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Fractured Basement Initial Identification Methodology
- Publisher: European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers
- Source: Conference Proceedings, 80th EAGE Conference and Exhibition 2018, Jun 2018, Volume 2018, p.1 - 5
Abstract
The fractured basement play is an overlooked play proven on a global scale and associated with large reserves and significant upside potential. Regional seismic data is an essential tool for the initial identification of the potential of this highly attractive play, together with a good regional geological understanding of the region which can be gained by integrating all available data from onshore geology, information from wells, regional 2D seismic and potential field data. Such work has resulted in the identification of the continuation of the pre-Atlantic opening Cape Fold Belt deformation and the potential fractured basement play fairway in the Outeniqua Basin into the Orange Basin of South Africa and its conjugate margin the Colorado Basin of Argentina. Initial identification of potential fractured basement play fairways can encourage oil companies to change their drilling practice and target, rather than avoid basement objectives with properly designed wells to optimally intersect the dominant fracture systems.