Stratigraphy and Oil: a Review - Part 2: Characterization of Reservoirs and Sequence Stratigraphy: Quantification and Modeling

This article is the second of a series of two covering all of the author's research activity at IFP since 1972, of which the main focus has been stratigraphy, seismic as well as sequential. This series is composed of four chapters resuming the important results of the work done and stressing those that have a methodological scope. The chronological order is preserved to emphasize the evolution ,of ideas and methods. The first article (Ravenne, 2002) contains the first three chapters. The first chapter of the study of the active margins of the Southwest Pacific already contained the basics of seismic stratigraphy. The second dealed with the introduction, growth and spread of the seismic stratigraphy. The third addressed the ,study of submarine fans with the broad use of the methods of seismic stratigraphy, the interactions between the inputs of onshore studies and marine seismic studies, and the application of channel and tank experiments to the interpretation of gravity deposits. These results had a significant impact on the development of sequential stratigraphy. This second article (fourth chapter) demonstrates the power of sequential stratigraphy for the characterization of oil and gas reservoirs. This period of activity (the longest and which involved the largest number of researchers) resulted in the development of a quantitative geology and the creation of ,methods and software allowing the direct use of geological knowledge. It was marked by the establishment of a real and effective multidisciplinarity. In this chapter, the driving role that IFP played ,in the renewal of sedimentology and stratigraphy in France is emphasized. Each of these chapters contains an introduction presenting the state of knowledge at the time when the work was undertaken and the challenges facing the researchers, a section on the work done, and one of the main results achieved. Prospects for future work concerning research and development that could be undertaken are presented with the main conclusions. Cet article est le second d'une série de deux articles qui porte sur l'ensemble de l'activité de recherche entreprise par l'auteur à l'IFP depuis 1972, dont le fil conducteur a été la stratigraphie, qu'elle soit sismique ou séquentielle. Cette série est composée de quatre chapitres résumant les résultats importants des travaux effectués, avec une insistance particulière sur ceux qui ont une portée méthodologique. L'ordre chronologique a été conservé pour souligner l'évolutio