APPLICATION OF MOVE FAULT ANALYSIS MODEL FOR PREDICTING FAULT SEALS IN ‘SWAN’ FIELD NIGER DELTA, NIGERIA

Abstract

Fault seal analysis is utilized to evaluate the degree of interconnection within a specific reservoir due to fault segments, which
is crucial for reservoir management and productivity assessments in the Niger Delta region. This study aims to assess fault seal
integrity in the „SWAN‟ field in the Niger Delta to improve hydrocarbon recovery. Well logs and 3D seismic data were
employed for this study. Various factors influencing fault seal, such as fault throw, lithology of the hanging wall and footwall,
and shale gouge ratio, were analyzed using MOVE software. These analyses helped determine the potential of faults to impede
hydrocarbon flow into and out of the mapped reservoirs. Three horizons were identified (labeled H1, H2, and H3), with only
two faults (Faults 5 and 13) intersecting all three horizons. In the SWAN 5 well, the throw of the reservoir bed along the fault
plane is 763.5m, resulting in a robust seal with an average shale gouge ratio (SGR) of 44%. In SWAN 7, SWAN 10, and
SWAN 11 wells, the throw of the reservoir beds ranges from 731.2m to 816.9m, with SGR values indicating moderate sealing
conditions (ranging from 35% to 36%). The lithological arrangements observed include shale on sand, sand on sand, and shale
on silt. The findings suggest a significant proportion of the fault plane is effectively sealed, potentially impeding fluid flow
through fault gouges. This comprehensive analysis provides valuable insights for reservoir management and strategies to
enhance hydrocarbon recovery in the Niger Delta's SWAN field.