Source Rock Prediction Using Well Log and Seismic Data: A Study of the Albian Stage in the Côte d’Ivoire Basin
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Regional Geological Overview
2.1. The Basin’s Tectonic Characteristics
2.2. Basin’s Evolution Characteristics
- (1)
- Early rift stage: early Cretaceous Berriasian–Barremian stage. During this period, strike-slip faults and tensile movements formed extensional grabens, in which sediments accumulated rapidly and developed thicker fluvial facies, deltaic facies, and lacustrine facies.
- (2)
- The rift stage: Aptian to late Albian in the Early Cretaceous. Due to the tension-torsion movement of continental cracking and transformation faults, some small folds, inversion faults, fault blocks, and half-grabens were formed. Fluvial facies, deltaic facies, and lacustrine facies of siliceous clastic rock deposits have developed. The Albian—Cenomanian unconformity was formed in the study area during the Late Albian stage when the African and South American plates separated.
- (3)
- Late rift stage: late Cretaceous Cenomanian to Holocene. During this stage, the continental margin subsidence formed steep slopes, and a large number of shovel faults and slump structures were formed. Thick layers of marine shale were deposited in most parts of the study area, and local carbonate deposits developed [20]. In the Oligocene, the whole West African margin was in the low sea level stage, with high levels of unconformity and less unconformity between the Santonian stage and the Campanian stage. Therefore, the late rift stage can be divided into three stages: early, middle, and late (Figure 1b).
2.3. Development of Source Rocks
3. Methods
4. Results
4.1. Abundance of Organic Matter in Source Rocks
4.2. Types of Organic Matter in Source Rocks
4.3. Maturity of Organic Matter in Source Rocks
4.4. Biomarker Compounds
5. Prediction of Source Rock Distribution
5.1. Total Organic Carbon Method
5.2. Seismic Method
5.3. Prediction of Distribution
6. Conclusions
- (1)
- The Lower-Cretaceous-Albian-stage source rocks in the Côte d’Ivoire Basin have a good hydrocarbon generation potential with average values of 2.63 wt.% and 4.06 mg/g. The organic matter abundance of the rocks is between 0.47 wt.% and 3.08 wt.% and the average hydrocarbon generation potential is 4.06 mg/g. On the whole, the rocks constitute good and high-quality source rocks. The organic matter type is mainly type II, and it is mainly in the low-mature to mature stages. The TOC is high in the depths of the lake basin and low at the edges, with the average value at the highest point being greater than 4 wt.% and the lowest about 1 wt.%, indicating a high overall abundance of organic matter.
- (2)
- The high-quality source rocks in the the Albian-stage of the Côte d’Ivoire Basin are characterized by a medium amplitude, a low frequency, and continuous, parallel–subparallel reflection. They have widely developed in a semi-deep–deep lake environments, and the lithology is mainly thick dark mudstone. The medium source rocks are characterized by a medium-weak amplitude, a medium-low frequency, and a continuous and subparallel reflection structures in the seismic profiles; they are mainly shallow lake sediments. The poor source rocks have the characteristics of foreprograde reflection and mainly develop in delta deposits.
- (3)
- The good–high-quality source rocks in the basin have mainly developed in the semi-deep–deep lake facies in the center of the eastern depression, with a maximum thickness of 1200 m, while the medium source rocks have developed in the shallow lake subfacies with a thickness of 150–300 m. In the east, there is a small source rock center with a maximum thickness of 900 m.
- (4)
- The Albian stage source rocks in the research area are of good overall quality; they are widely distributed and have significant thickness, exhibiting significant potential for development. The semi-deep to deep lake facies in the center of the lake basin represent a potential area for oil and gas reserve enhancement. As the area is located in the deep sea, it is essential to actively innovate deep sea exploration and development theories and technology, conduct comprehensive research around the Well R and the surrounding areas, and assist oil companies in achieving outstanding results in this region.
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Wang, B.; Li, Y.; Yin, J.; Ye, L.; Wang, Z. Source Rock Prediction Using Well Log and Seismic Data: A Study of the Albian Stage in the Côte d’Ivoire Basin. Appl. Sci. 2024, 14, 4303. https://doi.org/10.3390/app14104303
Wang B, Li Y, Yin J, Ye L, Wang Z. Source Rock Prediction Using Well Log and Seismic Data: A Study of the Albian Stage in the Côte d’Ivoire Basin. Applied Sciences. 2024; 14(10):4303. https://doi.org/10.3390/app14104303
Chicago/Turabian StyleWang, Boyu, Yuezhe Li, Jie Yin, Lin Ye, and Zhenqi Wang. 2024. "Source Rock Prediction Using Well Log and Seismic Data: A Study of the Albian Stage in the Côte d’Ivoire Basin" Applied Sciences 14, no. 10: 4303. https://doi.org/10.3390/app14104303
APA StyleWang, B., Li, Y., Yin, J., Ye, L., & Wang, Z. (2024). Source Rock Prediction Using Well Log and Seismic Data: A Study of the Albian Stage in the Côte d’Ivoire Basin. Applied Sciences, 14(10), 4303. https://doi.org/10.3390/app14104303