Subsurface Mapping: Concepts, Techniques & Applications

Overview

This comprehensive 5-day training course is designed to equip geoscientists and reservoir professionals with the knowledge and practical skills needed to create, interpret, and apply high-quality subsurface maps for exploration, appraisal, and development activities. Participants will gain a deep understanding of the principles and techniques involved in constructing structural and stratigraphic maps, integrating well, seismic, and core data.

The course emphasizes hands-on exercises and real-world case studies to ensure participants can confidently correlate well data, draw structure contour and isopach maps, identify faults, and perform basic volumetric calculations. Practical sessions include both manual map-building techniques and demonstrations using industry software tools such as Petrel or Kingdom Suite.

Whether you are new to mapping or looking to refine and standardize your skills, this course provides a solid foundation in subsurface interpretation workflows that support sound geological models and reduce uncertainty in field development decisions.

🗓️ Day 1: Introduction to Subsurface Mapping & Basic Data Types

Time	Topic
08:30 – 09:00	Welcome, Introductions, Course Objectives
09:00 – 10:30	Importance of Subsurface Mapping – Purpose, Scales, Applications
10:30 – 10:45	☕ Coffee Break
10:45 – 12:15	Subsurface Data Types – Well Tops, Logs, Cores, Seismic, Checkshots
12:15 – 01:15	🍽️ Lunch Break
01:15 – 02:45	Well Correlation Principles – Marker Picking, Stratigraphic vs Structural
02:45 – 03:00	☕ Coffee Break
03:00 – 04:30	Exercise: Manual Well Correlation and Cross Section Sketching

🗓️ Day 2: Structural Mapping Techniques

Time	Topic
08:30 – 10:00	Structural Contour Mapping – Datum Selection, Depth Conversion
10:00 – 10:15	☕ Coffee Break
10:15 – 12:15	Fault Mapping Techniques – Fault Cuts, Throws, Growth Fault Interpretation
12:15 – 01:15	🍽️ Lunch Break
01:15 – 02:45	Exercise: Drawing Structure Contour Maps with Faults from Well Tops
02:45 – 03:00	☕ Coffee Break
03:00 – 04:30	Seismic Integration – Depth Conversion Using Velocity Data & Time Maps

🗓️ Day 3: Stratigraphic and Isopach Mapping

Time	Topic
08:30 – 10:00	Isopach and Isochron Mapping – Techniques and Pitfalls
10:00 – 10:15	☕ Coffee Break
10:15 – 12:15	Depositional Trends in Isopach Maps – Compaction and Facies Indicators
12:15 – 01:15	🍽️ Lunch Break
01:15 – 02:45	Net Reservoir Mapping – Cutoff Criteria, Porosity, Pay
02:45 – 03:00	☕ Coffee Break
03:00 – 04:30	Exercise: Generating Net Sand and Isopach Maps from Multiple Wells

🗓️ Day 4: Cross Sections, Gridding, and Mapping Software

Time	Topic
08:30 – 10:00	Cross Section Construction – Structural vs Stratigraphic, Dip/Strike
10:00 – 10:15	☕ Coffee Break
10:15 – 12:15	Gridding & Interpolation Methods – Manual, Kriging, IDW, Software-Based
12:15 – 01:15	🍽️ Lunch Break
01:15 – 02:45	Mapping Software Demo – Petrel/Kingdom/RockWorks for Map Generation
02:45 – 03:00	☕ Coffee Break
03:00 – 04:30	Workshop: Building Maps in Software from Synthetic Well Set

🗓️ Day 5: Map QC, Volumetrics, and Project Integration

Time	Topic
08:30 – 10:00	QC of Subsurface Maps – Data Errors, Contour Irregularities, Cross Validation
10:00 – 10:15	☕ Coffee Break
10:15 – 12:15	Volumetric Calculations – Area, Net Pay, Porosity, Hydrocarbon Volume
12:15 – 01:15	🍽️ Lunch Break
01:15 – 03:00	Integrated Mapping Project – Field Mapping Using Logs, Tops, Seismic Snaps
03:00 – 03:15	☕ Coffee Break
03:15 – 04:30	Group Presentations & Review, Q&A, Course Wrap-up, Certificates

✅ Course Deliverables:

Printed and PDF course manual
Cross-section and map templates
Excel sheets for volumetrics
Sample well and seismic data
Mapping software files (if applicable)

Target audiences

Reservoir Engineers, Geologists

$ 5,000

Course Features

Lecture 0
Quiz 0
Duration 5 days
Skill level All levels
Language English
Students 40
Assessments Yes

Subsurface Mapping: Concepts, Techniques & Applications

Overview