3D structural modeling integrated with seismic attribute and petrophysical evaluation for hydrocarbon prospecting at the Dhulian Oilfield, Pakistan

Abstract

Surface and deep subsurface geological structural trends, stratigraphic features, and reservoir charac-teristics play important roles in assessment of hydrocarbon potential. Here, an approach that integrates digital elevation modelling, seismic interpretation, seismic attributes, three-dimensional (3D) geological structural modeling predicated on seismic data interpretation, and petrophysical analysis is presented to visualize and analyze reservoir structural trends and determine residual hydrocarbon potential. The digital elevation model is utilized to provide verifiable predictions of the Dhulian surface structure. Seismic interpretation of synthetic seismograms use two-way time and depth contour models to perform a representative 3D reservoir geological structure evaluation. Based on Petrel structural modeling efficiency, reservoir development indexes, such as the true 3D structural trends, slope, geometry type, depth, and possibility of hydrocarbon prospects, were calculated for the Eocene limestone Chorgali, upper Paleocene limestone Lockhart, early Permian arkosic sandstone Warcha, and Precambrian Salt Range formations. Trace envelope, instantaneous frequency, and average energy attribute analyses were utilized to resolve the spatial predictions of the subsurface structure, formation extrusion, and reflector continuity. We evaluated the average porosity, permeability, net to gross ratio, water saturation, and hydrocarbon saturation of early Eocene limestone and upper Paleocene limestone based on the qualitative interpretation of well log data. In summary, this integrated study validates 3D stratigraphic structural trends and fault networks, facilitates the residual hydrocarbon potential estimates, and reveals that the Dhulian area has a NE to SW (fold axis) thrust-bounded salt cored anticline structure, which substantiates the presence of tectonic compression. The thrust faults have fold axes trending from ENE to WSW, and the petrophysical analysis shows that the mapped reservoir is of good quality and has essential hydrocarbon potential, which can be exploited economically.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

surface model / seismic interpretation / subsurface structural model / attributes / hydrocarbon potential

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 42072326 and 41772348) and the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Nos. 2019YFC1805905 and 2017YFC0601503).

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