Integration of borehole depth imaging and seismic reflection results in reservoir delineation: An example from The Alam El Bueib 3C field, Northern Western Desert, Egypt

The Alam El Bueib 3C Field is located in the eastern part of the Dahab-Mireir sedimentary basin in the north Western Desert of Egypt. The Lower Cretaceous Alam El Bueib Sandstone reservoir is a potentially producing reservoir in the field. Lithostratigraphic correlation and ditch cutting description have helped in stratigraphically locating the potential sandstone reservoirs within the basal part of Alam El Bueib 3A Bed and locally dividing it into three potential separate reservoirs. Qualitative analysis of borehole depth imaging logs helped in revealing the stratigraphic trap style of Basal Alam El Bueib sandstone reservoirs and detection of deposition paleoenvironment as a shallow marine environment of wave-dominated estuary channelized system. Structural seismic interpretation for available Pre-Stack-Depth-Migrated 3D seismic data has revealed that AEB 3C Field structure is a four-way dip anticlinal closure that trends north east-south west. A better understanding of the geological nature of the Alam El Bueib 3A sandstone reservoirs combined with the structural-stratigraphic trap style has led to a lower risk exploratory/development plan for Alam El Bueib potential sandstone reservoirs in the Alam El Bueib 3C field. Borehole depth imaging analysis results, integrated with seismic structural interpretation maps and information from conventional electrical well logs, represented a high-quality workflow that showed remarkable efficiency in a better understanding of reservoir distribution in the case of present heterogeneous Alam El Bueib sandstone reservoirs and providing the optimum solution for similar geological conditions in other areas.

Automated summary

By correlating lithostratigraphy and analyzing ditch cutting, potential sandstone reservoirs were identified within the Alam El Bueib 3A Bed, leading to the division into three separate reservoirs. Additionally, seismic interpretation revealed the structural features of the field, indicating a lower risk exploratory/development plan for potential sandstone reservoirs.