Benin and Western Nigeria Offshore Basins: A Stratigraphic Nomenclature Comparison

The Benin and Western Nigeria Offshore Basins, which are parts of an extensive basin called the Dahomey (Benin) Embayment, were formed during the Early Cretaceous under similar tectonic conditions and continental sedimentary environments. Based mainly on available lithological, biostratigraphic and paleoenvironmental data, this paper summarizes the stratigraphic succession of theses basins and attempts a comparison of these stratigraphic nomenclatures. The bulk of data shows that sedimentation begins with terrestrial at the base, passes through shallow marine, deep marine (with restrictive bottom circulation) and ends with open deep marine conditions. The stratigraphy of the Offshore Benin Basin was established later and considering lithological and paleontological similarities with formations of various southern Nigeria basins, the stratigraphic chart adopted for this basin was a mixed variant of various Southern Nigerian basins nomenclatures. For the first time, a correlation of stratigraphic charts of each basins and a schematic cross section showing their lithostratigraphic units, especially the Cretaceous-Paleocene interval which is petroliferous, are proposed. The study shows that the nomenclature adopted in Benin Republic must be revised by using type section/locality names for some particular Formations and widely accepted Formations names of Nigeria for the others. This will permit to avoid confusions as it is presently the case for the name “Afowo Formation” representing a Cretaceous sequence in Nigeria and which is use in Benin Republic to distinguish some sediments of Miocene age. Moreover, a High Resolution Biostratigraphy summary (including micropaleontology, nannopaleontology and palynology distributions) relating to each offshore basin is needed for sequences correlations and entire harmonization of the stratigraphic nomenclature of these offshore basins.

Utility of fluid inclusion paleo-temperature in petroleum system modelling:A case study from western offshore,India

The paleo-temperature(Th)data from fluid inclusions are utilized for thermal history modelling using PetroMod software.Generally,bottom hole temperature(BHT)and vitrinite reflectance(Ro)measurements are widely used in petroleum system modelling(PSM)in the oil industry for calibration purposes.Th representing the minimum temperature of fluid entrapment estimated from fluid-inclusion study provides extra support to build the thermal models for PSM.Fluid inclusion parameters along with Rock-Eval pyrolysis analysis have been used to predict the maturity of oil in terms of API gravity as well as the maturity of source rocks respectively.Two exploratory wells RV-1(Mumbai Offshore Basin)and KK4C-A-1(Kerala-Konkan Offshore Basin),India were examined and the T_(h)from most of the fluid inclusions of wells RV-1 and KK4C-A-1 fell in the oil window range of 60-140℃suggesting thermal conditions favourable for oil generation in both of the wells.T_(h)of coeval aqueous inclusions along with the Hydrocarbon Fluid inclusions(HCFIs)was used to calibrate PSM.Vital parameters show that source rocks of well RV-1 are mature and that of well KK4C-A-1 are immature.Two sets of PSM are created in terms of generation and expulsion for the dry wells RV-1 and KK4C-A-1 and calibrated each well using fluid inclusion Th and BHT.From the fluid inclusion analysis method,it is evident that hydrocarbon generation happened in both wells and the paleo-temperature indicates that the formations of both wells were subjected to temperatures in the oil window range,even though it was designated as dry wells in the present scenario.The present study highlights the application of fluid inclusion paleo-temperature(Th)during calibration instead of commonly used methods.We could obtain desirable and accurate data output from PSM using T_(h) calibration.

Geochemistry of Cretaceous Sea Rocks from the LEO-3X Well in the Eastern Abidjan Margin, Côte d’Ivoire Offshore Basin

In this study, we apply geochemical and statistical analyses to evaluate the source rocks and kerogen type of Cretaceous sediments from the Cote d’Ivoire sedimentary basin. The geochemical analysis includes pyrolysis data such as total organic carbon (TOC%), generation source potential (S2) and hydrogen index (HI). The results of the cluster analysis separated the source rocks in the study area into two main groups. 1) Source rocks characterized by HI > 300 (mg/g), TOC from 1.76% to 3.19% by weight, and S2 from 6.55 to 14.46 (mg/g), indicating good to excellent source rocks with type II kerogen and are capable of generating oil. 2) Source rocks characterized by HI between 200 and 300 (mg/g), TOC from 1.6 to 2.02 wt%, and S2 from 3.45 to 5.36 (mg/g) indicating medium to good source rocks with type II-III kerogen and capable of generating a mixture of oil and gas.

Chemostratigraphic Characterization Tests on Sedimentary Formations in the Côte D’Ivoire Offshore Basin: Case of A-X and B-X Wells

The tests performed with two hundred and thirty-nine (239) samples from the A-X and B-X drillings help to know their sedimentological and chemostratigraphic characters. In sedimentological term formations are composed of sand, sandstone, limestone, siltstone and argillite that alternate along the drill. In chemostratigraphic term two megasequences (MS1 and MS2) have been identified. A correlation of chemostratigraphic data completed by the lithology results allowed a subdivision of oil wells that shows two main types of deposits environments. First, a proximal marine environment to continental and to Albian marked by a detrital flow deducted from the concentrations evolution of indicator elements of terrigenous material that are K, Mg, and Rb. On the other hand, a deep to shallow marine environment of Cenomanian to Paleocene marked by the presence of predominantly clay sediments and abundant glauconite in the lower Senonian. Nevertheless, there is a transition or intermediate environment that is characterized by the presence of glauconite and detrital flows.

Geochronological and genetic characterization of basaltic basement from western offshore basins in India

^(40)Ar-^(39)Ar geochronology,geochemistry,and Sr-Nd isotopic compositions of 30 core samples from 24 offshore drill wells in the Western offshore basins have been used to characterize the genetics of the volcanic basement from the Kutch,Mumbai,and Kerala-Konkan offshore basins.Findings from the volcanic basement rocks demonstrate extremely varied isotopic and geochemical fingerprints,which are suggestive of significantly diverse parent magma compositions and emplacement processes.Basaltic tholeiitic basement from Kutch Offshore basin has Ar-Ar ages that range between 60 Ma and 62 Ma.This basement is characterised by a within-plate basalt signature,with depleted isotopic signatures similar to least contaminated Deccan Traps basalts,and a component of subducted crustal material.Basaltic basement from Mumbai Offshore Basin has eruption ages between 63 Ma and 65 Ma and show a strong within-plate OIB affinity.Geochemical and isotopic signatures are consistent with Renuion lavas and an enriched-end member of Deccan Traps basalts.However,Kerala-Konkan Offshore Basin shows significant E-MORB affinity and is characterized by primitive-mantle signatures and least contamination from the upper continental crust,with ages of eruption between 60 Ma and 61 Ma based on obtained^(40)Ar-^(39)Ar ages.The study suggests that the Mumbai Offshore Basalts’mode of the eruption was comparable with onshore Deccan volcanism,whereas the basaltic basement in Kutch Offshore was formed after the main phase of Deccan eruption and may have been an offshoot of a"tail"of the main Deccan volcanism.The parent magma for the volcanic E-MORB basement in the Kerala-Konkan Offshore Basin is thought to have come from mixing along the Carlsberg Mid-Oceanic Ridge and the material from the Réunion plume with the northward movement of the Indian Plate during the Early Paleocene.This is thought to have occurred concurrently with the formation of the Chagos-Laccadive Ridge.

Exploration prospects of oil and gas in the Northwestern part of the Offshore Indus Basin, Pakistan

Oil and gas resources are short in Pakistan and no commercially viable oil and gas sources have been yet discovered in its offshore areas up to now.In this study,the onshore-offshore stratigraphic correlation and seismic data interpretation were conducted to determine the oil and gas resource potential in the Offshore Indus Basin,Pakistan.Based on the comprehensive analysis of the results and previous data,it is considered that the Cretaceous may widely exist and three sets of source rocks may be developed in the Offshore Indus Basin.The presence of Miocene mudstones has been proven by drilling to be high-quality source rocks,while the Cretaceous and Paleocene–Eocene mudstones are potential source rocks.Tectonic-lithologic traps are developed in the northwestern part of the basin affected by the strike-slip faults along Murray Ridge.Furthermore,the Cretaceous and Paleocene–Eocene source rocks are thick and are slightly affected by volcanic activities.Therefore,it can be inferred that the northwestern part of Offshore Indus Basin enjoys good prospects of oil and gas resources.

NUMERICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH ON CURRENT GENERATION IN DEEPWATER OFFSHORE BASIN

During the design and construction of the deepwater offshore basin, its current generation system is considered to be one of the key technologies. In this article, the state-of-the-art deepwater offshore basin at Shanghai Jiaotong University was examined as a case study. Different 3-D numerical models of the current generation system were developed and calculated. The uniformity of flow field in the basin, such as horizontal and vertical current velocity profiles, were calculated in detail. Besides, a 1 ： 10 scaled model test was also carried out. The current velocities at different locations in the basin were measured and compared with the calculated results. It is concluded that satisfactory agreement can be resulted between the numerical simulation and model test. In addition, it is suggested that transition sections and turning vanes need to be set in inflow and outflow culverts to improve the uniformity of flow field in the basin. And the hydraulic performance of the deepwater current generation system can meet the requirements of model tests in deep water.