Small Displacement Normal Faults as Barriers to Fluid Flow in the Complexly Faulted Anticline of the Wilmington Field

P. A. Teas and J. Thornburg

Fault controlled barriers can significantly affect basin flow dynamics. Fault barriers cause compartmentalization of fluid systems, isolating areas of differing fluid pressure, diagenetic processes, and fluid characteristics. Understanding the effects of relatively difficult to detect, small displacement faults on fluid flow is essential when analyzing basin hydrodynamics.

The Wilmington structure is a SE plunging asymmetric anticline cut by a series of N-S oriented normal faults in the west and NW-SE oriented normal faults in the east. Fault displacement varies within the field from no displacement at fault tips, to the maxima for each fault, which varies from 10m to 135m. Faults are truncated at a mid Pliocene unconformity above which sediments are neither folded nor faulted.

Over 2000 deviated wells penetrate the structure in a sixteen square mile area, often crossing the high angle normal faults. We are first performing a detailed analysis of fault geometry and degree of offset from well logs and a 3D seismic survey. A core recovered through the Temple Avenue fault shows slip over a ten meter zone without a dominant slip plane. Well logs also indicate a zone of deformation associated with the fault. A barrier was present prior to development, across the fault where offset is less than the thickness of the offset reservoir unit, indicating fault zone properties are responsible for formation of the barrier. Fault barriers are established from offset oil-water contacts, pressure, and production surveys. Preliminary analysis of pressure data shows variabilit across the field and a lack of fluid communication over short distances.

AAPG Search and Discover Article #91019©1996 AAPG Convention and Exhibition 19-22 May 1996, San Diego, California