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A 3D fault seal analysis study conducted in the Ibhubesi Gas Field Offshore the West Coast of South Africa

A three dimensional fault seal analysis study of the AK fault situated offshore of the West Coast of South Africa is presented. This study is aimed at informing the development plan of the Ibhubesi gas field with regards to the compartmentalization of the reservoirs, by understanding whether a key f...

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Main Author: Ntombela, Nondumiso
Other Authors: Kahle, Beth
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Department of Geological Sciences 2018
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access_status_str Open Access
author Ntombela, Nondumiso
author2 Kahle, Beth
author_browse Kahle, Beth
Ntombela, Nondumiso
author_facet Kahle, Beth
Ntombela, Nondumiso
author_sort Ntombela, Nondumiso
collection Thesis
description A three dimensional fault seal analysis study of the AK fault situated offshore of the West Coast of South Africa is presented. This study is aimed at informing the development plan of the Ibhubesi gas field with regards to the compartmentalization of the reservoirs, by understanding whether a key fault, the AK fault facilitates hydrocarbon migration to the Ibhubesi field reservoirs or whether it provides a seal. In order to address this research aim, a seismic interpretation of the area was carried out and combined with an interpretation of well data to construct a 3D structural model from which the fault seal analysis was carried out. Juxtaposition analysis was used to determine the lithologies that had been juxtaposed across the fault. Fault clay was determined using the Shale Gouge Ratio (SGR) algorithm and permeability and threshold pressure were also used to quantify the fault seal capacity. The results from the SGR were correlated to the across fault pressure difference and plotted on a reference diagram which is a comparison of sealing faults vs. leaking faults. This diagram indicates that faults with an SGR greater than 25% and threshold pressures greater than 8bars, have a high potential to seal. The AK fault SGR results range between 25 and 55 % with a threshold pressure of up to 20bars. These results indicate that the AK fault is likely to be a sealing fault.
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institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language eng
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:32:31.718Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2018
publishDateRange 2018
publishDateSort 2018
publisher Department of Geological Sciences
publisherStr Department of Geological Sciences
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source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/27833 A 3D fault seal analysis study conducted in the Ibhubesi Gas Field Offshore the West Coast of South Africa Ntombela, Nondumiso Kahle, Beth Geology A three dimensional fault seal analysis study of the AK fault situated offshore of the West Coast of South Africa is presented. This study is aimed at informing the development plan of the Ibhubesi gas field with regards to the compartmentalization of the reservoirs, by understanding whether a key fault, the AK fault facilitates hydrocarbon migration to the Ibhubesi field reservoirs or whether it provides a seal. In order to address this research aim, a seismic interpretation of the area was carried out and combined with an interpretation of well data to construct a 3D structural model from which the fault seal analysis was carried out. Juxtaposition analysis was used to determine the lithologies that had been juxtaposed across the fault. Fault clay was determined using the Shale Gouge Ratio (SGR) algorithm and permeability and threshold pressure were also used to quantify the fault seal capacity. The results from the SGR were correlated to the across fault pressure difference and plotted on a reference diagram which is a comparison of sealing faults vs. leaking faults. This diagram indicates that faults with an SGR greater than 25% and threshold pressures greater than 8bars, have a high potential to seal. The AK fault SGR results range between 25 and 55 % with a threshold pressure of up to 20bars. These results indicate that the AK fault is likely to be a sealing fault. 2018-04-24T13:56:24Z 2018-04-24T13:56:24Z 2018 Master Thesis Masters MSc http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27833 eng application/pdf Department of Geological Sciences Faculty of Science University of Cape Town
spellingShingle Geology
Ntombela, Nondumiso
A 3D fault seal analysis study conducted in the Ibhubesi Gas Field Offshore the West Coast of South Africa
thesis_degree_str Master's
title A 3D fault seal analysis study conducted in the Ibhubesi Gas Field Offshore the West Coast of South Africa
title_full A 3D fault seal analysis study conducted in the Ibhubesi Gas Field Offshore the West Coast of South Africa
title_fullStr A 3D fault seal analysis study conducted in the Ibhubesi Gas Field Offshore the West Coast of South Africa
title_full_unstemmed A 3D fault seal analysis study conducted in the Ibhubesi Gas Field Offshore the West Coast of South Africa
title_short A 3D fault seal analysis study conducted in the Ibhubesi Gas Field Offshore the West Coast of South Africa
title_sort 3d fault seal analysis study conducted in the ibhubesi gas field offshore the west coast of south africa
topic Geology
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27833
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