STUCTURAL AND DEPOSITIONAL HISTORY OF GULF OF GUINEA

Diapiric shale structures began forming by late Miocene time in response to lateral shale withdrawal from the beneath the advancing deltaic load, combine with compressional uplift and folding of prodeltaic strata. During the Pliocene and Pleistocene time, these structures were buried by the prograding delta and extensional growth fault commenced. Subsidence within the depobelts ceased episodically, at which time alluvial sands advanced rapidly across the delta top, concurrent with a basin ward shift in deposition and thereby creating seaward- stepping depocentres.

Figure 3a: An aerial distribution of the Structural and Depositional Setting of the Gulf of Guinea.

Extensive gravity tectonism has deformed sediments over the continental slope and the resulting folding, faulting and diapirism have created intraslope basins 10 to 25km wide filled with thick sequences of ponded sediments that represent a wide range of depositional processes. Submarine canyons cut across these deformed zones and give rise to aggradational channel/levee systems which are distributaries for large sea fans. Transport and deposition of terrigenous sediments beyond the shelf have been accomplished mainly by turbidites and mass transport deposits (slumps, debris flows). During periods of low sea-level, deltas migrated seaward to the shelf edge and large amount of sediments were transported to the slope, rise and deep-sea fans by turbidity currents and related

mass flows via submarine canyons. Turbidity flows were confined within deep leveed channels on the upper and middle fan, but spread laterally out wards as sheet flows on the lower fan dispersing large amounts of coarse sediments across broad areas (see Figure 3a).

Figure 3b: Cross sectional picture of the Structural and Depositional Setting of the Gulf of Guinea.

STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS Zonal of imbricate thrusts occur in the deep offshore Niger Delta. These are well represented in the multi-client seismic data. These compressive structures are typically situated seaward of the zone of shale structure on the upper slope separated by relatively undeformed zone which exhibits minor thrusting and shale swelling. The deep water Niger Delta hydrocarbon province encompasses a wide range of syn-depositional structural styles and deep-water sedimentary facies. The region can be broadly separated into four domains. These extend from the zone of shale diapirism on the present-day upper slope, basin ward to a zone of relatively minor structuration, a frontal toe-thrust zone, and a zone of frontal deformation on the present-day lower slope and continental rise (see Figure 3b). REGIONAL PROSPECTIVITY

The principal trapping scenarios of each domain are conceptualized on the schematic section. The shale diapirism zone, on the present-day upper slope, has proven prospectively (Bonga, Erha, Aparo and Usan fields). Basinward, the zone of relatively minor structuration, is highly prospective (the Agbada and Akpo fields are just two examples) and extends into the northern blocks of the JDZ. The frontal toe-thrust zone has much potential as evidenced by DHIs and flat spots, and the zone of frontal deformation on the present-day lower slope and continental rise is as yet untested.

SOURCE ROCKS AND MATURITY The source rock in the Gulf of Guinea is considered to be the Akata shale. Additional source rock potential exists in lacustrine deposits of the pre-delta rift sequences. Thermal modeling indicates that sediments situated in the northern sector of the Gulf of Guinea are within the maturity window. RESERVOIR Reservoir rocks in the area are sourced from clastic input from the Niger Delta. These are essentially deep sea turbidities consisting of channel sands and basin floor fans. Porosities in this reservoir can be as high as 20% and permeabilities are generally good. TRAPPING Possible hydrocarbon accumulations in the Gulf of Guinea are essentially structural in nature. However, there is significant potential for stratigraphic traps, especially in the zone of minor structuration. Two distinct domains have been identified in the toe thrust zone. These are:

(i) (ii)

The simple thrust domain The imbricate domain made up of (a) A proximal imbricate sub-domain (b) A distal imbricate sub-domain

These structures within the thrust domain are compressional in origin and consist of simple thrust sheets. The average width of the individual thrust sheets is of the order of 5 km. This domain presents large structural closures which are likely to be less fractured due to exposure to lesser compressional forces. The proximal imbricate sub-domain is situated to the southeast of the simple thrust domain. Structural dips in this area are high and the average width of the individual thrust sheets are of the order of 1 to 2 km. The distal imbricate zone is situated to the southwest of the simple thrust domain with individual thrust sheets of the order of 2 to 3 km. PROSPECTIVITY Approximately 30 leads and prospects, essentially structural in nature have currently been identified in the Gulf of Guinea. Seismic sections show excellent reflection amplitudes with

several prospects presenting stacked objectives. Flat spots indicative of fluid contacts have been identified on several of the prospects.