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Reservoir and Petrophysical Studies of Ela-1 Well Niger Delta. Nigeria

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 Mediterranean Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences (MJBAS)
Volume 2, Issue 1, Pages 14-22, January-March 2018

Reservoir and Petrophysical Studies of Ela- 1 Well Niger Delta. Nigeria

Adiela, U.P1 and Oyekan Hafeez Kayode 2

1
Department of Petroleum Engineering,, Nigerian Agip Oil Company, Port Harcourt
2
Department of Geology, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Article Received: 30 October 2017 Article Accepted: 31 December 2017 Article Published:26 February 2018

ABSTRACT

The quality of the hydrocarbon reservoirs the study well in terms of porosity, permeability and transmissivity decreases down the depth, therefore,
it can be concluded that hydrocarbon potential and productivity of the reservoirs sand can be classified in decreasing order of arrangement as A, B
and C. Hence, the reservoir A in well is the best in terms of hydrocarbon production and has highest transmissivity. The reservoirs bulk volume water
(BVW) values calculated and are close to constant resulted that the reservoirs are homogenous and at irreducible water saturation. Therefore, the
reservoirs of the study area can be said to be prolific in terms of hydrocarbon production and they will produce water free hydrocarbon due to the fact
that all the reservoirs are homogenous and at irreducible water saturation

Keywords; Reservoir, Petrophysics, Niger Delta, Sandstones, Stratigraphy

1. INTRODUCTION
Reservoir characterization is the continuing process of integrating and interpreting geological, geophysical,
petrophysical, fluid and performance data to form a unified, consistent description of a reservoir and produce a
geological model that can be used to predict the distribution of reservoir properties throughout the field. It can also
be defined as the quantification, integration, reduction and analysis of geological, petrophysical, seismic and
engineering data.

This research work is on the application of wire line logs to identify and quantify hydrocarbon reserves and evaluate
rock properties in part of the offshore Niger Delta. The petrophysical analyses of the wireline logs provide reservoir
characteristics (porosity, permeability and fluids saturation). Quantitative determination of fluid transmissivity (layer
thickness times permeability) will be an added advantage to further characterize reservoir rocks. Integrating these two
parameters would guide and provide a good knowledge of the potential of porous media and enhance exploration and
development of the reservoir rocks.

2. STRATIGRAPHY OF THE NIGER DELTA BASIN

The established Tertiary sequence in the Niger Delta consists, in ascending order, of the Akata, Agbada, and Benin
Formation. The strata composed an estimated 8,535 m (28000 ft) of section at the approximate depocenter in the central
part of the delta.

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 Mediterranean Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences (MJBAS)
Volume 2, Issue 1, Pages 14-22, January-March 2018

Lithostratigraphy of the Niger Delta

The Tertiary Niger Delta was deposited in three major sequences which have been shown by well sections drilled
vertically within these environments. The Niger Delta lithostratigraphic units have been reported to be strongly
diachronous (Stacher, 1995).According to Petters, (1982), Avbovbo (1978), Hosper (1975), Short and Stuable,
(1967), many other workers and multinational companies that carried out work in this area have recorded that the
major lithostratigraphic sequences or units found within the Niger Delta formation include, the Benin Formation,
Agbada and Akata Formations (Fig. 1.6). These formations showed intercalating of sand, shale, silt and/or
sandstone facies equivalents which represent the delta plain, delta front and prodelta environments respectively.

(i) Benin Formation: Directly overlying the Agbada Formation is the upper continental deltaic plain called the
Benin Formation. It is mainly made of fresh water, fluviatile sands and gravels with occasional coal seams, lignites
and shale beds of about 2500m (8,250ft) thick. Evamy et al., (1978) reported that this formation has 9:1 sand/shale
ratio interbeds (Table 1). The sand varies in grain size from fine to very coarse and sometimes pebbly in places.
Sorting is more or less poor and grains are subangular to well rounded, yellowish brown to clean quartz grains,
which are occasionally ferruginized (hematite stains).

Many companies exploring for oil in the Niger Delta had arbitrarily defined the base of Benin Formation by the deepest
fresh water bearing sandstone that exhibits high resistivity. However, the base of this formation is defined by the first
marine deposit (Short and Stuable, 1967) and this includes massive coarse-grained sands from the non-marine (Coastal
deltaic) or continental environment that make up this formation. This formation is commonly cross-bedded and also
seldomly faulted. However, Benin Formation is dated Oligocene to Recent in age. (ii) Agbada Formation: This
formation is overlain by the continental sand sequence of the Benin Formation and is characterized by paralic to marine
deposits mainly composed of sandstones and shales organized into coarsening (shoaling) upward offlap cycles

Table 1 Lithofacies and Ratio scheme for the Niger Delta:

(After Stacher, 1995)
LITHOLOGY

FORMATION Sand (%) Shale (%) Ratio

Benin 90 10 9:1

Agbada 60 40 3:2

Akata 20 80 1 :4

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 Mediterranean Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences (MJBAS)
Volume 2, Issue 1, Pages 14-22, January-March 2018

Figure 1 Paleogeography of Tertiary Niger Delta (After Ejedawe, 1981).

3. METHODS
The instrumentation necessary for borehole logging is housed in a cylindrical metal tube known as sonde. Sondes
are suspended in the borehole from an armoured multi-core cable. During logging, the sonde is gradually pulled up
from the borehole bottom at a certain speed . The data are recorded on magnetic tape as analogue or digital signal
was be display on photographic paper. The different logs used for the research work are Gamma ray log, Resistivity
logs, Compensated Bulk Density log and Porosity log. The wireline logs were used in the interpretation and
calculation of the various functions and parameters of the reservoir sands

4. RESULTS AND INTERPRETATION

Characteristics of Reserviors of Ela Well
There are three hydrocarbon reservoirs (A, B and C) observed in the well. Reservoir A occurs at the
interval of 5579ft – 5699ft (1700-1737m) and has a gross (G) and net (N) thickness of sand, 120ft (36.5m) and
109.5ft (33.4m) respectively, with N/G ratio of 0.9; water saturation (Sw) of 19% and hydrocarbon saturation (Sh) of
81%, porosity (ø) and permeability (K) of 22% and 424.6md respectively (Table 1)..
Reservoir B occurs at the interval of 5797 – 5887ft (1767-1794m) and has a gross (G) and net (N)
thickness of sand, 90ft (27.4m) and 81.5ft (24.8m) respectively, with N/G ratio of 0.9; water saturation (Sw) of 18%
and hydrocarbon saturation (Sh) of 82%, porosity (ø) and permeability (K) of 18% and 175.5md respectively. Its
transmissivity is 15795mdft. Therefore, the reservoir has good porosity and very good permeability.

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 Mediterranean Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences (MJBAS)
Volume 2, Issue 1, Pages 14-22, January-March 2018

Figure 2: Trace of 3D-Seismic of the Study Field

In reservoir C, the hydrocarbon occurs at interval of 6379 – 6465ft (1944-1971m) and has a gross (G) and net (N)
thickness of sand, 86ft (26.2m) and 77ft (23.4m) respectively; with N/G ratio of 0.9; water saturation (Sw) of 20%
and hydrocarbon saturation (Sh) of 80%, porosity (ø), permeability (K) and transmissivity are 17%, 79.9md and
6871.4mdft respectively. Therefore, the reservoir C has both good porosity and permeability but its transmissivity
is the lowest.

Figure 3 : Seismic reflection attributes in terms of seismic packages

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 Mediterranean Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences (MJBAS)
Volume 2, Issue 1, Pages 14-22, January-March 2018

The formation bulk volume water values calculated are nearly constant and this shows that the reservoir is
homogeneous and is at irreducible water saturation (Swirr) and therefore, can produce water-free hydrocarbon. The
transmissivity in reservoir A is highest among the reservoirs in well

Porosity

Table 2; shows the result of porosity evaluation of the sand units of the Field..

Lith Well 02 Well 03 Well 04 Well 05 Field Field Quality

o Ave. Φ Ave. evaluatio
Unit range Φ n
s (%) (%)

Φ (%) Φ Φ (%) Φ Φ (%) Φ Φ (%) Φ

Range (%) Range (%) Range (%) Range (%)
Aver Aver Aver Aver
Sand 13.90– 22.79 5.79 – 17.73 10.63 24.39 20.26 – 26.22 17.73 – 22.78 Very good
H 35.96 21.98 – 37.48 26.22
49.09
Sand 9.48 – 20.84 7.50 – 18.11 12.13 20.27 22.15 – 25.65 18.11 – 21.22 Very good
I 44.78 23.01 – 29.12 25.65
25.88
Sand 8.05– 15.28 16.8– 20.67 13.59 18.64 24.13 – 27.11 15.52 – 20.43 Very good
J 19.26 25.45 – 32.67 27.11
23.38
Sand 9.76 – 15.14 17.0– 19.83 12.56 19.26 20.41 – 27.14 15.14 – 17.34 Good
K 19.07 23.64 – 31.61 27.14
24.39
Sand 12.78– 16.48 14.2– 17.52 17.54 – 27.31 16.48 – 20.44 Very good
L 22.49 21.96 32.80 27.31

As expected, due to changing environmental condition, the porosity of different units of reservoir sands shows

variation laterally. Sand body H, with average porosity of 22.78% across the field, had average porosities of

22.79% at Well 02, 17.73% at Well 03, 24.39% at Well 04 and 26.22% at Well 05; Sand I, with average value of

22.22% had the value of 20.84% at Well 02, 18.11% at Well 03, 20.27% at Well 04 and 25.65% at Well 05; Sand J

with average field value of 20.43% had average with average field value of 20.44% was found to have the porosity
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 Mediterranean Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences (MJBAS)
Volume 2, Issue 1, Pages 14-22, January-March 2018

values of 16.48%, 17.52% and 27.31% at Well 02, Well 03 and Well 05, respectively. The porosity values show a

decrease down the depth.

Permeability

The permeability values of the five (5) reservoir sands encountered in the study area are presented in Tab

Table 3: Permeability (K) values of reservoir sands across ETOP Field

Litho Well 02 Well 03 Well 04 Well 05 Field Field Quality
Unit Ave. Ave. K evaluatio
K (mD) n
range
(mD)
K K K K(mD K K K K
(mD) (mD) (mD) ) Aver (mD) (mD) (mD) (mD)
Range Aver Range Range Aver Range Aver
Sand 1.06 - 53.24 0.79 - 8.71 0.18 – 233.49 12.60 – 119.27 8.71 – 103.68 Good
H 540.58 32.02 305.64 709.07 233.4
9
Sand 0.25 - 180.25 0.02– 12.56 0.44 – 21.30 22.15 – 70.39 12.56 71.13 Good
I 2274.8 29.06 62.67 135.68 –
8 180.2
5
Sand 0.03 - 4.35 3.82 - 21.23 0.92 – 12.40 39.60 – 102.13 4.35 – 35.03 Moderate
J 11.32 56.12 32.20 288.52 102.1
3
Sand 0.11 - 2.96 2.71 - 13.84 0.55 – 13.97 13.24 – 111.04 2.96 – 35.45 Moderate
K 8.47 34.65 42.49 232.47 111.0
4
Sand 0.62 - 6.80 1.25 – 7.61 4.90 – 127.17 6.80 – 47.19 Moderate
L 24.96 21.38 296.13 127.1
7

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 Mediterranean Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences (MJBAS)
Volume 2, Issue 1, Pages 14-22, January-March 2018

Figure 4: Seismic reflection attributes outcome in terms of seismic packages of the field

The petrophysical parameters of the reservoir B range from 30-18%, 1997.8 -166.5md, 30-14% and 86 –
70% for porosity (ø), permeability (K), water saturation (Sw) and hydrocarbon saturation (Sh), respectively. Its
transmissivity ranges from 14935 – 87806mdft. From the Dresser standard, the porosity (ø) ranges from very good
to good, while its permeability (K) ranges from excellent to good.
The petrophysical parameters of the reservoir C ranges from 14-17%, 79.9 – 22.4md, 20-19%, 81-80% for
porosity (ø), permeability (K), water saturation (Sw) and hydrocarbon saturation (Sh) respectively. Its transmissivity
ranges 8449 to 1993.6mdft. From the Dresser standard, the porosity (ø) ranges from good to fair while its
permeability (K) ranges from good to moderate.
The reservoirs bulk volume water (BVW) values calculated are close to constant, this indicates that the reservoir
are homogenous and at irreducible water saturation. Therefore, reservoirs can produce water – free hydrocarbon.
When a reservoir is at irreducible water saturation, water saturation (Sw) will not move because it is held on grains
by capillary pressure. The petrophysical parameters show a gradual decrease from the top to bottom of the wells,
reflecting increase in compaction with depth. The porosity, permeability and transmissivity also followed the same
trend

5. DISCUSSION
The reservoirs for the discovered hydrocarbons in the study area are sandstones within the Agbada
Formation. Petrophysical evaluation was carried out on the geophysical wireline logs. A total of three hydrocarbon
reservoirs were identified and evaluated.
The petrophysical parameters of reservoir A range from 32-22%, 5024-116.2md, 20-14% and 86 – 80% for
porosity (ø), permeability (K), water saturation (Sw) and hydrocarbon saturation (Sh), respectively. From the
Dresser standard, the porosity (ø) ranges from excellent to very good, while the permeability (K) is excellent. Its
transmissivity ranges from 50952mdft–648148 mdft.

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 Mediterranean Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences (MJBAS)
Volume 2, Issue 1, Pages 14-22, January-March 2018

Figure 4: Seismic reflection attributes outcome in terms of seismic packages of the field

The petrophysical parameters of the reservoir B range from 30-18%, 1997.8 -166.5md, 30-14% and 86 –
70% for porosity (ø), permeability (K), water saturation (Sw) and hydrocarbon saturation (Sh), respectively. Its
transmissivity ranges from 14935 – 87806mdft. From the Dresser standard, the porosity (ø) ranges from very good
to good, while its permeability (K) ranges from excellent to good.
The petrophysical parameters of the reservoir C ranges from 14-17%, 79.9 – 22.4md, 20-19%, 81-80% for
porosity (ø), permeability (K), water saturation (Sw) and hydrocarbon saturation (Sh) respectively. Its transmissivity
ranges 8449 to 1993.6mdft. From the Dresser standard, the porosity (ø) ranges from good to fair while its
permeability (K) ranges from good to moderate.
The reservoirs bulk volume water (BVW) values calculated are close to constant, this indicates that the reservoir
are homogenous and at irreducible water saturation. Therefore, reservoirs can produce water – free hydrocarbon.
When a reservoir is at irreducible water saturation, water saturation (Sw) will not move because it is held on grains
by capillary pressure. The petrophysical parameters show a gradual decrease from the top to bottom of the wells,
reflecting increase in compaction with depth. The porosity, permeability and transmissivity also followed the same
trend.

REFERENCES
[1] Adegoke, O.; Agumanu, R.; Benkhelil, J. and P. Ajayi (1978). New Stratigraphic, Redimentologic and
structural data on the kerri-kerri, formation, Banchi and Borno states, Nigeria. Journal of African Earth
Sciences, 5:249-277.

[2] Adeleye, D. and T. Dessauvogie (1970). Stratigraphy of the Niger embayment near Bida, Nigeria African Geol.
Ibadan, p. 181-186.

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Volume 2, Issue 1, Pages 14-22, January-March 2018

[3] Allix, P. (1983). Environments mesozoiques de la partie nordorientale du fosse de la Benoue, (Nigeria).
Stratigraphie–sedimentologies. Evolution geodynamique. Trav. Lab. Sci. Terr., St. Jerome, Marseille
France B21, p. 1-200.

[4] Frankl, E. and E. Cordry (1967). The Niger Delta oil province recent developments onshore and offshore,
Mexico City, 7th world petroleum congress proceedings, v. 113, p. 195-209.

[5] Friedman, G. (1961). Distinction between dune beech, and river Sands from their textural characteristics.
Journal Sedimentology Petroleum, 31:514-529.

[6] Weber, K. (1987). Hydrocarbon distribution patterns in Nigerian growth Fault structures controlled by
structural style and Stratigraphy: Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 1:91-104.

[7] Whiteman, A. (1982). Nigeria: Its Petroleum Geology, Resources and Potential: London

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