Imperial College London

MrMichaelSims

Faculty of EngineeringDepartment of Earth Science & Engineering

Casual - Teaching Support
 
 
 
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m.sims18

 
 
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Location

 

Royal School of MinesSouth Kensington Campus

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Summary

 

Publications

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5 results found

Fraser AJ, Lodhia BH, Sims MJE, 2024, A Review of the Carboniferous Shale Gas Potential of Northern England: A data-based analysis of why it won't work, Geological Society, London, Special Publications, Vol: 534, ISSN: 0305-8719

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>The recent shale gas revolution originated in the United States in the late 1990s with the exploration of the Carboniferous Barnett Shale in Texas. Success in a number of additional basins in North America such as the Marcellus, Eagleford and Bakken stimulated a search for similar opportunities elsewhere around the world. Amongst the shales and basins targeted by industry was the Carboniferous Bowland Shale (and equivalents) in northern England.</jats:p> <jats:p>An initial premise that the Barnett represented an excellent analogue for the Bowland lead to overoptimistic reserve estimates which have been shown to be largely incorrect. On the basis of visual inspection of wellbore cores, the Carboniferous Barnett and Bowland shales appear to be very similar. Unfortunately, it is there that the similarity ends. Research carried out for the UKUH project has highlighted important differences adversely impacting propectivity. These can be summarised as basin type/continuity and structural complexity. The total organic carbon (TOC), maturity, mineralogy and thickness of the Bowland Shale and equivalents are broadly similar to the successful US examples.</jats:p> <jats:p>Our conclusion is that the Bowland Shale in the UK does not represent a technically significant resource and in hindsight did not merit the considerable industry and media attention that has been associated with it. A key learning is that fundamental research based on heritage data and modern analytical and modelling techniques should have preceded drilling and fracking operations in northern England.</jats:p> <jats:p content-type="supplementary-material"> Supplementary material at <jats:ext-link xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" ext-link-type="uri" specific-use="dataset is-supplemented-by" xlink:href=&quo

Journal article

Turney J, Muxworthy AR, Sims M, Weiss D, Fraser Aet al., 2024, Quantifying the characteristics of magnetic oil-water contacts in mature hydrocarbon reservoirs and their capacity for understanding hydrocarbon remigration, Geophysical Journal International, Vol: 237, Pages: 570-587, ISSN: 0956-540X

Increasing magnetization within mature hydrocarbon reservoirs provides a new technique in identifying oil–water contacts (OWCs) in cored wells with the potential to assess yield thereby reducing the need for further exploration. Authigenic precipitation of magnetic minerals at OWCs may also help locate palaeocontacts (PCs), where structural changes to the petroleum system have caused hydrocarbon remigration. This study determines the magnetic characteristics of magnetic enhancements at OWCs and possibly PCs in silliclastic and carbonate reservoirs at the Wytch Farm oil field, Wessex Basin, UK. Increases in saturation magnetization and susceptibility are observed at the OWC in 11 of the 12 analysed cored reservoirs owing to the increased presence of magnetite and vivianite. Geochemical analysis and shallow reservoirs suggest biogenic and inorganic mineral precipitation is extensive at the OWC depending on iron, sulphur and phosphorus availability. Similar magnetic characteristics have been observed in magnetic enhancements above the OWC in numerous wells which may represent OWCs before a basin-wide easterly tilt caused hydrocarbon remigration in the Cenozoic. Multiple magnetic enhancements above the OWC in westerly onshore wells, suggest this remigration may have occurred as numerous phases.

Journal article

Sims MJE, Sephton MA, Watson JS, Fraser AJ, Vane CHet al., 2024, Biomarker evidence for the depositional environment of basinal UK Mississippian mudstones, Geological Society Special Publication, ISSN: 0305-8719

The regional character of organic matter type and depositional conditions of Pendleian, Brigantian and Arnsbergian mudstones between the Craven Basin and the Widmerpool Gulf was compared through interpretation of biomarker and pyrolysis data from 201 samples recovered from 9 boreholes. The Carboniferous seaways have been determined to commonly host dysoxic conditions, enabling preservation of a mixture of marine and terrestrial organic matter types. Photic zone anoxia evidenced by aryl-isoprenoids was determined to be persistent during ‘marine’ conditions represented by marine band, high sea level and carbonate facies. Observation and correlation of diasteranes and Ts/Tm ratios within the samples and to other maturity parameters highlighted a significant clay mineral catalytic and/or hydrocarbon retention effect in the samples. This influenced both biomarkers as well as Tmax thermal maturity data reducing the reliability of such results in interpreting burial and ultimately reserve potential.

Journal article

Abdulkarim MA, Muxworthy A, Fraser A, Sims M, Cowan Aet al., 2022, Effect of hydrocarbon presence and properties on the magnetic signature of the reservoir sediments of the Catcher Area Development (CAD) region, UK North Sea, Frontiers in Earth Science, Vol: 10, Pages: 1-20, ISSN: 2296-6463

This paper presents a detailed study investigating the effect of hydrocarbon presence on magnetic mineral diagenesis in sediments from the Catcher Area Development (CAD) region, UK North Sea, between 1,000 and 1,500 m (True Vertical Depth Sub-Sea). Magnetic analysis of core samples from hydrocarbon fields of the region and nearby dry-well sandstones (background) was carried out to determine if their signatures can serve as a proxy for understanding petroleum reservoir systems. From the background samples, nanometric and micron-sized magnetite, hematite and titano-iron oxides, were identified. Hydrocarbon presence in the reservoir sediments was found to diminish the iron-oxide signature and favour the precipitation of hexagonal pyrrhotite, siderite and potentially vivianite, lepidocrocite, greigite and paramagnetic iron sulphides. Hexagonal pyrrhotite was found at the oil-water transition zones. This relationship is possibly related to biodegradation at this interface. Siderite was found in increased abundance at shallower depths within the reservoir, which we attribute to hydrocarbon vertical migration and biodegradation. The interbedded shales also experienced significant magnetic mineral diagenesis that depended on its proximity to the hydrocarbon plume. These findings suggest that mineral magnetism can be applied to the identification of oil-water transition zones, reserve estimation, production planning and the determination of hydrocarbon migration pathways. It also suggests that mineral magnetic methods can be used to estimate the timing of hydrocarbon migration.

Journal article

Sims M, Fraser A, Neumaier M, Sephton M, Vane Cet al., 2022, NEAR WELLBORE PETROLEUM SYSTEMS MODELLING FOR IDENTIFICATION OF UNCONVENTIONAL TARGETS WITHIN THE LOWER CARBONIFEROUS OF ENGLAND, Pages: 2749-2753

As opposed to regional petroleum systems modelling, 3D modelling tools were employed to investigate resources at the 'near-wellbore' scale. A high resolution model was produced studying hydrocarbon generation and expulsion for Lower Carboniferous shales in the Cheshire Basin, northern England. The model was guided by mineralogy, organic contents and hydrocarbon saturations from petrophysical interpretations, these were calibrated against laboratory derived Rock Eval 6 and XRD measurements. The proposed methodology provides a high resolution method to assess resources which may be optimal in densely populated countries like the UK. Additionally the modelling method could guide future exploration tactics while reducing the requirement for extensive core programmes.

Conference paper

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