Since 2000 the Sand Injection Research Group (SIRG), University Aberdeen has developed expertise in the geology and geophysics of sand injectites, and specifically the sandstone intrusion reservoir facies. SIRG is recognised as the global leader in sand injectite research and through close collaboration with sponsors has helped to facilitate wealth creation by defining new hydrocarbon plays that introduced “intrusive traps” and supporting planning and drilling of field developments in excess of 6 billion barrels of reserves.
Our research focuses on the identification, characterization, modelling and prediction of sand injection complexes at all scales and in all types of sedimentary and tectonic settings. Specific to these goals are broadly understanding how sand injectites influence the prospectivity of petroleum systems and specifically evaluating the reservoir potential of sandstone intrusions.
Integral to these high-level goals is establishing and constraining the fundamental processes by which sand becomes fluidised and injected in the (very) shallow crust. To support this SIRG has established the largest global database of giant sand injection complexes using outcrop and subsurface data. Outcrops allow the processes of sand fluidisation to be related to pore-fluid pressure and rock mechanics and, the subsurface, most importantly 3D seismic and well data provide basin context for the temporal and spatial development of giant injection complexes.