your licensing board to determine if the courses and certificate of attendance meet their specific criteria.