Prospects and Challenges of Developing Unconventional Petroleum Resources in the Anambra Inland Basin of Nigeria

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Mosto Onuoha ◽  
Chidozie I. Dim
Keyword(s):  
Shale Gas ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Organic Content ◽  
Shale Oil ◽  
Thermal Maturity ◽  
Total Organic Content ◽  
Anambra Basin ◽  
Petroleum Resources ◽  
Oil And Gas Resources

ABSTRACT The boom in the development of unconventional petroleum resources, particularly shale gas in the United States of America during the last decade has had far reaching implications for energy markets across the world and particularly for Nigeria, a country that traditionally has been Africa’s leading crude oil producer and exporter. The Cretaceous Anambra Basin is currently the only inland basin in Nigeria where the existence of commercial quantities of oil and gas has been proven (outside the Tertiary Niger Delta Basin). The possibility of similarly finding commercially viable resources of unconventional petroleum resources in the basin appears quite attractive on the basis of the existence of seepages of shale oil and presence of coal-bed methane in some of the coal seams of the Mamu Formation (Lower Coal Measures) in the basin. This paper presents the results of our preliminary assessment of the shale oil and gas resources of the Anambra Basin. Our main objective is to locate the zones of very high quality plays within the basin, focusing on their depositional environments (whether marine or non-marine), areal extent of the target shale formations, gross shale intervals, total organic content, and thermal maturity. Data on the total organic content (TOC %, by weight) and thermal maturity of shales from different wells in the basin show that many of the shales have high TOCs (i.e greater than 2%) comparable to known shale gas and shale oil plays globally. Shale oil seepages are known to occur around Lokpanta in south-eastern Nigeria, but there is a general predominance of gas-prone facies in our inland basins indicating good prospects for finding unconventional petroleum in this and other Nigerian inland sedimentary basins. The main challenge to the exploration of unconventional resources in Nigeria today has to do with the absence of the enabling laws and regulatory framework governing their exploration and subsequent exploitation. The revised Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) currently under consideration in the National Assembly is expected to introduce drastic and lasting changes in the way the petroleum industry business is conducted in the country, but all the provisions of the draft law pertain mainly to conventional oil and gas resources.

Ghana's petroleum industry: expectations, frustrations and anger in coastal communities

2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 397-424
Author(s):  
Jesse Salah Ovadia ◽  
Jasper Abembia Ayelazuno ◽  
James Van Alstine
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Oil Field ◽  
Oil And Gas Production ◽  
High Expectations ◽  
Petroleum Resources ◽  
Negative Impacts

ABSTRACTWith much fanfare, Ghana's Jubilee Oil Field was discovered in 2007 and began producing oil in 2010. In the six coastal districts nearest the offshore fields, expectations of oil-backed development have been raised. However, there is growing concern over what locals perceive to be negative impacts of oil and gas production. Based on field research conducted in 2010 and 2015 in the same communities in each district, this paper presents a longitudinal study of the impacts (real and perceived) of oil and gas production in Ghana. With few identifiable benefits beyond corporate social responsibility projects often disconnected from local development priorities, communities are growing angrier at their loss of livelihoods, increased social ills and dispossession from land and ocean. Assuming that others must be benefiting from the petroleum resources being extracted near their communities, there is growing frustration. High expectations, real and perceived grievances, and increasing social fragmentation threaten to lead to conflict and underdevelopment.

Development Prospect of Unconventional Oil and Gas Resources

2013 ◽  
Vol 421 ◽  
pp. 917-921
Author(s):  
De Xun Liu ◽  
Shu Heng Tang ◽  
Hong Yan Wang ◽  
Qun Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Shale Gas ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Tight Oil ◽  
Environmental Capacity ◽  
Unconventional Oil ◽  
Oil And Gas Resources ◽  
Unconventional Oil And Gas

Affected by the constant development of global economy and the imbalance in distribution of conventional oil and gas, oil and gas resources can no longer meet the demand in many countries. Development of unconventional oil and gas has begun to take shape. Shale gas and tight oil become the focus of global attention. Unconventional oil and gas resources are relatively abundant in China. Preliminary results have been achieved in the development of shale gas. Tight oil has been developed in small scale, and the main technologies are maturing gradually. Yet we face many challenges. Low in work degree, resources remain uncertain. Environmental capacity is limited, and large scale batch jobs will confront with difficulties.

The Overlooked Perils of Heterogeneous Oil and Gas

2021 ◽  
pp. 39-64
Author(s):  
Deborah Gordon
Keyword(s):  
Coalbed Methane ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Acid Gas ◽  
Unconventional Oil ◽  
Petroleum Resources ◽  
Oil And Gas Resources ◽  
Unconventional Oil And Gas ◽  
Gas To Liquids ◽  
Unconventional Resource ◽  
Gas Tight

Chapter 2 details the differences and similarities among twenty-first-century petroleum resources and distinguishes conventional from unconventional resources. The chapter argues that, while these definitions are muddled, there is value to understanding and parsing unconventional oil and gas. Numerous different oil and gas resources are then surveyed, including shale gas, ultradeep gas, Arctic gas, tight gas, coalbed methane, biogas, acid gas, geopressurized gas, methane hydrates, condensates, light tight oil, extra-heavy oil, ultradeep oil, Arctic oil, depleted oil, kerogen, biofuels, gas-to-liquids, and coal-to-liquids. Estimates are provided of cumulative industry greenhouse gas emissions for conventional versus unconventional oil and gas resources. The chapter concludes with a discussion of hydrogen—the ultimate unconventional resource—and its production pathways.

Geology, resource potentials, and properties of emerging and potential China shale gas and shale oil plays

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. SJ1-SJ13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shu Jiang ◽  
Jinchuan Zhang ◽  
Zhiqiang Jiang ◽  
Zhengyu Xu ◽  
Dongsheng Cai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South China ◽  
Shale Gas ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Northwest China ◽  
Shale Oil ◽  
Yangtze Platform ◽  
Lower Paleozoic ◽  
High Maturity ◽  
Shale Reservoirs ◽  
Gas Potential

This paper describes the geology of organic-rich shales in China, their resource potentials, and properties of emerging and potential China shale gas and shale oil plays. Marine, lacustrine, and coastal swamp transitional shales were estimated to have the largest technically recoverable shale gas resource (25.08 trillion cubic meters or 886 trillion cubic feet) and 25 to 50 billion barrels of technically recoverable shale oil resource. The Precambrian Sinian Doushantuo Formation to Silurian Longmaxi black marine shales mainly accumulated in the intrashelf low to slope environments in the Yangtze Platform in South China and in the Tarim Platform in northwest China. The marine shales in the Yangtze Platform have high maturity (Ro of 1.3%–5%), high total organic carbon (mainly [Formula: see text]), high brittle-mineral content, and have been identified as emerging shale gas plays. The Lower Paleozoic marine shales in the Upper Yangtze area have the largest shale gas potential and currently top the list as exploration targets. The Carboniferous to Permian shales associated with coal and sandstones were mainly formed in transitional depositional settings in north China, northwest China, and the Yangtze Platform in south China. These transitional shales are generally rich in clay with a medium level of shale gas potential. The Middle Permian to Cenozoic organic-rich lacustrine shales interbedded with thin sandstone and carbonate beds are sporadically distributed in rifted basins across China. Their main potentials are as hybrid plays (tight and shale oil). China shales are heterogeneous across time and space, and high-quality shale reservoirs are usually positioned within transgressive systems tract to early highstand systems tract intervals that were deposited in an anoxic depositional setting. For China’s shale plays, tectonic movements have affected and disrupted the early oil and gas accumulation, making tectonically stable areas more favorable prospects for the exploration and development of shale plays.

scholarly journals Hydrocarbon Generation Potential of the Campano-Maastrichtian Dark Mudstone Lithofacies, Benin Flank, South West Anambra Basin, Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (11) ◽  
pp. 1889-1897
Author(s):  
AJ Edegbai ◽  
WO Emofurieta
Keyword(s):  
Shale Gas ◽  
Isotope Geochemistry ◽  
Silica Content ◽  
Hydrocarbon Generation ◽  
Central Basin ◽  
Thermal Maturity ◽  
Anambra Basin ◽  
High Silica ◽  
Gas Potential ◽  
Hydrocarbon Generating Potential

The dark mudstone lithofacies of Mamu Formation was deposited during the Campano-Maastrichtian flooding episode. It is laterally heterogeneous, and has been subdivided into marsh, bay and central basin subenvironments in order of proximality. Arising from recommendation from a previous study, we evaluated its hydrocarbon generating potential using multidisciplinary tools involving visual kerogen analysis, as well as bulk and isotope geochemistry. Seventy-seven sample materials were taken from 3-outcrop sites at Uzebba, Okpekpe and Imiegba locations, Benin flank, SW Anambra Basin, Nigeria. The results show that bulk of the samples have good organic richness. Kerogen quality is dominantly of gas prone Type III kerogen. However, visual kerogen analysis indicates the presence of an oil prone Type II/III kerogen in the central basin subenvironments. An immature thermal maturity is inferred based on spore colour index (SCI) of less than 6 on the SCI chart (thermal alteration index of <2.5). In addition, we hypothesize that the dark mudstone lithofacies possesses biogenic gas potential based on its organic richness, kerogen quality and thermal maturity. Shale gas prospectivity is further enhanced by the low dip of the Mamu Formation, shallow burial as well as high silica content. Worth mentioning is the proximal marsh mudstone (Uzebba location) with suitable microfabric, very high silica as well as >10m of combined (continuous) outcropping and subcropping thickness Keywords: Kerogen, palynofacies, stable isotope geochemistry, shale gas,

scholarly journals Toxicological Evaluation of Thermal Treatment of Drilling Waste from Shale Gas Exploration in Poland

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-57
Author(s):  
Przemysław Drzewicz ◽  
Grzegorz Nałęcz-Jawecki ◽  
Agata Drobniewska ◽  
Anna Zgadzaj ◽  
Adam Smoliński ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Treatment ◽  
Shale Gas ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
High Salinity ◽  
Organic Content ◽  
Toxicity Tests ◽  
Toxicological Evaluation ◽  
Oil And Gas Exploration ◽  
Drilling Waste ◽  
Chloride Sulfate

Abstract The oil containing drilling waste is a worldwide environmental problem associated with oil and gas exploration. In Poland, the problem of the drilling waste has become important since starting of shale gas exploration. The results of thermal treatment of drilling waste from shale gas exploration are presented. It has been shown that organic content vaporized completely at temperature up to 500 °C. The main problem is high content of chloride, sulfate, sodium, potassium, magnesium in the waste and its water leachate. Toxicity tests confirmed that high salinity of the samples pose important risk for environment. Due to the high content of barium, the drilling waste may be utilized in production of cement with high chemical and heat resistance and opaque to X-ray. Thermal treatment process is a viable option for remediation of the drilling waste; however, the product of the process needs further treatment in order to remove its high salinity.

Australian States and Northern Territory acreage update at APPEA 2010

2010 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 35
Author(s):  
Peter Green
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Petroleum Exploration ◽  
Tight Gas ◽  
Extensive Experience ◽  
Green Is ◽  
Australian State ◽  
Petroleum Resources ◽  
Exploration And Production

Peter Green is the Geoscience Manager: Energy Geoscience in the Geological Survey Queensland and has extensive experience in basin studies, geoscience and the development of petroleum regulation in Queensland. This paper provides a summary of the land releases for petroleum exploration for onshore areas and coastal waters of Australia for 2010. The summaries include upstream petroleum acreage opportunities for the states and the Northern Territory, and geothermal energy exploration opportunities. The rise in interest in export liquefied natural gas projects has ensured petroleum exploration and production has remained strong. Interest in acquiring petroleum acreage to explore for both conventional and non-conventional plays remains high. Australian state and the Northern Territory governments continue to provide access to land and promotional opportunities for companies to undertake exploration and development of our petroleum resources. Acreage on offer provides a mix of exploration opportunities from conventional oil and gas through to the unconventional plays such as shale gas and tight gas. This change in acreage on offer reflects the changing nature of the onshore petroleum industry in Australia.

An emerging shale gas play in the Northern Territory

2012 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 672
Author(s):  
Ray Johnson ◽  
Geoff Hokin ◽  
David Warner ◽  
Rod Dawney ◽  
Mike Dix ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Shale Gas ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Mineral Exploration ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Gas Flows ◽  
Oil And Gas Resources ◽  
Unconventional Oil And Gas ◽  
Shale Reservoirs ◽  
Drill Holes ◽  
Live Oil

As attention to unconventional oil and gas resources increases, historical oil and gas flows in shale reservoirs across the world are being given renewed attention. Such is the case of the shaly and carbonate deposits of the McArthur and Nathan groups in the Northern Territory. The Batten Trough is a Proterozoic depocenter with potential for a shale gas play in the Barney Creek Shale and potential for conventional gas accumulations in the underlying Coxco Dolomite. This Barney Creek Shale gas play is evidenced by a number of mineral exploration drill holes that encountered live oil and gas shows within the McArthur Group. The most prominent was a mineral exploration hole drilled at the Glyde River prospect by Amoco in 1979. This well reportedly flowed gas and condensates at 140 psi for six months before it was sealed at the surface, which certainly shows permeability values greater than micro-darcies reported for many North American shale plays; thus, an exploration program of this prospective area has been planned by Armour Energy in EP 171 on several targets adjacent to the Emu Fault Zone near both Glyde and Caranbirini, along with other anticline related targets adjacent to the Abner Range. This extended abstract details how the targets were identified, the plan for data acquisition (e.g. seismic, drilling, logging and testing), and the proposed completion strategy to test this highly prospective target.

scholarly journals Assessment of Eagle Ford Shale Oil and Gas Resources

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinglai Gong ◽  
Yao Tian ◽  
Duane A. McVay ◽  
Walter B. Ayers ◽  
John Lee
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Shale Oil ◽  
Eagle Ford Shale ◽  
Eagle Ford ◽  
Oil And Gas Resources
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