Prediction of Abnormal Pressures in the Niger Delta Basin Using Well Logs

Abstract

PUBLICATION RIGHTS RESERVED PUBLICATION RIGHTS RESERVED THIS PAPER IS TO BE PRESENTED AT THE INTERNATIONAL TECHNICAL MEETING JOINTLY HOSTED BY THE PETROLEUM SOCIETY OF CIM AND THE SOCIETY OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERS IN CALGARY, JUNE 10 TO 13, 1990. DISCUSSION OF THIS PAPER IS INVITED. SUCH DISCUSSION MAY BE PRESENTED AT THE MEETING AND WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR PUBLICATION IN CIM AND SPE JOURNALS IF FILED IN WRITING WITH THE TECHNICAL PROGRAM CHAIRMAN PRIOR TO THE CONCLUSION OF THE MEETING. Abstract The hazard associated with abnormal pressures are of great concern to operating companies in the oil pressures are of great concern to operating companies in the oil industry worldwide. As an effort to alleviate this problem in the Niger Delta, a spread of overpressures as they occur in the basin are shown in a map of the area. The table from which the map was produced contain the values of the top of overpressures obtained from shale resistivity, acoustic and resistivity plots against true vertical depth. The depth to the top of overpressures from the more than 230 wells studied, range from 6,500ft along the shelf to 15,000ft at the middle belt and 16,000ft at the west-belt of the Niger Delta Basin Complex. Shale resistivity ratios and shale transit time differences obtained from normal and observed (abnormally high pressured) resistivities and transit times respectively, have been used in conjunction with the fluid pressure gradient, to generate the prediction curves. pressure gradient, to generate the prediction curves. Comparison is made between the predicted formation pressures using the predicted curves and actual measured pressures. The standard deviation for the resistivity method is + or - 0.626% psi/ft. (or about + or - 63 psi per 10,000ft.) and the acoustic method is + or - 2.058% psi/ft. (or about 1200 psi/ft. per 10,000ft.) Using data from previously published papers, per 10,000ft.) Using data from previously published papers, correlating equations for predicting formation fluid pressure gradient are presented for some other major producing areas. Introduction Operators involved with the exploration, drilling and production operations, are more and more frequently production operations, are more and more frequently confronted with complications associated with overpressured (abnormally high fluid pressured) formations. This is found to be true in the Niger Delta Basin area of Nigeria. Figure 1 is a location map of the Niger Delta Basin. Nigeria occupies an area of about 370,000 square miles, with the Niger Delta Basin area being the only major oil and gas productive region. Three main areas of Basin Complex have been mapped in Nigeria. These are the West African Massif (eastern end), the Northern Nigerian Massif and the Eastern Nigerian Massif. These Basins and Troughs taken together with onshore part of the Niger Delta Complex, occupy about 178,000 square miles, about half the total area of Nigeria. The Cenozoic Niger Delta Complex area today occupies around 30,000 square miles of the Southern Nigerian Sedimentary basin onshore. The total complex (onshore- offshore area) must exceed 100,000 square miles. REVIEW OF GEOLOGY OF THE NIGER DELTA Details of the geology of the Niger Delta has been discussed in details by several authors. P. 75-1 P. 75-1

Pore-Pressure Prediction From Seimic Data in Parts of the Onshore Niger Delta Sedimentary Basin

“…The good correlation shows that the seismic velocity has sufficient sensitivity to pore pressure prediction. The results of this research was also compared with previous ones (Uko et al, 2013;Cobbold et al, 2009;Owalabi et al, 1990;Omolaiye et al, 2011;Osinomo et al, 2007) in the Niger Delta. The various results confirmed the present of overpressure in the sedimentary basin.…”

Seismic Velocity Analysis for Improved Geopressure Modelling in Onshore Niger Delta

“…In the Niger Delta Basin, many authors have applied different methods to predict formation pore pressure. Jones (1978) applied temperature data to determine overpresuure, Osinowo et al (2007) employed interval transit time to estimate pore pressure, Owolabi et al (1990) employed resistivity data to estimate overpressure. In this work, we have carried out velocity analysis for improved geopressure modelling in the Onshore Niger Delta.…”