A 3D geological model of a structurally complex relationships of sedimentary Facies and Petrophysical Parameters for the late Miocene Mount Messenger Formation in the Kaimiro-Ngatoro field, Taranaki Basin, New Zealand

Surya Tejasvi Thota,Mohamed Ragab Shalaby,Md Aminul Islam

doi:10.1007/s13202-021-01366-0

Surya Tejasvi Thota, Mohamed Ragab Shalaby + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.1007/s13202-021-01366-0

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Abstract

The present study investigates the reservoir characteristics of the Mount Messenger Formation of Kaimiro-Ngatoro Field which was deposited in deep-water environment. A 3D seismic dataset, core data and well data from the Kaimiro-Ngatoro Field were utilized to identify lithofacies, sedimentary structures, stratigraphic units, depositional environments and to construct 3D geological models. Five different lithologies of sandstone, sandy siltstone, siltstone, claystone and mudstone are identified from core photographs, and also Bouma sequence divisions are also observed. Based on log character Mount Messenger Formation is divided into two stratigraphic units slope fans and basin floor fans; core analysis suggests that basin floor fans show better reservoir qualities compared to slope fan deposits. Seismic interpretation indicates 2 horizons and 11 faults, majority of faults have throw less than 10 m, and most of the faults have high angle dips of 70–80°. The Kaimiro and Ngatoro Fields are separated by a major Inglewood fault. Variance attribute helped to interpret faults, and other seismic attributes such as root-mean-square amplitude, envelope and generalized spectral decomposition also helped to detect hydrocarbons. The lithofacies model was constructed by using sequential simulation indicator algorithm, and the petrophysical models were constructed using sequential Gaussian simulation algorithm. The petrophysical parameters determined from the models comprised of up to ≥ 25% porosity, permeability up to around 600mD, hydrocarbon saturation up to 60%, net to gross varies from 0 to 100%, majority of shale volumes are around 15–20%, the study interval mostly consists of macropores with some megapores and 4 hydraulic flow units. This study best characterizes the deep-water turbidite reservoir in New Zealand.

Highlights

There has been increase in global energy demand due to huge growth in industries, economy and population; this made increasingly geoscientists and interpreters to involve in profound investigation and development of more complex fields and discovering new fields to meet the hydrocarbon requirements (Adelu et al 2019)
The color variation in the thickness map features two contrasting trends, indicating that the areas of purple and blue are thicker than the areas in red and orange
The Mount Messenger Formation is best developed in the north, northeast and gradually decreases in thickness toward the south (Fig. 5), which perfectly matches with King and Thrasher (1996)

Summary

Introduction

There has been increase in global energy demand due to huge growth in industries, economy and population; this made increasingly geoscientists and interpreters to involve in profound investigation and development of more complex fields and discovering new fields to meet the hydrocarbon requirements (Adelu et al 2019). Petroleum exploration in worldwide deep-water sedimentary basins achieved substantial success (King and Browne, 2002). Basin floor fans are accumulated when sands are carried into deep water through channels and canyons during initial and maximum low stand phases (King and Browne 2002), and are contemplated to spread as lobes with broad aerial scale, comprise of thick and continual sandstone deposits (King and Browne 2002), and show blocky motifs in the gamma and SP logs (Mitchum et al 1993). Slope fan units are determined as channel-levee complex or early low stand wedge of the low stand system tracts (Posamentier and Vail 1988; Posamentier et al 1991); these are described by channels, rhythmic turbidites, scour and fill features (King and Browne, 2002), and show crescent-shaped motifs (Mitchum et al 1993) or bell-shaped motifs (King et al 1994) in the gamma and SP logs. The slumps and slides at the top of the slope areas might develop downslope into debris flows and into turbidity currents, but not always turbidity currents are developed from debris flows; they might develop from sedimentary failures (Shanmugam 2016)

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