Seismic reservoir characterization of the syn-rift lower Miocene Rudeis Formation in the July oilfield, Gulf of Suez basin, Egypt: Implication for reservoir quality assessment

The Lower Miocene Rudeis Formation is among the most potential oil-bearing sedimentary sequences in the Gulf of Suez (GOS), representing the main producer of Egyptian oil. This study concerns primarily with revealing the reservoir characteristics and facies distribution, as well as the implication of the predominant diagenetic factors on the quality of the Lower Miocene syn-rift Rudeis reservoir in the July oilfield. Therefore, this study integrates 2D seismic, and wireline logs, as well as conventional and special core analyses to determine the reservoir characteristics and facies distribution. The interpreted data elucidate four different seismic facies in the Rudeis Formation with a net pay thickness ranging from 29 to 233 m in the studied wells of 16.3% average porosity, 62.9% average oil saturation, and 9.3% average shale volume. Four seismic facies (SF1-SF4) were interpreted and correlated with the Rudeis clastic deep-water turbiditic succession. The 3D static property models revealed that the best reservoir facies in terms of low shale content and water saturation, as well as high porosity, coincide with the submarine channels and fans containing coarse-grained, clean sandstones. From the core analysis, the Lower part of the Rudeis sequence is subdivided into five reservoir rock types (RRTs). The RRT1 is characterized by the best reservoir quality; it is composed of quartz arenites, sublithic arenites, and subfeldspathic arenites. In contrast, the RRT5 represents the lowest reservoir quality; it consists of very coarse siltstone, laminated glauconitic siltstone, and highly compacted dolomitic and calcareous quartz arenites. The poor reservoir characteristics of the RRT5 are attributed to tight compaction, cementation, and early dolomitization phase, whereas the highest quality of the RRT1 is related to fracturing and dissolution processes. The RRT1 rocks are mostly associated with the submarine channel and fan facies, whereas the poor quality RRT5 sediments were accumulated as hemipelagic/background. This integrated workflow study can be applied to further case studies in the Middle East, Africa, and the other analogues all over the world.

Automated summary

This study focuses on the reservoir characteristics and facies distribution of the Lower Miocene syn-rift Rudeis reservoir in the July oilfield. Data interpretation reveals four different seismic facies in the Rudeis Formation with varying net pay thickness. The best reservoir facies are found in submarine channels and fans containing coarse-grained, clean sandstones.