Middle East Research in Progress WHPierce Exploration Research Page
Our ultimate research interest is understanding the habitat of hydrocarbons in the Middle East. Our aim is to make the Middle East a sort of natural laboratory for the study of hydrocarbon systems. Our hope is that by studying the habitat of giant occurrences of hydrocarbons one can best establish the exploration criteria which will enable the discovery of future giant fields. Further, we believe that the scale of broad hydrocarbon occurrence on the Arabian Plate offers unequaled opportunity for understanding the basic principles of hydrocarbon systems and habitat.
We combine classical stratigraphy, structure, and hydrocarbon occurrence with database and GIS analysis. We are trying to differentiate ourselves from our competitors by taking the entire Arabian Plate as our scope and by bringing as much data as possible to bear on our problems. Already completed is a stratigraphic database which provided ages and correlation relationships of more that 1200 stratigraphic units on the Arabian Plate.
Currently we are working on five projects:
List of Arabian Plate Research Projects
Chronostratigraphic Isopach Mapping of the Arabian Plate (Recently presented to Houston Geological Society, see publications to download a selection of power point slides)
Impact of Major Unconformities on HC Distribution (Presented aspects to Mena 2000)
Impact of Neogene Uplift on HC Composition and Prediction (Recently presented aspects of this to USGS central oil and gas division in Denver) (Paper submitted and accepted to Mena 2002 at Imperial College, University of London)
Arabian Plate Source Rock: A Review For Exploration (Invited Paper to MENA 2001) (PDF report available shortly)
Anatomy of the Major Unconformities of the Arabian Plate. (Stratigraphy of Major Unconformities of Arabian Plate submitted to AAPG in Cairo)
Lithostratigraphic Mapping of Source Rocks, Reservoir Rocks, and Seals or Caprocks
Hydrocarbon Systems of the Arabian Plate
Tectonic Mapping of the Arabian Plate (See examples)
