Integration of Seismic and Petrophysics
Integration of Seismic and Petrophysics
Integration of Seismic and Petrophysics
www.elsevier.com/locate/nrjag
a
Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Egypt
b
Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Damietta University, Damietta, Egypt
c
Engineering Geology Department, Faculty of Natural Resources, Zawia University, Libya
KEYWORDS Abstract This study has been carried out by the integration of seismic interpretations and the well-
Murzuq basin; logging analysis of ten wells distributed in J-field of concession NC-186, Murzuq basin, Libya.
Hawaz Formation; Twenty (3D) seismic lines and ten wells have been analyzed. The results of this study indicated that,
Seismic; the main reservoir in this concession is Hawaz Formation. Hawaz has been split into 8 units with a
Hydrocarbon potentialities; subdivision of Hawaz H4 into three subunits with the objective of better characterization of the
Petrophysical parameters three general fine upward intervals. The lower interval of H4 zone presents the better reservoir
properties. The depth of reflector H4 ranges from 4100 ft in the northwestern part of the study area
and increases to 4600 ft in the southeastern part of the study area. In this study, the outline of the
Hawaz paleohighs which is NC-186 Field ‘‘J” is generally trending in the NW-SE direction. The
well logging analysis particularly quick look interpretation indicates that Hawaz Formation in
the studied wells is mainly oil-bearing with some water-bearing sand levels at the horizons from
H4 to and H6 which are potentially the main reservoirs. The water bearing zones are beyond these
horizons starting from the sub-horizon H6c and the oil water contact is probably at depth 4495 ft.
The crossplot of porosity-saturation for H5 and H6b indicates firmly that these horizons are indeed
at irreducible state and will produce mainly oil as indicated in J4-NC186 well, while the crossplot of
H8 shows wide scattering of points which is the main characteristic for water producing horizon.
* Corresponding author.
E-mail addresses: [email protected], [email protected] (A.K. Mohamed).
Peer review under responsibility of National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nrjag.2016.06.002
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Integration of seismic interpretation and petrophysical studies 335
The depth of Hawaz Formation H4 is more than 4160 ft in J4, J12 and J16 wells in the northwestern
parts of this field and increases to 4400 in the central part of the concession at well J1.
Ó 2016 Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of National Research Institute of Astronomy
and Geophysics. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.
org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Figure 3 Generalized tectonic map of Libya showing major structural features and the main sedimentary basins (Hallet, 2002).
Integration of seismic interpretation and petrophysical studies 337
Figure 4 Shot points location map including the 3D seismic lines and the location of ten wells drilled in the study area.
Figure 5 Composed interpreted seismic section showing the identified main reflectors in the NC-186 concession, NW Murzuq basin.
338 A.K. Mohamed et al.
2. Geologic setting
Figure 8 Average Shale Indicator (Ish%) contour map for J-NC186 oil field, NC186 concession, NW Murzuq basin, SW Libya.
subsurface areas and on the outcrops are also found more to 3. Methods of the study
the south in the Murzuq basin.
The structure of the classic Hawaz Paleo-high is created The available data used in NC-186 concession consist of 20
during the erosional event of Hawaz. The Hot Shale member (3D) seismic sections and ten wells that penetrated the study
of basal Tanezzuft is the main source rock in the area, whereas, area (Fig. 4). These wells located on or near the selected
the main regional seal is the Silurian shale formation. seismic lines. These wells are used as guide points to tying
Integration of seismic interpretation and petrophysical studies 341
into dip (xlines) and strike (inlines) lines. These seismic data
were acquired and processed by seismic crews and centers to 50
get rid the extraneous factors affecting the seismic wave prop-
agation in the subsurface section of the studied area. 40
Swirr%
Several specific analysis steps are employed in the well log-
ging data in the study area for interpretation process: (1) filter- 30
mainly on the quick look view of log responses, and then dis- 0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
playing the data using interactive petrophysics program, and Ø%
plotting the petrophysical parameters in the form of cross
plots. Figure 9 Porosity versus water Saturation (Buckle) Cross-Plot
for Hawaz Formation (Horizon H5) in J4-NC186.
4. Results and interpretations
70
After analysis and interpretation of many seismic sections in
this area, many seismic horizons are interpreted and identified 60
on basis of their acoustic characters. These characteristics
include continuity, geometry, spacing, arrangement and the 50
high Rt value (>2000 X m) is distinctive in these zones and curves with quick look porosity of 15%. The well logging
accordingly to this character, a movable oil is expected. The response of J1-NC186 well is represented in Fig. 7 as another
low gamma ray (GR) response reflects the clean nature of this selective example. Hawaz Formation in J1-NC186 well extends
interval and this is confirmed from the neutron and density from depths 4405 to 4762 ft and represents only horizons from
Figure 12 Interpreted seismic section of inline 2845 showing the internal reflectors H4, H5 and H6 is characterized by high amplitudes
(bright spot) due to the hydrocarbon importance. This also indicates the basement surface is characterized by high amplitudes and its
continuity. Pinch out of Tanezzuft against Hawaz Formation that is characterized by paleo-high topography.
Figure 13 Interpreted seismic section of xline 5601 showing the Hawaz surface is the classic paleo-high surface created during the post
Hawaz erosional event and unconformably underlies Tanezzuft formation.
Integration of seismic interpretation and petrophysical studies 343
H5 to H8. This formation is overlain by Horizon H1 of This value of 0.24 ohm m is the same as that obtained for
Mamuniyat Formation of good reservoir quality. The positive H-NC186 field (Selim et al., 2015) indicating the reservoir in
separation of resistivity curves is very clear over H1 of Mamu- the two fields is related dispositionally. The information
niyat Formation and H5 and H6b of Hawaz Formation. Also, obtained from Repsol oil operation of this well gives Rw value
GR log reads very low values opposite to H5, H6b and H6c of 0.3 ohm m, which is very close with that mentioned above.
horizons indicating clean formation. Horizon H6a has high Porosity-Saturation have been plotted in the form of
GR response with coincidence of neutron and density curves Buckle crossplot (Figs. 9 and 10) for H5 and H6b. They indi-
representing shale streak separating H5 from H6b. The shale cate firmly that these horizons are indeed at irreducible state
indicator calculated from gamma ray log for Hawaz Forma- and produce mainly oil as the plotted points track exactly
tion as a whole has maximum value of 11.8% at well J14 BVW curve of 0.02. Horizon H8, which is well known water
(Fig. 8). The corresponding (Vsh) is 5.35%. This means that bearing throughout Hawaz Formation in J Field, when plotted
the sandstone reservoir for Hawaz Formation in the studied on Buckle plot (Fig. 11) shows wide scattering of points as
wells is definitely clean. characteristic for water producing horizon.
The disappearance of resistivity separation and reduction
of resistivity values with depth suggests the possible location 5. Mapping top of Hawaz (Hz)
of water below H6b at the inflection point at depth 4495 ft.
Applying Archie and Humble equations, in the absence of core Top Hawaz Formation is the main target in this study and it is
data, yields Rw value. The oil and water zones have the same overlain principally by Tanezzuft surface and unconformably
clean matrix (sandstone) and porosity (12%). At water zone of overlies Hawaz (Middle Ordovician age). It is characterized
depth 4495 ft (lower H6b), the true resistivity equals the for- by a medium to low amplitudes and discontinuous due to
mation water resistivity (RT = Ro = 15 X m). Formation the uplift of this surface. It can be classified into eight (8)
2 ) then Rw equals 0.35 X m
0:62
resistivity factor F is 43 (=0:12 reflectors (Fig. 12). The structure is the classic paleo-high
(Ro = FRw). Also, water saturation can be calculated for formed during the post Hawaz erosional event (Figs. 13 and
oil zones. For example, H5 which has Rt = 700 X m (deep 14). This top Hawaz surface is traced at 540 ms (TWT) in
resistivity reading) contains 15% water saturation the northeastern part of the study area and increases to
qffiffiffiffiffi
(Sw = 700 15
). This indicates potentially oil zone. Rw is also 855 ms (TWT) in the southwestern part of the study area
(Fig. 15). This surface indicates the outline of the Hawaz
calculated to the lower part of H8, which has been selected
paleo-highs in NC-186. ‘‘J” field is generally trending from
since the best fully saturated water zone can be picked clearly
northwest to southeast direction. The main reservoir (Middle
at 4820 ft with the lowest resistivity value of Ro equals
Ordovician) in NC-186 concession especially is in the western
6 ohm m and porosity 18% as given in the following:
part of J-field.
0:62 0:62 Ro 6 The depth structure contour map of top Hawaz in this
F¼ ¼ ¼ 24:7 RW ¼ ¼ ¼ 0:24 X m
£ 2:15
0:182:15 F 24:7 study has been generated by using the ‘‘average velocity”
Figure 14 Interpreted seismic section of xline 6182 showing H4 and H5 are characterized by high amplitude in the Hawaz Formation.
Hawaz surface was overlain by Tanezzuft formation and underlain by high amplitude basement surface.
344 A.K. Mohamed et al.
Figure 16 Average velocity contour map of Hawaz Formation of J field in the NC-186 concession, NW Murzuq basin. CI = 10 ft/ms.
Figure 17 Depth contour map of Hawaz Formation of J field in the NC-186 concession, NW Murzuq basin. CI = 20 ft.
346 A.K. Mohamed et al.
Figure 18 Depth contour map of Tanezzuft formation of J field in the NC-186 concession, NW Murzuq basin. CI = 20 ft.
Figure 19 Depth contour map of H4 surface in Hawaz Formation of J field in the NC-186 concession, NW Murzuq basin. CI = 20 ft.
Integration of seismic interpretation and petrophysical studies 347
Figure 20 Thickness contour map of H4 unit in Hawaz Formation of J field in the NC-186 concession, NW Murzuq basin. CI = 0.5 ft.
Figure 21 Depth contour map of H5 surface in Hawaz Formation of J field in the NC-186 concession, NW Murzuq basin. CI = 20 ft.
348 A.K. Mohamed et al.
Figure 22 Thickness contour map of H5 unit in Hawaz Formation of J field in the NC-186 concession, NW Murzuq basin. CI = 2 ft.
Figure 23 Depth contour map of H6 surface in Hawaz Formation of J field in the NC-186 concession, NW Murzuq basin. CI = 20 ft.
Integration of seismic interpretation and petrophysical studies 349
Figure 24 Thickness contour map of H6 unit in Hawaz Formation of J field in the NC-186 concession, NW Murzuq basin. CI = 5 ft.
6. Conclusion 5. The well logging data analysis illustrates that horizons from
H4 to H6 are mainly oil bearing zones while horizons from
H6c to H8 are mainly water bearing zones.
This research has been carried out using integrated 3D seismic
and petrophysical studies of Hawaz Formation in J-field NC-
Generally, it can be recommended to focus on horizons
186 concession, Murzuq basin, Libya. 3D seismic data have
from H4 to H6 for any future drilling and detailed study
been processed and interpreted by Petrel software (2013).
should be given to these units.
The petrophysical prosperities have been evaluated through
the analysis of well-logging data using quick look interpreta-
tion technique and plotting crossplots. The results can be con- References
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