Fractals in Petroleum Geology and Earth Processes

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xxiii

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2. The Statistics of Natural Resources and the Law of Pareto

   • Benoit B. Mandelbrot

   Pages 1-12

3. The Fractal Size and Spatial Distribution of Hydrocarbon Accumulations

   • Christopher C. Barton, Christopher H. Scholz

   Pages 13-34

4. Estimation of Undiscovered Hydrocarbon Potential through Fractal Geometry

   • Paul R. La Pointe

   Pages 35-57

5. Fractals and the Pareto Distribution Applied to Petroleum Accumulation-Size Distributions

   • Robert A. Crovelli, Christopher C. Barton

   Pages 59-72

6. Fractal and Multifractal Models and Methods in Stratigraphy

   • Roy E. Plotnick, Karen L. Prestegaard

   Pages 73-96

7. On the Scale Independent Shape of Prograding Stratigraphic Units

   • Julian Thorne

   Pages 97-112

8. New Models Require New Data

   • Karen L. Prestegaard, Roy E. Plotnick

   Pages 113-126

9. Erosional Development of the Ethiopian Plateau of Northeast Africa from a Fractal Analysis of Topography

   • Jeffrey K. Weissel, Alberto Malinverno, David J. Harding, Garry D. Karner

   Pages 127-142

10. Hierarchical Cascades and the Single Fracture

    • Laura J. Pyrak-Nolte, David D. Nolte, Neville G. W. Cook

    Pages 143-178

11. Fractal Patterns in Porous Media Flow

    • Jens Feder, Torstein Jøssang

    Pages 179-226

12. Diffusion-limited Aggregation in the Earth Sciences

    • Paul Meakin, Anthony D. Fowler

    Pages 227-261

13. Creating Reservoir Simulations with Fractal Characteristics

    • Paul R. La Pointe, Christopher C. Barton

    Pages 263-278

14. Vertical versus Horizontal Well Log Variability and Application to Fractal Reservoir Modeling

    • Kenneth M. Tubman, Steven D. Crane

    Pages 279-293

15. Fractals and Exploration Geophysics

    • John P. Todoeschuck

    Pages 295-314

16. Back Matter

    Pages 315-317

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In this unique volume, renowned experts discuss the applications of fractals in petroleum research-offering an excellent introduction to the subject. Contributions cover a broad spectrum of applications from petroleum exploration to production. Papers also illustrate how fractal geometry can quantify the spatial heterogeneity of different aspects of geology and how this information can be used to improve exploration and production results.

• Potential
• calculus
• geometry
• modeling
• porous media
• statistics

• United States Geological Survey, Denver Federal Center, Denver, USA

  Christopher C. Barton

• Golder Associates Inc., Redmond, USA

  Paul R. Pointe

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