Play Based Exploration

PBE is a multi-disiplinary integrated exploration workflow founded on a strong understanding of a basin's regional geology, petroleum systems, plays and exploration history. It provides a smarter way to focus exploration activity and make more informed geology-based decisions. The PBE approach was developed by oil and gas majors such as BP, Shell and ExxonMobil and plays a big role in the exploration success of these companies.

The initial focus of a PBE project is on the fundamental regional geology and petroleum systems of the basin (Basin Phase). The creativity and innovation generated at this stage is an effective way of realising new play potential, even in mature basins. Basin Phase products include plate tectonic and regional setting, tectonostratigraphic framework, basin structural evolution and fill history, sequence stratigraphy and petroleum systems analysis.

Understandings from the Basin Phase provides a basis for identification, mapping and quantification of plays (Play Phase). Products include play summary sections,GDE maps, play maps and common risk segment maps which can be used to identify basin sweet spots.

The final stage of the process is the Prospect Phase, which is concerned with prospect and lead identification, volumetrics and risking and yet-to-find assessments. These assessments are performed within the context of the petroleum systems, play systematics and exploration history, leading to a far more robust evaluation of individual prospects and basin potential.