Sandbody architecture of the bar finger within shoal water delta front: Insights from the Lower Member of Minghuazhen Formation, Neogene, Bohai BZ25 Oilfield, Bohai Bay Basin, East China

Abstract

Abstract Core, well logging and seismic data were used to investigate sandbody architectural characteristics within Lower Member of Minghuazhen Formation in Neogene, Bohai BZ25 Oilfield, and to analyze the sedimentary microfacies, distribution and internal architecture characteristics of the bar finger within shoal water delta front. The branched sand body within shoal water delta front is the bar finger, consisting of the mouth bar, distributary channel over bar, and levee. The distributary channel cuts through the mouth bar, and the thin levee covers the mouth bar which is located at both sides of distributary channel. The bar finger is commonly sinuous and its sinuosity increases basinward. The distributary channel changes from deeply incising the mouth bar to shallowly incising top of the mouth bar. The aspect ratio ranges from 25 to 50 and there is a double logarithmic linear positive relationship between the width and thickness for the bar finger, which is controlled by base-level changing in study area. For the bar finger, injection and production in the same distributary channel should be avoided during water flooding development. In addition, middle–upper distributary channel and undrilled mouth bar are focus of tapping remaining oil.