Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Introduction to Geochemistry

• Understand the role of geochemistry in earth sciences and petroleum exploration.
• Learn about the geochemical composition of rocks, fluids, and gases.
• Differentiate between organic and inorganic geochemistry.

2. Geochemical Cycles and Processes

• Analyze elemental cycles (carbon, sulfur, nitrogen, and oxygen cycles).
• Understand fluid-rock interactions and diagenetic processes.
• Study weathering, hydrothermal alteration, and mineralization processes.

3. Petroleum Geochemistry and Hydrocarbon Exploration

• Learn source rock evaluation techniques (TOC, Rock-Eval Pyrolysis).
• Understand kerogen types and thermal maturation.
• Interpret biomarkers and isotopic signatures in hydrocarbon systems.
• Apply gas chromatography (GC) and mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in hydrocarbon analysis.

4. Water and Fluid Geochemistry in Oil & Gas Reservoirs

• Analyze formation water composition and its impact on reservoir quality.
• Understand scaling, corrosion, and souring due to geochemical reactions.
• Learn about geochemical modeling for water injection and EOR strategies.

5. Geochemical Exploration for Minerals and Metals

• Learn geochemical prospecting methods for mineral deposits.
• Interpret soil, stream sediment, and groundwater geochemistry data.
• Apply stable isotope geochemistry for ore genesis studies.

6. Geochemical Techniques and Analytical Methods

• Understand X-ray fluorescence (XRF), ICP-MS, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
• Use carbon and sulfur isotopes for environmental and petroleum applications.
• Apply fluid inclusion analysis and stable isotope studies for reservoir evaluation.

7. Environmental Geochemistry and Contaminant Analysis

• Study the impact of mining, drilling, and hydrocarbon production on geochemistry.
• Assess soil and groundwater contamination from industrial activities.
• Implement geochemical remediation techniques for pollutants.

8. Case Studies and Practical Applications

• Review real-world geochemical applications in oil & gas, mining, and environmental science.
• Participate in hands-on geochemical data interpretation exercises.
• Develop a geochemical analysis and interpretation report for a selected case study.

Target Audience

• Geologists and geochemists
• Petroleum and reservoir engineers
• Environmental scientists and regulatory professionals
• Mining and exploration geologists
• Laboratory analysts and field geochemical specialists