Evaluation of hydrocarbon prospects by the use of 3D seismic data at the Cretaceous formations in Jade field, Matruh Basin, North Western Desert, Egypt

Alam El Bueib Formation is one of the most prolific oil-producing reservoirs in the Matruh Basin, Khalda Concession. The Jade oil field is located in the Matruh Basin in the northern part of the Western Desert, Egypt. The primary goal of this project is to learn more about the Alam El Bueib (AEB) Formation’s hydrocarbon presence and entrapment conditions. The analysis of 3D seismic and well log data can help attain these goals. The 3D seismic data interpretation resulted in the identification of a number of significant continuous reflectors that dominated the study region and controlled the major and minor faults. The identified reflectors comprise the following reflectors arranged in ascending order (young to old) as follows: top Alamein Dolomite, AEB-1, AEB-3G, AEB-4, AEB-6, and Masajid and Khatatba formations respectively. The identified reflectors have been correlated using well log data to age the Khatatba and Masajid of the Upper Jurassic. The other reflectors of AEB-1, AEB-3G, AEB-4, and AEB-6 have an age of Lower Cretaceous. The petrophysical characteristics show Alam El Bueib-3G and Alam El Bueib-6 members are mainly composed of sandstone. These members have a good porosity value range from 12.5 to 16%. The hydrocarbon saturation reaches up to 80% and the movable hydrocarbon volume reaches 15%, whereas the water saturation values range between 4 and 22% with a shale volume ranging from 8 to 14%. A master fault with NE-SW trend has been identified splitting the investigated area. On the downthrown side of the master fault, the fault blocks between the normal faults create half grabens. Direct hydrocarbon indicators (DHI) were discovered in seismic data in the form of a bright spot representing the gas-water contact (GWC), which represents evidence of hydrocarbon accumulations in the AEB-3G member at 10,280 ft and the GWC at 12,225 ft in the AEB-6 member.