Structural and petrophysical characteristics of the Turonian “AR/G″ reservoirs in heba field (Western Desert, Egypt): Integrated approach for hydrocarbon exploration and development

Abstract

The evaluation of the Turonian “AR/G″ reservoirs in the Heba field, located in the eastern part of the Abu Gharadig Basin in the Western Desert of Egypt, is a crucial aspect of hydrocarbon exploration and development in the region. To achieve this, a comprehensive analysis of wells and seismic data was conducted. The seismic interpretation revealed that the Upper Cretaceous dextral wrenching tectonic has influenced the Heba field and extends throughout the northern Western Desert. Through the integration of seismic attributes, such as RMS and Sweetness, and well log correlation during the mapping phase, an ENE-WSW faulted anticline structure was identified in the study area. This geological feature was found to be plunging towards the NW direction and stretches throughout the study area, although it is fragmented by several NW-SE and WNW-ESE normal faults with lengths ranging from 1 to 10 km. The well log analysis of the AR/G Member has identified two proposed oil zones (Zone 1 and Zone 2), both exhibiting good reservoir quality across all examined wells. These oil zones are characterized by low to moderate shale volume (15%–40%), high total porosity (20%–28%), moderate effective porosity (15%–17%), moderate water saturation (40%–67%), and low bulk volume of water (6%–9%). These findings suggest that the AR/G Member has the potential to be a productive hydrocarbon reservoir. Integrating the structural and petrophysical characteristics of the “AR/G″ reservoirs can greatly assist in identifying suitable locations for oil exploration and development in the study area. This integrated approach enhances the ability to predict the behavior and production potential of the “AR/G″ reservoirs in the Heba field (Western Desert, Egypt).