Uncertainties and Risks Associated with Prospectivity of Mauddud Formation in the Bahrah Area, Kuwait

A.M. Manowar Ahmed¹*, Michael G. Kumpas¹, Sanjeev S. Thakur¹, Khalid Al-Ateeqi¹, and Gilbert Guingand^2
1KOC
²Total, Kuwait
*[email protected]

The Bahrah area is located on the Kuwait Arch, between the giant Burgan field to the south and the Sabiriyah field to the north. Although the first exploration well in Kuwait was drilled in the Bahrah area in 1936, exploration and delineation of Bahrah’s reserves re-mained difficult due to the complexity of the structural setting, minor oil columns, widely varying oil and reservoir qualities, and uncertainties associated with seismic mapping. Out of 16 penetrations so far, only three wells have been completed in the Mauddud Formation, of which two are producers. Data acquired to date represent different vintages of wireline logs, seismic surveys and scant pressure records. Observed contacts (oil-water-contact, ODT and WUT) on logs and structural closures do not appear to be consistent. This may be due to uncertainties in time-depth conversion and/or trapping mechanism related to the role of faults and/or stratigraphic components, all of which remain to be understood. Oil sam-ples collected from the Mauddud show variations in API gravities ranging between 23° and 29°. The oil qualities, saturation profiles and structural development during the geologic past appear to be related. Careful interpretation has revealed that better quality oil can be predicted in areas where early migration and retention of oil conformed to lesser post-migration structural deformation. To address the exploration challenges, a strategy has been devised towards intensive data acquisition including cores and fluids. This will enable us to establish a vertical zonation in terms of reservoir and oil qualities, and to propose horizontal wells in sweet zones.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90077©2008 GEO 2008 Middle East Conference and Exhibition, Manama, Bahrain