LATE CRETACEOUS PONDED TURBIDITE SYSTEMS: A NEW STRATIGRAPHIC PLAY FAIRWAY IN THE BROWSE BASIN

2004 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 269 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.M. Benson ◽  
S.J. Brealey ◽  
C.W. Luxton ◽  
P.F. Walshe ◽  
N.P. Tupper
Keyword(s):  
Late Cretaceous ◽  
Small Area ◽  
Source Rocks ◽  
Hydrocarbon Migration ◽  
Sequence Stratigraphic ◽  
Trapping Mechanism ◽  
Stratigraphic Analysis ◽  
Wireline Logs ◽  
Net To Gross ◽  
Set Up

Regional seismic and sequence stratigraphic analysis of the Browse Basin identified a new Late Cretaceous play fairway involving ponded turbidite systems deposited within confined basins. This work highlighted the potential for isolated sandstone reservoirs in the Middle Campanian sequence of the Caswell Sub-basin. Extensional faults were expected to provide vertical conduits for charge from underlying Early Cretaceous source rocks.The play concept was tested by the drilling of two exploration wells in 2001. The Carbine prospect was a potential stratigraphic trap involving deposition of turbidite sandstones within a localised basin set up by slumping in an intra-slope setting. Carbine–1 penetrated a 77 m thick section of high quality, 100% net-to-gross sandstone but failed to encounter hydrocarbons.A similar ponded turbidite model was invoked for the Marabou prospect although in this case the confined basin was controlled by pre-existing topography at the toe of the slope. The trapping mechanism for Marabou was largely stratigraphic although a small area of anticlinal closure was present. Marabou–1 penetrated 102 m of good quality sandstone with elevated gas readings over the uppermost 22 m. Borehole problems prevented the acquisition of wireline logs or testing but it appears likely that the well penetrated a sub-commercial hydrocarbon column restricted to the four-way dip closure.The well results confirmed the presence of ponded turbidite systems with excellent reservoir characteristics. Further work is required, however, to address the critical risks associated with hydrocarbon migration and updip seal. Nevertheless, ponded turbidite systems remain attractive exploration targets particularly in basins where updip seal is assisted by structuring and where the reservoirs are intercalated with prolific source rocks.

scholarly journals Bio-electrosequence interpretation of late cretaceous sediments of the Southern Bornu Basin, Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-121
Author(s):  
Samuel Oretade Bamidele
Keyword(s):  
Late Cretaceous ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Source Rocks ◽  
Integrated Analysis ◽  
Candidate Sequence ◽  
Potential Source Rock ◽  
Sequence Elements ◽  
Wireline Logs ◽  
Abundance And Diversity ◽  
Sequence Boundaries

Integrated analysis that involves physical sedimentological, standard palynological and electrofacies analyses on ditch cuttings and suite of wireline logs from Gaibu–1 Well, southern Bornu were examined to identify critical sequence elements and construct a bio-sequence stratigraphical framework. Four (4) palynozones consisting of Triorites africaensis, Cretacaeiporites scabratus - Odontochitina costata, Droseridites senonicus and Syncolporites/Milfordia spp Assemblage Zones construed to be Late Cretaceous – younger successions. Nine (9) depositional sequences each with candidate maximum flooding surfaces (375, 900, 1875, 2250, 2600, 3050, 3400, 3800, 4300 m) marked by marker shales with high abundance and diversity of palynomorphs. Thus, equate with the local lithostratigraphy and global large-scale depositional cycles with candidate sequence boundaries (50, 725, 1625, 2175, 2490, 2850, 3300, 3610, 3960, 4470 m) ranging about 96.28 to 70.07 Ma. The delineated transgressive surfaces along the built sequences mark the subjected onset of marine flooding characterised with interchange of progradational to retrogradational facies. Delineated sequence elements generally show up-hole from progradational to retrogradational and aggradational that represents Lowstand Systems Tracts (LSTs), Transgressive Systems Tracts (TSTs) and Highstand Systems Tracts (HSTs) respectively. The LSTs are seen in form of prograding complex and slope fans, suggestive of good reservoirs. The TSTs consist of channel sand units and shales that depict retrogradational marine units, which could serve as both seals and source rocks for the sand units. The HSTs are made up of interplay of aggradational to progradational sediment packages that could serve as a potential source rock. The palaeoenvironmental indices depict the successions are deposited within continental to open marine settings.  

Deep fluids and their role in hydrocarbon migration and oil deposit formation exemplified by supercritical СO2

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Sara LIFSHITS
Keyword(s):  
Supercritical Fluid ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Gas Permeability ◽  
Sedimentary Rocks ◽  
Source Rocks ◽  
Reservoir Properties ◽  
Hydrocarbon Migration ◽  
Geological Processes ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Oil Source

ABSTRACT Hydrocarbon migration mechanism into a reservoir is one of the most controversial in oil and gas geology. The research aimed to study the effect of supercritical carbon dioxide (СО2) on the permeability of sedimentary rocks (carbonates, argillite, oil shale), which was assessed by the yield of chloroform extracts and gas permeability (carbonate, argillite) before and after the treatment of rocks with supercritical СО2. An increase in the permeability of dense potentially oil-source rocks has been noted, which is explained by the dissolution of carbonates to bicarbonates due to the high chemical activity of supercritical СО2 and water dissolved in it. Similarly, in geological processes, the introduction of deep supercritical fluid into sedimentary rocks can increase the permeability and, possibly, the porosity of rocks, which will facilitate the primary migration of hydrocarbons and improve the reservoir properties of the rocks. The considered mechanism of hydrocarbon migration in the flow of deep supercritical fluid makes it possible to revise the time and duration of the formation of gas–oil deposits decreasingly, as well as to explain features in the formation of various sources of hydrocarbons and observed inflow of oil into operating and exhausted wells.

Application of Seismic Sequence Stratigraphy for Delineating Mishrif Prospects in Western Onshore, Abu Dhabi, UAE

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Subrata Chakraborty ◽  
Monica Maria Mihai ◽  
Nacera Maache ◽  
Gabriela Salomia ◽  
Abdulla Al Blooshi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Abu Dhabi ◽  
Seismic Sequence ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Oil Accumulation ◽  
Sequence Stratigraphic ◽  
Stratigraphic Analysis ◽  
Seismic Sequence Stratigraphy ◽  
Well Data ◽  
Seismic Reflectors ◽  
Sweet Spots

Abstract In Abu Dhabi, the Mishrif Formation is developed in the eastern and western parts conformably above the Shilaif Formation and forms several commercial discoveries. The present study was carried out to understand the development of the Mishrif Formation over a large area in western onshore Abu Dhabi and to identify possible Mishrif sweet spots as future drilling locations. To achieve this objective, seismic mapping of various reflectors below, above, and within the Mishrif Formation was attempted. From drilled wells all the available wireline data and cores were studied. Detailed seismic sequence stratigraphic analysis was carried out to understand the evolution of the Mishrif Formation and places where the good porosity-permeability development and oil accumulation might have happened. The seismic characters of the Mishrif Formation in dry and successful wells were studied and were calibrated with well data. The Mishrif Formation was deposited during Late Cretaceous Cenomanian time. In the study area it has a gross thickness ranging from 532 to 1,269 ft as derived from the drilled wells; the thickness rapidly decreases eastward toward the shelf edge and approaching the Shilaif basin. The Mishrif was divided into three third-order sequences based on core observations from seven wells and log signatures from 25 wells. The bottom-most sequence Mishrif 1.0 was identified is the thickest unit but was also found dry. The next identified sequence Mishrif 2.0 was also dry. The next and the uppermost sequence identified as Mishrif 3.0 shows a thickness from 123 to 328 ft. All the tested oil-bearing intervals lie within this sequence. This sequence was further subdivided into three fourth-order sequences based on log and core signatures; namely, Mishrif 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3. In six selected seismic lines of 181 Line Km (LKM) cutting across the depositional axis, seismic sequence stratigraphic analysis was carried out. In those sections all the visible seismic reflectors were picked using a stratigraphic interpretation software. Reflector groups were made to identify lowstand systems tract, transgressive systems tract, maximum flooding surface, and highstand systems tract by tying with the observations of log and core at the wells and by seismic signature. Wheeler diagrams were generated in all these six sections to understand the lateral disposition of these events and locales of their development. Based on stratigraphic analysis, a zone with likely grainy porous facies development was identified in Mishrif 3.0. Paleotopography at the top of Mishrif was reconstructed to help delineate areas where sea-level fall generated leaching-related sweet spots. Analysis of measured permeability data identified the presence of local permeability baffles affecting the reservoir quality and hydrocarbon accumulation. This study helped to identify several drilling locations based on a generic understanding of the Mishrif Formation. Such stratigraphic techniques can be successfully applied in similar carbonate reservoirs to identify the prospect areas.

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