Electro-sequence analysis and natural resources potential of a transitional environment in central swamp depobelt, Niger delta, Nigeria

Abstract

Sequence stratigraphy and Electrosequence of the Don-Field Central Swamp depobelt of the Niger Delta Basin, was carried out using well logs, biostratigraphic and core data. The aim of this study is to re-characterise and revalidate the reservoirs within the study area and provide an optimum framework for predicting reservoir character, development and reservoir quality distribution. Detailed petrophysical evaluation reveals proficient hydrocarbon reservoir units with variable parameters (i.e. porosity, permeability and shale volume) that can accommodate productive hydrocarbon reserve. Core data analyses revealed heavy minerals like pyrites and glauconites that can be of economic interest. The gamma wireline signatures of the wells show reservoir units that are predominantly blocky in shape indicative of fluvial channels. Fluvial channels are typically associated with coastal and/or marginal marine environments. More so, the aforementioned observations were validated using palaeoenvironmental interpretation of strata penetrated by Well-1, Well-2, and Well-3 via the sidewall core analyses. Sequence stratigraphic surfaces such as maximum flooding surfaces (MFS) and sequence boundary (SB) were observed to show good correlation with palynological and foraminiferal zones. The stacking patterns (i.e. progradation, retrogradation and aggradation) encountered gave acumen into systems tracts (i.e. lowstand system tract (LST), transgressıve system tract (TST) and highstand system tract (HST) interpretation. These system tracts constitute a depositional sequence set of middle—late Miocene age bounded chronologically by MFS of 9.5 Ma, 12.8 Ma, 15.0 Ma, 15.9 Ma and SB of 12.1 Ma, 13.1 Ma, 15.5 Ma, 15.9 Ma. The SB and MFS were delineated based on Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) biozonation scheme: F-zone and P-zone were within P820-P680 and F9500-F9600/F9700 as contained in the biofacies interpreted data of index fossils (Globorotalia foshi S.I; Globorotalia praefohsi; Globorotalia peripheroacuta; Orbulina spp; Praeorbulina sicana; Paragloborotalia mayeri; Neogloboquadrina acostaensis) which corresponded to the alphanumeric code N8–N16 planktonic foraminiferal zones of Blow.