Seismic Stratigraphy and Facies Architecture of The Late Messinian Abu Madi Fm. in Baltim Area, N. Nile Delta, Egypt

By

 R. Rizk¹, M. El Alfi¹, A. Zaki¹, P. Castellano², G. Serafini²

(1) Petrobel oil Company, Cairo, Egypt (2) Agip, Milan, Italy

 Baltim area is located in the northernmost part of Abu Madi Paleovalley where recent and extensive exploration and development drilling took place. Abu Madi reservoir sandstone is interpreted as a fluvial dominated incised valley fill deposited mainly during rising stages of relative sea level changes.

The integration of 3 D seismic, cores and wireline logs helped us to frame Abu Madi Paleovalley, reconstruct the depositional history and predict the sand distribution within the valley in Baltim area.

The first target was reached by building a regional geoseismic cross section running from El Qara field to Baltim field through Nidoco field. Such seismic/sedimentological integrated approach made possible to determine the stratigraphic continuity of all reservoir levels, their facies variations in down current direction and the definition of a homogeneous reservoir nomenclature for all the fields.

At Baltim Leases scale, three gas bearing reservoirs were recognized and named, from bottom: 3 Lower, 3 Lower Uppermost, 3 Main. All reservoir levels are arranged in a transgressive vertical stacking pattern with a landward backstepping of the fluvial-coastal depositional systems and an overall shaling out to the north.

Eventually, 3 D block diagram sand distribution maps were produced in order to explain the reservoir depositional model and to provide a predictive tool for future exploration and field development.