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J. Appl. Sci. Environ. Manage. March 2013

Vol. 17 (1) 153-158

Structural interpretation of seismic data from an xy field, onshore Niger Delta, Nigeria.
*1EMUJAKPORUE, GODWIN O.; NGWUEKE, MARCEL I.
Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Rivers state, Nigeria.

; Phone: + 234-7034546066)
Keywords: Seismic interpretation, Niger Delta, Hydrocarbon, Growth Faults, Horizons.

ABSTRACT: In this study, the hydrocarbon potential of XY-field in (onshore) Niger

Delta was evaluated using seismic, well logs and check shot data. Two horizons were
identified at 2120ms (horizon A) and 2250ms (horizon B).Two types of faults were identified,
which are the synthetic and the antithetic faults. The identified synthetic faults, trending in the
Northeast- Southeast direction are; F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6 and F7, respectively while the
antithetic faults which trend in the Northwest-Southeast direction are A1, A2, A3 and A4,
respectively. Two reservoirs were delineated at depth range of 7,000-7,150ft and 8,0008,120ft. The principal structure responsible for hydrocarbon entrapment in the field is a
structural high which probably correspond to the crest of the rollover structure observed on
the seismic sections. This was observed as fault assisted closures on the depth structural map
of the horizons. The antithetic and growth faults act as good traps for the hydrocarbon
accumulation in the study area. JASEM
The Niger Delta is ranked among the major prolific
deltaic hydrocarbon provinces in the world and is the
most significant in the West African continental
margin. Oil and gas in the Niger Delta are principally
produced from sandstones and unconsolidated sands
predominantly in the Agbada formation. Several
geological and geophysical investigations have been
performed in the Niger Delta basin starting about fifty
years ago for oil and gas prospecting ( Aizebeokhai
and Olayinka, 2011; Cobbold et al., 2009).
Several workers have carried out structural analysis
in different sedimentary basins worldwide using
seismic and well log data. Similarly, the structural
interpretation of the seismic data, petrology and
depositional environment of the reservoir sandstones
from different part of the Niger Delta have been
carried out to determine the hydrocarbon potentials of
the area by various researchers (Hamed and Kurt,
2008; Wiener et al.,1997; Haack et al. 2000; Hooper
et al. 2002; Ajakaiye & Bally 2002a, b; Morgan
2003).
Subsurface configurations must be understood in
detail to effectively delineate the structures that are
favourable for hydrocarbon accumulation. This is
because hydrocarbons are found in geological traps.
These traps may be structural or stratigraphic (Coffee,
1984). According to Doust and Omatsola (1990),
majority of traps in the Niger delta are structural,
therefore this work will focus on the mapping of the
structural features available in the study area.
The aim of this work is to review the application of
seismic survey to imaging subsurface structures and
to indicate favourable areas in which exploration can
be concentrated especially at deeper levels. This will

*Corresponding author e-mail: [email protected]

involve tracing of seismic horizons, identification of

structural traps and then posting them on the base
map to form the time horizon maps which was further
converted to depth structural map.
Geology of Niger Delta: The study area is located
within the northern depobelt of the Niger delta
sedimentary basin (Fig. 1). The Niger-Delta forms
one of the worlds major Hydrocarbon provinces and
it is situated on the Gulf of Guinea on the west coast
of Africa (Southern part of Nigeria). It covers an area
between longitude 4 9E and Latitude 4 - 9 N. It is
composed of an overall regressive clastic sequence,
which reaches a maximum thickness of about 12km
(Evamy et al.; 1978).
The Niger Delta was formed as a result of the African
and South American plate, at the site of the triple
junction in the late Jurassic and continuing into the
cretaceous, thus leading to the opening of the
Southern Atlantic. The Niger Delta is a low gradient
delta plain-shelf slope wedge with an estimated area
exceeding over 200,000 square kilometres. The
tectonic framework of the continental margin along
the west coast of Equatorial Africa is controlled by
Cretaceous fractured zones expressed as trenches and
ridges in the deep Atlantic. The trough represents a
failed rift triple junction associated with the South
Atlantic. After the rifting ceased, gravity tectonism
became the primary deformational process.
During the Cretaceous, the area presently occupied by
the Niger Delta was the site of a RRR (ridge-ridgeridge) triple junction. The evolution of the Niger delta
is related to the development of the RRR triple
junction and the subsequent separation of the South
American and African continents (Kulke, 1995),

Structural interpretation of seismic

The Niger delta has built out over the collapsed
continental margin at the site of the triple junction
formed during the Middle Cretaceous. The main
sediment supply has been provided by an extensive
drainage system, which in its lower ridges follow two
failed rift arms, the Benue and Bida basins, (Burke et
al, 1971). Sediment input generally has been
continuous since the Late Cretaceous, but the
regressive record has been interrupted by episodic
transgressions. The bulk of the sediment was from the
north and east during most of the Tertiary, even
though there is little evidence for substantial Tertiary
uplift in much of the catchment areas of the Niger
Benue river systems. According to Evamy et al
(1978) the development of the Tertiary Niger Delta
can be seen as a function of the rate of sedimentation
(Rd) and rate of subsidence (RS). When the rate of
sedimentation (Rd) is greater than the rate of
subsidence (RS), the delta progrades, when the rate of
sedimentation (Rd) is equal to the rate of subsidence
(RS), the Delta remains stationary, when the rate of
sedimentation (Rd) is less than the rate of subsidence
(RS), the Delta retreats. The variations in the relations
of Rd and Rs result in the development of distinct
sedimentary mega-units of different shapes, extent
and thicknesses.
Three lithostratigraphic units are distinguished in the
Tertiary Niger Delta. The basal Akata Formation
which is predominantly marine prodelta shale is
overlain by the paralic sand/shale sequence of the
Agbada Formation. The topmost section is the
continental upper deltaic plain sands the Benin
Formation.
Virtually
all
the
hydrocarbon
accumulations in the Niger Delta occur in the sands
and sandstones of Agbada Formation where they are
trapped by rollover anticlines related to growth fault
development (Doust and Omatsola, 1989; Morgan
2003).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The data used in the study include wireline logs,
checkshot data, 3-d seismic sections and base map of
the study area; all of which were imported into the
interactive workstation. The base map of the seismic
survey is shown in Figure 2. The seismic lines are
cross-lines shot parallel to the dip direction and
inlines which were shot parallel to the strike
direction. The wireline logs consist of gamma ray and
resistivity logs for two wells X and Y. The
interpretation was carried out using openworks
(seisworks) software.
The gamma ray and resistivity logs were used in
identifying the lithologies penetrated by the wells.
The resistivity log was also used in distinguishing
between saline-bearing water formations and

154

hydrocarbon pay zones. The available wireline log

signatures
were
employed
in
identifying
hydrocarbon- bearing reservoirs. The lithofacies
interpreted from well logs were matched against
reflection events from seismic sections. The selection
of reflection events from the seismic sections was
based mainly on amplitude and continuity of such
reflections, especially in areas where there were no
well control. The checkshot data for well X was used
for the well-to-seismic tie of the hydrocarbon
reservoirs. This tie formed the first step in picking
events, which corresponded to the tops of the sands
for interpretation. Lithofacies (horizons) within the
well logs that show hydrocarbon prospect were
selected for mapping. The depths of these horizon
were converted to two-way travel times using the
time-depth relation curve (Fig. 3). The corresponding
seismic reflection events that show
reasonable amplitude and continuity were selected.
The identified horizons were tracked on the
reflections, on both the inlines and crosslines across
the field to produce the time structure (isochron)
maps. Major faults were identified base mainly on
break in reflection events or abrupt termination of
reflection events and marked on the cross-lines.
Consistency of the fault traces at all levels was
ensured. Depth structure maps were produced from
the time structure maps using the velocity
information derived from checkshot data.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The seismic volume presented here extends to 3.5
seconds two way travel time below which seismic
amplitudes are very low and reflections are very
chaotic. They constitute low reflectivity package,
lacking laterally continuous internal reflections. The
character of the seismic record changes with depth.
The structural interpretation of the seismic data is
presented in figures 4 and 5. Based on the well to
seismic ties two horizons were identified in the
seismic sections. These two horizons were named
horizon A and B. The two horizons in the inline
seismic section occurred at the levels of 2120ms
(horizon A) and 2250ms (horizon B). The horizons
were picked in the crossline by following the
intersections of the inline and cross line sections.
The fault analysis was carried out on the inline
section because this gives a clearer picture of the fault
pattern in area. This is as a result of the trending
pattern of the fault which is East-West and the inline
is running North-South. Thus, the inline is
perpendicular to the faults in this area. Two types of
faults were identified, which are the synthetic and the
antithetic faults. The identified synthetic faults,
trending in the Northeast- Southeast direction are; F1,

EMUJAKPORUE, GODWIN O.; NGWUEKE, MARCEL I.

Structural interpretation of seismic

F2, F3, F4, F5, and F6 while the antithetic faults
which trend in the Northwest-Southeast direction are
A1, A2, A3 and A4. The major faults become less
apparent as the seismic record becomes obscured by
larger transparent zones at depths. Down-dropped
blocks of major faults are deformed into broad
anticlines. The antithetic faults radiate from the crest
of the anticlines.
Lateral transition from transparent seismic zones to
more continuous reflection in the basal parts of
seismic record occur as shallow levels under footwall
blocks adjacent to major faults relative to under
hanging blocks. These low amplitude discontinuous
to transparent reflection zones having variable to
abrupt or diffuse-gradational boundaries are
interpreted to reflect deposits that have been fractured
by overpressures and perhaps have moved upward
under the weight of overlying strata during fault
displacement. The occurrence of these transparent
seismic patterns at shallow depths just landward of
major faults may reflect isostatic rebound of footwall
blocks as down-dropped blocks detached and shifted
basinward.
The horizon A and B depth structural maps
generated from the time structural maps with the aid
of the velocity obtained from the checkshot data are
shown in Figure 6 and Figure 7 respectively. Analysis
of the depth structural map shows that around the two
wells (XY-1) and (XY-2), the contours have perfect
closure which is on a high implying the existence of

155

reservoirs whose crests occur at 7,000ft and 8,000ft.

The digitized areas in yellow colour show the extent
of hydrocarbon accumulation in the closures. Six
prospects were also identified at various structural
highs. These are prospects P1, P2, P3, B1, B2 and
B3. The principal structure responsible for
hydrocarbon entrapment in the field is a structural
high which probably correspond to the crest of the
rollover structure observed on the seismic sections.
This was observed as fault assisted closures on the
time and depth structural map of each horizon. The
antithetic and synthetic faults act as good traps for the
hydrocarbon accumulation in the study area.
Conclusion: In this study, the hydrocarbon bearing
reservoir intervals of the X field in the Niger delta has
been delineated and map from surface seismic and
well logs data. Two horizons A and B were identified
at the time levels of 2120ms and 2250ms on the
seismic section. The depth equivalents of the two
horizons are 7000ft and 800ft respectively. The
structural analysis showed that there are six synthetic
(F1 through F6) and four antithetic (A1 through A4)
faults in the area. The faults are responsible for
hydrocarbon entrapment in the field. Hydrocarbon
prospect areas were delineated in the depth structured
maps produced. Finally, the information obtained
from the seismic interpretation has resulted in more
understanding of the structures and hydrocarbon
potentials of the Northern Niger Delta depobelt.

Fig.1: Map of Niger Delta Depobelts showing the possible location of the Study area within the Northern depobelt.

EMUJAKPORUE, GODWIN O.; NGWUEKE, MARCEL I.

Structural interpretation of seismic

156

Fig: 2: Base map of the study area showing well locations and seismic lines
Two way time (ms)
0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

Depth (m)

0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
Fig. 3:Checkshot Plots used to Generate Depth
Horizons

Fig 4:: Picked faults, seismic horizons and wells on inline

EMUJAKPORUE, GODWIN O.; NGWUEKE, MARCEL I.

Depth
(m)

Structural interpretation of seismic

157

Fig. 5:: Horizons interpretation on the cross line seismic section

Fig. 6:: Depth structural map with identified hydrocarbon closure and prospects for horizon A

Fig. 7: Depth structural map with identified hydrocarbon closure and prospects for horizon B

EMUJAKPORUE, GODWIN O.; NGWUEKE, MARCEL I.

Structural interpretation of seismic

158

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EMUJAKPORUE, GODWIN O.; NGWUEKE, MARCEL I.