Exploratory Research and Laboratories Department
The Laboratories Department is one of the main departments in OEC. It is also the entity responsible for providing the most accurate results and information by conducting all geochemical and petrophysical tests and analyses, core description, facies and environmental description of rock slides of exploration, evaluation and development wells of our company and extraction companies.
The department's tasks also include preparing geological studies in the fields of stratigraphy and sedimentology, petrophysics and geochemistry, in integration with seismic data, especially in case of regional studies.
The Laboratories Department consists of three sections and a head unit, which are: (Stratigraphy and Sedimentology Section, Petrophysics Section, Geochemistry Section and Administration and Services Unit.
Stratigraphy and Sedimentology Section
- Section tasks: Preparing geological studies (stratigraphy, sedimentology, and determining the tops of formations and reservoir units by drawing the sedimentary model and determining the direction of improvement of reservoir properties) based on facies and sedimentary environments.
The section consists of three units:
- Stratigraphy and Fossils Unit
Unit tasks: describing core and rock cutting, checking rock slides to determine facies and sedimentary environments, tops and thicknesses of geological formations, and diagenetic processes and their impact on reservoir specifications of rocks by preparing detailed stratigraphic and sedimentary studies.
- Rock Slides Preparation Unit
Unit tasks: Conducting operations of dyeing rock slides, cutting core samples, smoothing and polishing them to prepare them for making rock slides, and providing the department’s sections with these slides, as well as providing college students and other requesting parties with rock slices according to proper approvals and the work procedures in effect in the company.
- Cutting and Sampling Unit
Unit tasks: Receiving core and rock fragments, as well as sampling, washing, sorting, and geological archiving of core and cutting trays. This unit also provides the department’s sections with models and samples to conduct analyses and tests on them, and provides college students and other requesting parties with samples according to proper approvals and procedures in effect in the company.
- Petrophysics Section
Preparing petrophysical studies of exploratory wells and other wells to determine petrophysical properties and reservoir properties and their direction of improvement, as well as determining hydrocarbon reservoir areas in formations and their distribution in the field and their relationship with sedimentary environments, in addition to using (Petrel, PetroMod & Techlog) programs and other supporting software for preparing petrophysical studies.
The Petrophysics Section consists of two units:
- Porosity and Permeability Unit:
This unit works on preparing rock plugs, extracting them from all impurities, conducting porosity and permeability tests and comparing them with logs for the purpose of correcting data to support petrophysical studies.
- Advanced Core Testing Unit:
This unit conducts advanced core tests such as capillary pressure, relative porosity, other tests and their relationship with calculating the hydrocarbon reserve and its distribution within the studied formations (pending purchase of the devices responsible for such tests “Special Core Analysis”).
- Geochemistry Section:
Tasks of the section are preparing geochemical studies and strategic studies with a regional character to track the three prevailing petroleum systems in Iraq (TPSs) and its petroleum resources (gas and oil) after conducting a set of laboratory analyses and tests on each of the available samples (rocks, oil, water). The section's works are divided into two units:
- Source Rock Analysis and Testing Unit:
- Reservoir Fluid Analyses and Tests Unit: