Shale Volume Effect on Hydrocarbon Prospectivity of Green Field, Niger Delta, Nigeria

Abstract

This research presents an investigation on the shale volume effect on hydrocarbon prospectivity of Green Field within Niger Delta, Nigeria. Delineation of potential reservoirs was done with Petrel Version 2010® and OpendTect 4. 6.0® exploration and production softwares, and data obtained were quality checked to eliminate null values. Three different empirical models were used to estimate the shale volume for fifteen delineated reservoirs from the three identified “Green” wells. The shale volume ranges from 0.111 to 0.162 for Green 1, 0.056 to 0.092 for Green 2 and 0.007 to 0.140 for Green 3 reservoirs. An average shale volume obtained from a merger of the three models was compared to the permeability in each of the fifteen reservoirs to determine the hydrocarbon prospectivity of the wells. It was noticed that shale volume increases with a decrease in the permeability. The ratio of shale to sand ranges from 0.125 to 0.192 for Green 1, 0.059 to 0.101 for Green 2 and 0.007 to 0.111 for Green 3 reservoirs. The presence of sand in higher volume which ranges from 0.838 to 0.889 for Green 1, 0.908 to 0.944 for Green 2 and 0.900 to 0.993 for Green 3 reservoirs than shale which ranges from 0.111 to 0.162 for Green 1, 0.056 to 0.092 for Green 2 and 0.007 to 0.140 for Green 3 reservoirs and higher resistivity which ranges from 5.61 to 96.93 for Green 1, 16.01 to 103.42 for Green 2 and 14.75 to 22.17 for Green 3 reservoirs than the conductivity which ranges from 0.0100 to 0.1800 for Green 1, 0.0096 to 0.0625 for Green 2 and 0.0450 to 0.0680 for Green 3 reservoirs are some major signals confirming a substantial hydrocarbon in the reservoirs. Results from this study indicates prospective presence of fractured shale deposits in the study area. Petrophysically, subsurface reservoirs in the “Green” field have reasonable hydrocarbons in their pore-spaces and estimated producibility indicators are good enough to support secondary migration of the oil into the borehole, if developed.