Application of Seismic and Well Log Data Integration Workflow for Reservoir Characterization of the “ABU” Field, Niger Delta, Nigeria
Keywords:
Reservoir Characterization, Fault Mapping, Hydrocarbon Potential, Sequence Stratigraphy, Petrophysical AnalysisAbstract
This study applies a data integration workflow to structurally, stratigraphically, and petrophysically characterize the “ABU” Field in the Niger Delta. The analysis focuses on fault mapping, reservoir delineation, and hydrocarbon potential assessment. Using variance attribute techniques, 15 faults were identified—12 synthetic and 3 antithetic—with a major antithetic fault forming a graben structure in the ABU-2 area. These predominantly listric faults are characteristic of Niger Delta growth fault systems and act as key structural traps. The major growth fault trends northeast–southwest, consistent with regional tectonics. Sequence stratigraphy reveals two third-order depositional cycles associated with transgressive marine settings, and three dominant facies: channel sands, upper shoreface sands, and shales. Reservoir mapping delineates three main reservoirs (B, C, and G). Reservoir G, characterized by a well-defined anticlinal closure, exhibits the highest hydrocarbon potential. Petrophysical analysis shows that Reservoir G has a Net-to-Gross ratio ranging from 0.25 to 0.93, porosity between 29% and 33%, and permeability from 153.79 mD to 579.11 mD. Reservoir B demonstrates slightly higher porosity (30% to 33%) and permeability (200.58 mD to 472.83 mD), but higher water saturation reduces its hydrocarbon potential. Reservoir C has lower reservoir quality, with Net-to-Gross values between 0.25 and 0.77, porosity from 28% to 32%, and permeability between 160.45 mD and 432.10 mD, accompanied by higher water saturation. Overall, the ABU Field shows considerable hydrocarbon potential, particularly in Reservoir G. Variations in reservoir quality are largely influenced by growth fault architecture and depositional environments.
References
Ainsworth, R. B., (2006). Sequence stratigraphic-based analysis of reservoir connectivity: Influence of sealing faults – A case study from a marginal marine depositional setting, in Hampson, G.J., and Howell, J. A., (2017). Sedimentologic and sequence-stratigraphic characteristics of wave-dominated deltas: AAPG Bulletin, v.101, no. 4, p. 441 – 451.
Aminu, M. B. and Olorunniwo, M.A., (2011). Reservoir characterization and paleo-stratigraphic imaging over Okari Field, Niger Delta, using neural networks: The Leading Edge, 30, no. 6, 650-655.
Bedle, H.; Chopra, S. and Davis, T.; (2024). Introduction to this special section: Reservoir Characterization. The Leading Edge, Vol. 43, No. 12: 798-799.
Beka, F.T. and Oti, M.N., (1995). The distal offshore Niger Delta: Frontier prospects of a mature petroleum province, in: M.N. Oti and G. Postma, eds, Geology of Deltas: A.A. Balkema, 237-241.
Boggs, S., (2006). Principles of Sedimentology and Stratigraphy. Pearson Prentice Hall, Pearson Education Inc, U.S.A., 662P.
Burke, K., Dessauvagie, T.F.J., and Whiteman, A.J., (1971). Opening of the Gulf of Guinea and geological history of the Benue Depression and Niger Delta: Nature, 233, 140 – 142, doi: 10.1038/233140a0.
Bjorlykke, K. (2015). Petroleum Geoscience. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg. 662P.
Cant, D. J., (1992). Subsurface facies analysis, in Walker, R.G., and James, N.P., eds., Facies models: Response to sea level change: pp. 27 – 45. Geological Association of Canada.
Cartwright, J.A., Bouroullec, R., James, D. and Johnson, C.S., (1998). Polycyclic motion history of some Gulf Coast growth faults from high resolution displacement analysis: Geology, v. 26, p. 1425 – 1432.
Chopra, S. and Michelena, R.J., (2011). Introduction to this special section: Reservoir Characterization. The Leading Edge, 30(1): 35-37.
Cross, T.A. and Lessenger, M.A., (1998). Sediment volume partitioning: rationale for stratigraphic model evaluation and high-resolution stratigraphic correlation, in Gradstein, F. M., Sandvik, K.O., and Milton, N.J., eds., Sequence stratigraphy – Concepts and applications: Norwegian Petroleum Society Special Publication 8, p.171-195.
Damuth, J.E., (1994). Neogene gravity tectonics and depositional processes on the deep Niger Delta continental margin: in Pochat, S., Castelltort, S., Van Den Driessche, J., Besnard, K., and Gumiaux, C., (2004). A simple method of determining sand/shale ratios from seismic analysis of growth faults: An example from upper Oligocene to lower Miocene Niger Delta deposits. AAPG BULLETIN, v. 88, no. 10, pp. 1357 – 1367.
Doust, H. and Omatsola, E., (1990). Niger Delta in J. D. Edwards and P.A. Santogrossi, eds., Divergent/Passive margins basin: AAPG Memoir, 48, 201 – 238.
Edwards, M.B., (1981). Upper Wilcox Rosita delta system of South Texas: Growth-faulted shelf-edge deltas, in Hampson, G.J., and Howell, J. A., (2017). Sedimentologic and sequence-stratigraphic characteristics of wave-dominated deltas: AAPG Bulletin, v.101, no. 4, p. 441 – 451.
Edwards, M.B. (1995). Differential subsidence and preservation potential of a shallow water Tertiary sequences, northern Gulf Coast basin, U.S.A.: Special Publication of International Association of Sedimentology, v. 22, p. 265-281.
Etu-Efeotor, J.O., (1997). Fundamentals of petroleum geology. Paragraphics, Port-Harcourt, Nigeria, 146P.
Hampson, G.J. and Howell, J. A., (2017). Sedimentologic and sequence-stratigraphic characteristics of wave-dominated deltas: AAPG Bulletin, v.101, no. 4, p. 441 – 451.
Jessica D., Shaw, J.H., Plesch, A. Daniel, D. B. & Lufadeju, G. (2020). Characterizing the growth of structures in three dimensions using patterns of deep-water fan and channel systems. AAPG BULLETIN, v. 104, No. 1, pp. 177 – 203.
Lawrence, S. R., Munday, S. and Bray, R., (2002). Regional geology and geophysics of the eastern Gulf of Guinea (Niger Delta to Rio Muni): The Leading Edge, V. 21, no. 11, pp. 1112- 1117.
Lowrie, A., (1986). Model for fine-scaled movements associated with climate and sea-level changes along Louisiana shelf-break growth faults: Transactions of the Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies, v. 36, p. 497 – 509.
Mitchell, N.C., (1996). Creep in pelagic sediments and potential for morphologic dating of marine fault scarps: Geophysical Research Letters, v. 23, p. 483 – 486.
North, F.K. (1985). Petroleum geology, Unwin Hyman Inc. 631P.
Oluwadare, O.A., Folorunso, A.F. Ashiru, O.R. and OtoAbasi-Akpan, S.I. (2024). High resolution 3-D seismic and sequence stratigraphy for reservoir prediction in ‘Stephi Field’, offshore Niger Delta, Nigeria. Scientific reports, 14: 22390.
Ovie B. O, Iheanacho P. O., Jerry, O., Tuviere O. and Sunday E. O, (2020). Interaction between sea-level changes and depositional tectonics: Implications for hydrocarbon prospectivity in the western coastal swamp depobelt, Niger Delta Basin, Nigeria. AAPG BULLETIN, v. 104, No. 3, pp. 477 – 505.
Reading, H.G., (1986). Sedimentary Environment & Facies. Blackwell Scientific Publications, 2nd Edition, 615P.
Reynolds, A.D., (2017). Paralic reservoirs, in Hampson, G.J., and Howell, J. A., (2017). Sedimentologic and sequence-stratigraphic characteristics of wave-dominated deltas: AAPG Bulletin, v.101, no. 4, p. 441 – 451.
Rijks, E. J. K., (1981). Baram Delta geology and hydrocarbon occurrence, in Hampson, G.J., and Howell, J. A., (2017). Sedimentologic and sequence-stratigraphic characteristics of wave-dominated deltas: AAPG Bulletin, v.101, no. 4, p. 441 – 451.
Soreghan, M.J., Scholz, C.A. and Wells, J.T., (1999). Coarse-grained, deep-water sedimentation along a border fault margin of Lake Malawi, Africa: Seismic stratigraphic analysis: Journal of Sedimentary Research, v. 69, p. 832 – 846.
Stacher, P., (1995). Present understanding of the Niger Delta hydrocarbon habitat, in, Oti, M.N., and Postma, G. eds., Geology of Deltas: Rotterdam, A.A. Balkema, P. 257 – 267.
Sydow, J. C. J., Finnerman, J. and Bowman, A. P. R., (2003). Stacked shelf-edge reservoirs of the Columbus Basin, Trinidad, West Indies, in Hampson, G.J., and Howell, J. A., (2017). Sedimentologic and sequence-stratigraphic characteristics of wave-dominated deltas: AAPG Bulletin, v.101, no. 4, p. 441 – 451.
Udoh, A.C., Bassey, C.E., Ekot, A. E. and Udoh, M.U. (2020). Sequence Stratigraphic Study of ‘X’ Field in Eastern Niger Delta, Nigeria. Journal of Geology and Mining Research, Vol. 12(2), pp. 65 – 79.
Udoh, A. and Udoh, M. (2020). Sequence Stratigraphy of Some Parts of Niger Delta, Nigeria. LAP, Lambert Academic Publishing, Schaltungs-dienst Lange o. H.G., Berlin, pp. 1 – 62.
Udoh, M. U. Umaru, A. F., Chukuyen, O. P., Jigo, H. B., Ogamba, U. &Udoh, A. C. (2017). Seismic Facies Interpretation of ‘X’ and ‘Y’ Fields, Central Depobelt, Niger Delta, Nigeria. International Basic and Applied Research Journal, Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 1-20.
Udoh, M. U., Ogba, E. A., Udoh, A. C., Tsaka, S. S. and Dongo, M. E. (2017). Sequence Stratigraphic Study and Reservoir Prediction of Ekazy Field, Greater Ughelli Depobelt, Niger Delta, Nigeria. International Basic and Applied Research Journal, Vol.3, No. 5, pp. 1-15.
Webb, H.F. and Jordan, T.H. (2001). Pelagic sedimentation on rough seafloor topography: 1. Forward model: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 106, no. B12, p. 30,433- 30,449.
Wojcik, K.M., Espejo, I.S., Kalejaiye, A.M. and Umahi, O.K., (2016). Bright spots, dim spots: Geologic controls of direct hydrocarbon Indicator type, magnitude and detectability, Niger Delta Basin. Interpretation, Vol. 4, No. 3, p. SN45-SN69.

Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Researchers Journal of Science and Technology

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.