A Unique and Comprehensive Knowledge Base for Basin Analysis
IHS offers the largest set of basin studies and related geological data for worldwide analysis of petroleum systems and plays.
The description of the more than 440 basins in the database is compiled from multiple public and private sources that have been collected for decades, forming a unique data set. Integrated with exploration and production data, this database allows for comprehensive analysis of existing reserves and opportunities for future exploration. No other database offers this unique aspect, making analysis more valuable than solely geological interpretation. As all of the data is available in standard format, comparative and analogue studies are easily undertaken using IHS GIS software products including EDIN-GIS and IHS Enerdeq Desktop.
The database supports a number of critical workflows, among which the most popular include:
Product Overview
The Basin database is organised around the following main study areas:
- Basin Evolution - With the geological description of the development of the various stratigraphic sequences (genetic units).
- Petroleum systems - Combining details of the potential and proven source rocks with Plays, that give detailed (lithostratigraphic) description of reservoirs, seals and traps. Integrated with the reservoir description in the Field database, the play definition offers a unique dataset to determine the real potential of producing or prospective plays. This is the only dataset in the world that allows reserves distribution, risk analysis and Yet-To-Find analysis on the play level.
- Exploration, Development and Production History - Summarizes past activity and success, helping to evaluate opportunities and risks for future exploration in the basin.
- Images - Like stratigraphic charts, tectonic, structural and stratigraphic distribution maps, geological cross-sections and representative well log or seismic sections help to quickly understand the main characteristics of the basin.
- Basic Geological Layers - Of structural elements (major fault zones), oceanic features like wrench faults, oceanic magnetic anomalies and salt domes assist to map geological trends.
To facilitate simple analysis of the complex geological data in the comprehensive database, IHS developed various output formats and analysis software including:
- Basin Monitors - description of the basin evolution, petroleum systems and plays, and exploration and development history in a standard report format, complemented by tables, charts and images. The monitor provides a concise report to quickly evaluate all pertinent data. Available through the IHS analysis software EDIN-GIS and Enerdeq Desktop, the report can also be purchased as a standalone study for a single basin on-line in PDF format.
- Software analysis tools like EDIN-GIS and IHS Enerdeq Desktop allow the detailed querying and browsing of the basin, petroleum system and play details as well as generating a full Basin Monitor report in HTML or PDF format.
Detection of Working Petroleum Systems
For better understanding petroleum systems in frontier areas, or to map extensions of existing play fairways, knowledge about the existence of a working petroleum system is critical in exploration. Petroleum seeps are a good indicator for such active systems with NPA Satellite Mapping is the leading provider of offshore seeps data. To deliver the most comprehensive data set possible for basin analysis IHS offers its Basin and Exploration data combined with NPA’s Global Offshore Seeps Database.