Fault and Top Seal Strength at Nansen-Boomvang Fields, East Breaks, Gulf of Mexico

A trap analysis of a highly faulted Pliocene-Pleistocene turbidite sequence is performed in order to understand the controls on column heights, which range from ~110-2400 ft. in >20 reservoir compartments. A kinematically viable structural and stratigraphic model is generated from an interpretation of 3D seismic data, stratigraphic picks from >20 wells, and systematic petrophysical analysis of well logs to develop a field-wide model of shale volumes. This model forms the framework for analyzing reservoir juxtapositions and estimating fault properties in five main reservoirs intervals that are distributed throughout four main fault blocks at Nansen. In the adjacent Boomvang field, two main reservoir units are evaluated in one fault block. Fault seal capacity functions derived from this work are currently being utilized for exploration risking in nearby fault-dependent prospects. These functions are significantly different than recently published relations, but consistent with core-derived data from the region, and highlight the requirement for local calibration.