Controls on fluid flow in the distal deepwater, offshore Niger Delta

Abstract

Previous studies reveal fold-and-thrust belts at the distal provinces of gravitational collapse systems, and these are increasingly becoming targets for hydrocarbon exploration in deepwater continental margins. Deep-water oil and gas exploration has recorded successes in locations such as the Gulf of Mexico, Angola and Brazil. In the Niger delta region, deepwater hydrocarbon exploration began in the early nineties with discoveries in Agbami, Bonga, Erha, and Usan fields, amongst others. Despite these successes, the deep-water Niger delta, like all deep offshore provinces of the world, is still a frontier yet to be fully understood. The problem has partly been attributed to the dearth of very good quality seismic data that will image accurately the structural and stratigraphic evolution of the basin over geologic time, the limited number of deep wells and the cost of drilling such wells. This study integrates the interpretation of high quality large 3D seismic survey with new Multibeam data and geochemical analysis of seabed seep samples to map, describe and document the evolution and distribution of tectono-sedimentary features, improve understanding of the stratigraphy, depositional and architectural elements and geologic processes, to assess the control on fluid movement in order to de-risk the deepwater plays.