Karoo Basin Narrative Report

Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION 2
1.1. Subject and motivation for report 2
1.2. Geographic location of study area………………………...……………………………2
1.3. Objectives of report…………………………………………………………………….2
1.4. Plan of development 3
2. REGIONAL GEOLOGIC SETTING………………………………………………………….3
2.1. The main Karoo Basin………………...………………………………………………..3
3. THE TANQUA KAROO FANCOMPLEX……………………………………………………5
3.1. Sequence stratigraphic framework………………………………………………….….5
4. TURBIDOTE DEPOSITS AND HYDROCARBONEXPLORATION……………………….6
4.1. Tanqua outcrop analogue……………………………………………………………....7
4.1.1. Basin floor fan………………………………………………………………..7
4.1.2. Proximal fan…………………………………………………………………..7
4.1.3. Transition from proximal to medial fan………………………………………8
4.1.4. Medial fan…………………………………………………………………….8
4.1.5. Distal fan……………………………………………………………..……….8
4.2.

It aims to provide insight into the geological as well as petrophysical complexity of existing deep-water turbidite reservoirs, the flow of hydrocarbons through them, and the best ways of developing them. To serve this purpose the Diana field, western Gulf of Mexico, is assessed with analogous reservoir characteristics of the turbidites of the Tanqua Fan Complex (Fig.5).
The Diana field is located on the western Gulf of Mexico and it lies 260km south of Galieston in approximately 1430 metres of water (Sullivan et al., 2004). The reservoir rocks comprise of turbiditic sandstones, similar to those of the Tanqua Fan Complex. Despite the fact that the field is known to have recoverable hydrocarbons in excess of 100 MMBOE (Sullivan et al., 2004), there are too many uncertainties regarding flow simulation and well-performance prediction. The main challenges are;
• Variable-quality seismic data
• Reservoir thickness expressed by a single cycle event
• Likelihood of sub-seismic