Wireline - Summer 2017

Profile | Hurricane Energy

a valid target,” asserts Robert. “We’ve demonstrated that there is permeability in the granite that can support commercial flow. What logic is there to say that this is confined to the west of Shetland? Basement underpins the North Sea, from the central North Sea all the way to Ireland and so I think there’s sufficient evidence to get people looking underneath the conventional traps and reservoirs.” Firedup Hurricane’s approach has its origins in Robert’s early years in the industry. The graduate in geography and geology from the College of St Paul and St Mary Cheltenhamhadn’t planned a career in oil and gas. “When I was studying I thought perhaps mining or field geologymight bemy thing; quite frankly I thought fractures were themost boring thing you could study. I couldn’t see any interest in themwhatsoever,” he admits. Having decided to join Stratographic Services International (SSI) in the late 1980s, Robert unwittingly embarked on a professional journey that has put fractured basement reservoirs front and centre of his career. He spent five years working with SSI before joining Enterprise Oil. His role with the exploration and production company saw himworking on fractured reservoirs in Italy, Greece and Norway. “I actually found it very interesting because of the new borehole imaging technology and the ideas around predicting how these fracture networks behave,” he explains. “In the UK, the workforce is used to sandstone production but you have to think differently when dealing with >

Our results support the argument that fractured basement is a valid target. We’ve demonstrated that there is permeability in the granite that can support commercial flow. What logic is there to say that this is confined to the west of Shetland? “

Image courtesy of Daren Cook Design

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