ERHC Energy Inc (ERHE)

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ERHC Using Advanced Seep Studies For Oil Exploration

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The Gore Module fabric for this state of the art seep study that ERHC will be using for its onshore exploration is made by the makers of Gore-tex, as is the amplified geochemical imaging technology used to analyze it. The Gore Module seep survey is superior to using soil samples as it retains traces of thermogenic compounds which would otherwise dissipate, and collects over a period of time. The Gore-Tex forms a vapor permeable membrane casing, which keeps soil and water contaminants on the outside, and the sorbents inside collect the carbon compounds from C2-C20. No soil is collected.

Based on the information we have thus far, the proposed oil sediments are thousands of feet down. -ERHClongtimer

This technology has imaged reservoirs up to 7,600 meters, which is well below the target layers in ERHE Kenya Block 11A. Nearby Twiga South-1 drilled by Tullow was to a total depth of 3,250 meters, right to the Jurassic strata.

The system can be used for reservoirs below salt: it successfully showed the location of hydrocarbons in Egypt beneath 3.5km of salt, using sample modules with 250m spacing.

This seep technology can differentiate between oil, gas and condensate, and crucially, it can differentiate between hydrocarbons emanating from reservoirs and those from source rock or faults, even detecting multiple stacked reservoirs.

And the block is huge. Does ERHC know where some seeps actually are, and is that what they are targeting? -ERHClongtimer

It can help delineate the extent of the reservoir itself. While ERHC could do a huge frontier study, they will only target the basins identified by gravity and magnetic studies and initial seismic.

They would not need to see any seeps, rather this detects trace amounts at the part per million level.



Here is an idea of just how good this technology is.

"In 2006 the oil company RWE undertook a 'blind test' on this technique,” David says. “We were given about 15 archived samples and were asked to identify what a well drilled at the spot from which the samples were taken would have found. In each case we successfully identified the background and predicted whether the area would contain hydrocarbons and also distinguished between gas, condensate, or light or heavy oils. Our results were 100% accurate!"

This micro-seep technology is far more accurate than macro-seep which can be identified by eye or satellite.

The statistics are impressive. Amplified Geochemical imaging has been successfully used by about 200 oil companies on 600 projects in 65 countries throughout the world, and in 130 different basins.

For the wells that Gore know to have been drilled after using the technique, it has been shown to have an over 90% success rate for predicting hydrocarbons.



Here are a couple articles on the subject:

Microseeps: The Only Real DHI? (DHI = Direct Hydrocarbon Indicators)

Nano scale geochemical sampling - Using chemical sampling to decide where to drill

For drill sites where the Amplified Geochemical Imaging predicted prospectivity for hydrocarbons, hydrocarbons were found 93 per cent of the time. So the operators achieved a 93 per cent success rate from drilling, something any exploration company would be pleased with.

For drill sites where the geochemical imaging predicted that there wouldn’t be any hydrocarbon, and yet the well was still drilled, it turned out to be dry 92 per cent of the time.

Here is a FAQ on the Gore Module Survey

Its use offshore:

GORE SURVEYS For Offshore Geochemical Exploration


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