Deep Water Turbidite Facies and Architectural Elements in the Ruvuma Basin, East Africa

Since the discovery of the Paleogene turbidites and giant gas fields in deep water Mozambique in 2010, the Ruvuma basin has become hot spot of deepwater exploration. In our research, high-resolution seismic data and well data were analyzed to study deepwater turbidite facies, depositional architectural elements, and reservoir potential of the Paleocene to Miocene interval in the Ruvuma basin.

Seven different types of turbidite facies are divided in the Paleocene to Miocene deposits in the Ruvuma basin: F1-dark grey shales, F2-shales containing a few interbedded fine grained sandstone, F3-fine-grained sandstone and siltstone interbedded with laminated shales, F4-fine grained sandstone and siltstone, F5-coarse to medium grained sandstone, F6-conglomeratic sandstone, and F7-plastic deformed mudstone. Facies 3, 4, 5 and 6 can be reservoirs.

Six different types of architectural elements are recognized in the Ruvuma basin: submarine canyons, slope channel complexes, isolated channels, levees, depositional lobes, and mass-transport deposits. Slope channels and proximal lobes are good reservoir facies in terms of thickness, lateral continuity and reservoir quality.