Flow Idea Defied Orthodoxy
Looking Back
Perhaps
a review of the past may make us better geologists in the future.
"Differential
Entrapment of Oil and Gas; A Fundamental Principle," by William
C. Gussow; AAPG BULLETIN, 1954.
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Perhaps
a review of the past may make us better geologists in the future.
"Differential
Entrapment of Oil and Gas; A Fundamental Principle," by William
C. Gussow; AAPG BULLETIN, 1954.
New concepts
introduced here are:
-
"Hydrocarbons move
along definite migration paths."
-
"They migrate as
streams or rivulets."
-
"Traps located along
these migration paths will be filled with oil and/or gas; those
not on the path of migration will remain loaded with salt water."
-
"Traps filled with
oil are still effective gas traps, but a trap filled with gas
is not an effective trap for oil."
-
"Regional or distant
migration is believed essential for commercial accumulations
of hydrocarbons."
This is
a remarkable paper, which should be read by every petroleum geologist.
Bill Gussow was honored in 2000 by the AAPG with the well-deserved
Pioneer Award.
In 1954,
Gussow's work was controversial, and was contrary to the opinions
of many Gulf Coast geologists who were more comfortable with a concept
that oil and gas were originating and migrating from surrounding
shales.