Seismic Tectono-Stratigraphy Modeling of Deep Marine Oligo-Miocene Siliciclastic Reservoirs in

Levant-Cyprus Basin Frontier Zone*

Mourad Bédir1 and Mohamed Nacer Aissaoui2

Search and Discovery Article #10940 (2017)**

Posted May 15, 2017

*Adapted from oral presentation given at AAPG 2017 Annual Convention and Exhibition, Houston, Texas, United States, April 2-5, 2017
**Datapages © 2017 Serial rights given by author. For all other rights contact author directly.
1
Georesource Laboratory, Centre of Water Researches and Technology, Soliman, Tunisia ([email protected])
2
Repsol, Madrid ([email protected])

Abstract

After the recent commercial gas fields discoveries in Miocene sandstones in the southern part of the frontier zone of Levant-
Cyprus Basin, greatest interests have concerned this area. The Neogene plays are essentially represented by Miocene sandstones
turbidites as it was discovered firstly in Aphrodite 1 well, with gross mean reserve of 16 TCF of biogenic gas, succeeded by
Leviathan 1, Dalit 1 and Tamar 1 well discoveries. The source rocks are assured by Jurassic, Cretaceous and Tertiary
hemipelagic rich organic marls. The basin tectonic structuring and new seismic sequence stratigraphy study of Oligo-Miocene
siliciclastic deposits horizons based on the analysis and interpretations of new regional selected E-W and N-S 2D seismic grid
acquired in 2008 using new PGS geostreamer technique and calibrated to wells data and outcrops had highlighted the basin
configuration and sequence deposits infill nature and distribution of Oligocene and Miocene siliciclastic reservoirs. Geotectonic
setting of the basin is marked by NE-SW and N-S deep-seated sub vertical strike slip normal and reverse inherited faults around
the shelf borders and by NW-SE faults in the centre. These basin dynamics allow classifying the Levant basin as a deep-water
mobile substrate basin characterized by the existence of Deep-water fold belts fed by large rivers. Oligo-Miocene horizons are
organized in three second order sequences composed by five Oligocene, four Lower Miocene, and 5 to 7 Middle-Upper Miocene
third order seismic sequences. Oligocene and Miocene early lowstand horizons of deposits present downlap prograding sigmoid,
oblique and mounded slope fans system tracts and basin floor mounds and large turbidites sheets and lobes, overlain and cut by
late lowstand incised channels, canyons and levees. The size of channels and canyons of Oligocene ranges from 3 to 5, 10 and
15 kilometers width with an average thickness between 100 and 350 meters, sometimes reaching 1500 meters whereas size of
channels and canyons of Miocene ranges from 3 to 10 kilometers width and 100 to 300 meters infill thickness. Locally, canyons
are bigger and stacked as multistory extending from Oligocene to Lower Miocene. Reconstructed paleogeographic reservoir fair
maps highlight three new exploration domains around the Levant basin of sandstone/shale system tracts deposits related to the
upper slope, lower slope and basin floor.

Selected References

Cook, L., 1999, Deep Water - A global perspective: AAPG International Conference, Extended Abstracts with Program, p. 133.

Dolson, J.C., M.V. Shann, S.I. Matbouly, H. Hammouda, and M.R. Rashed, 2000, Egypt in the twenty-first century: petroleum
potential in offshore trends: GeoArabia, v. 6, p. 211–230.

Gardosh, M., Y. Druckman, B. Buchbinder, and M. Rybakov, 2008, The Levant Basin Offshore Israel: Stratigraphy, Structure,
Tectonic Evolution and Implications for Hydrocarbon Exploration, Revised Edition: GII Rep. 429/328/08, GSI Rep.
GSI/4/2008, 119 p.

Haq, B.U., J. Hardenbol, and P.R. Vail, 1987, The chronology of fluctuating sea level since the Triassic: Science, v. 235, p.
1156-1167.

Mascle, J., and G. Mascle, 2012, Morphotectonic of the Mediterranean Sea: 1/4,000,000 map, CCGM, Paris.

Mitchum, Jr., R.M., 1985, Seismic stratigraphic expression of submarine fans: in O.R. Berg and D.G. Wolverton (eds.), Seismic
stratigraphy II: AAPG Memoir 39, p. 117–138.

Pettingill, H. S., and P. Weimer, 2001, Global Deep Water Exploration: Past, Present and Future Frontiers: 21st GCSSEPM
Research Conference, p. 1-22.

Shanmugam, G., 2003, Deep-marine tidal bottom currents and their reworked sands in modern and ancient submarine canyons:
Marine and Petroleum Geology, v. 20/5, p. 471-491.
Tapponnier, P.E., M. Daëron, A. Sursock, R. Jomaa, A. Briais, H. Carton, S. Singh, A. Elias, G.C. King, and E. Jacques, 2004,
Passive–active margin inversion along the Levant plate-boundary: subduction birth and growth of Mt Lebanon: AGU fall
meeting, Abstract T52B-05, San Francisco.

Van Wagoner, J.C., H.W. Posamentier, R.M. Mitchum, Jr., P.R. Vail, J.F. Sarg, T.S. Loutit, and J. Hardenbol, 1988, An
overview of the fundamentals of sequence stratigraphy and key definitions: in C.K. Wilgus, B.S. Hastings, C.G.St.C. Kendall,
H.W. Posamentier, C.A. Ross and J.C. Van Wagoner (Editors), Sea-Level Changes: An Integrated Approach, Soc. Econ.
Paleontol. Mineral. Special Publication 42, p. 39-45.

Weimer, P., and H. W. Pettingill, 2000, Many frontier ultra-deepwater basins have strong hydrocarbon potential: Offshore
Magazine, (Special Issue: UltraDeep Engineering), p. 26-29.

Weimer, P., R. M. Slatt, J. L. Coleman, N. Rosen, C. H. Nelson, A. H. Bouma, M. Styzen, and D. T. Lawrence, eds., 2000,
Global Deep-Water Reservoirs: Gulf Coast Section-SEPM Twentieth Annual Research Conference, 1104 p.
Seismic Tectono-Stratigraphy Modeling of Deep Marine Oligo-
Miocene Siliciclastic Reservoirs in Levant-Cyprus Basin
Frontier Zone

Mourad Bédir 1 & Mohamed Nacer Aissaoui 2

1. Bédir Mourad, Georesource Laboratory, Centre of Water Researches and Technology, Borj Cedria Technopark,
B.P 273, Soliman 8020, Tunisia. [email protected]
2. Mohamed Naceur Aissaoui-Repsol, Madrid, [email protected]
SITUATION

-UNDER EXPLORED FRONTIER BASIN

- PROMISING HYDROCARBON AREA
-OLIGO-MIOCENE DEEP WATER CLASTIC RESERVOIRS INFILL

CHALLENGE

- HIGHLIGHTS OF SEQUENCE DEPOSITS INFILLING ORGANISATION

- LOWSTAND CLASTIC RESERVOIRS AND DEPOSITIONAL ENVIRONMENTS DISTRIBUTION
-RESERVOIR DISTRIBUTION FAIRWAY MAPS

APPROACH

- SEISMIC TECTONIC CONFIGURQTION

-SEISMIC SEQUENCE STRATIGRAPHY CONCEPTS AND ANALYSIS
- E-W AND N-S 2D SEISMIC STRATIGRAPHY REGIONAL SECTIONS
 Map showing the distribution of deep-water basins with production or announced discoveries: (1) northern Gulf of
Mexico, (2) Sergipe-A1agoas (3) Campos (4) San £os, (5) Angola, (6) Gabon, (7) Congo, (8) Equatorial Guinea, (9) Niger Delta, (10)
Mauritania, (11) offshore Shetlands Islands, UK, (12) mid-Norway, (13) Nile, (14) Israel, (15) Krishna-Godivari, (16) northwest
Borneo (offshore Sabah), (J 7) eastern Borneo (offshore Mahakam delta), (18) northwest Australia, and (19) Sakhalin Island. Known
source rocks for each basin are listed in Table 3. Yellow ~ deep-water basin. Red ~ u1tra-deep-water basin.

In Weimer et al., 2002

 A. 70 B.
o Not Published 100O/C ?
o Neogene·Pleistocene 1-
o Paleogene
60 11 oCarbonates
o Cretaceous 50 75% - I--
o Triassic·Jurassic UJ
40 0 DTurbidite
aJ 91
30 aJ 50%1' - I-
Sandstones
85
20 2So/t1-- I--- DShaliow
10 Marine and
0%
r-a-'- Fluvial
0
co N .,.. cD co C N 'It cD co C N Sandstones
C
200- 500 m >500 m
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
t- co co co co co a> a> a> a> a> c c
a> a> a> a> a> a> a> a> a> a> a> c c
... ... 0- N N (656-1640 ft) (>1640 ft)

Year Water Depth

(a) Graphs of deep-water resources discovered from 1978 to 2000 versus reservoir age and (b) deep-water reserves versus
lidlology. Lthology data for 20 500 m(65 1640 ft) are from Cook (1999, used with permission); data for >500 m (>1640 ft) are
from Pettingill and Weimer (200 1). Note the differences in reservoir typ<;'S with the water depdlS. Updated from Weimer and Pettingill
(2000).

In Weimer et al., 2002

Study Area and Hydrocarbon Interest
 Europe

Tunisia
North Africa Mediterranean Sea Levant
Basin
Arabia

The first Geological and Morpho-Tectonic Map of the Mediterranean

(Mascle and Mascle, 2012)
 Depth to - -4 -
:>asemenl (km)
Major Ihruot
rrAnsform til.! -£.--
-,
Other faulis
~prea(lIng
_ 1
:;enter
-1'
Coasdlne

Tectonic Structural Framework

of the Levant Basin (Rybakov et al., 2004)
 3361m

3000m

2000m

1000m

0m

o 20 km
>-----'
-1000m

_ MIjorf_t
Late Cretaceous - Nooger.
Ouuornary 0.... m-tor. • .,d!MII . - , AU\.de\"lll'llllll"t
~

....
s.,dlnl . . . dipOliIs nlliTWllDnll bo~.y
Earty ·Mlddle Cretaceou s
Lalit Cenozoic
~::t'=~~~r!:':
OtepborthClilf
c:::J
to~ vokIric:a
+ 1·l(QIdlIp")
H)'drocartlon shows

_ Jl.I"lsslc
:=~lmet~lwttI - 2000m
- 2148m

Lebanon On/Offshore Geological maps & Satellite composite Image showing Paleo-fault Trends &
Drainage system
 East Mediterranean has about 98 TCF gas reserve and have been proved in Egypt Nile Delta (70 TCF)
and South Levant basin (28 TCF); discovered in post salt Pliocene & pre salt Oligo / Miocene plays.

 Levant basin is Frontier area under-explored

 Seismic data shows:

- Many DHI’s (Gas chimney, pockmarks & flat spot)
- Turbidites channel systems & sand sheets
- Large structures & variety of play types
- Combined structural & stratigraphic traps

WEST

25 km
 Hydrocarbon Plays

PeflOl eum ~ntem F

Pliocene _Paleocene carbonate buildups
,• over Late Cretaceous Inversion
u
'0 ,••
N Z•
C
C
•
U

..", Submirine ( allyon

~ Stacked Incise V,lIley/

Submarille (allyon complex Late

m:J Idessilliilll Salt ,,•

• Shale & Hemipelil!lic Muds

[ ] Silndstolles U
'0
N
•
0
•
'!
U
Early

, . Carbonale Buildups C
••
Dolomites ilnd Ev~o rites ::E
Late
Cilicalwus Marls 0
;;
1• Middle
Shelf C.. bonales
,,
• !
VOlciflics

Source lock
0
;;
Early

Petrol!Um S~stem A jProven}

·Jurassic Carbonates & Early
Cretauous Turbidite Sand
• Oil
••
~
Late
Reservoirs within Late Cretauous
Inversion Structures
G~
buildups over pre-Inversion
paleo-highs

E. Mediterranean General Stratigraphic Column & Play Concept

‘
 Leviathan Tamar (Noble Dalit ( Noble
Bardawil Trend 09) 09)
(Noble10)
- 10.3 TCF Plio. - 16 TCF - 8.4 TCF - 500 BCF
turbidite gas
- Egypt Nile Delta:- ~ 70 TCF
gas & gas &0.05
Cherrife (SPC
channels - South Levant Basin : ~ 28TCF
- L. 0.84 MMB 84)
MMB
- 8.9 TCF M. Cond. - 195 BCF
Cond.
Miocene
Miocene - L. -gas
L. & 2
MMB
Yam – 2 & Yafo
turbidites Miocene Miocene
1 (Isramco 90
Satis (BP 07) Cond.
– 94)
- 1.3 TCF M.
- 3.5
gas & 2.5 Jurassic
Meged
MMB- oil 2
(Givot 98)
MMB Cond. -DOL
- M.
0.5
-Oligocene Jurassic
MMB oil
LST
- M.
Mango (Total 85) Gaza & Marie
Triassic
(Bg 01)
Abu Madi / Baltime - 13.6 MMB -DOL
Trend - 3.2 TCF
Oil, 10 BCF
- 5.9TCF gas
gas & 0.5
Mess. - Basal
MMB Cond.
- fluvial Pliocene
E.Cretaceous
canyon infill

East Mediterranean gas reserve Repartition discovered in post salt Pliocene & pre salt Oligo / Miocene plays
 GEOHISTORY

GEOTECTONIC SETTING
 Triassic-Jurassic-Cretaceous Tectonic Rifting, Tertiary
Compressional
Stages and Associated Structuring of Levant Basin
(Tapponnier et al., 2004)

- NE-SW, NW-SE and N-S Faults

-Associated Pull A Part & Foreland Basins &2 Strike Slip
-Fold Belts

East-West Regional Geoseismic Cross Section

of Levant Basin
showing Continental and Seamount borders
,
Continental and Oceanic Crust and Phanerozoic
Infill
(Gardosh et al., 2008)
 STRATIGRAPHY

&

DEPOSITIONAL ENVIRONMENTS
 GTS2004 o 5hore
(Grads 'n et 91.. 20(4) Levlnl E W Cyprus shoft Eral(IS,1
Olllhott - Sy!1a Ltt.l<ln Cyprus " ....,1101 -

23.03
Oligooono 284101
G)
339tO 1
i 372101
8'
G) Eocene 404102
16 486102
0.
558102
655t 03
706106
83.5107
858107

Regional Tertiary Lithostratigraphic Chart and Associated Reservoir and Source Rocks
of Western Offshore of Cyprus and Erathostenes Sea Mount and Eastern Continental Margin
of Libanon and Syria (Roberts et al., 2007)
 u... ..'"
Sh~.
Dominant!)'
fluvial
PartiR

""""'-

Stratigraphic Correlation Chart from Continental to Off shore Nile in Egypt

showing Major Tectono-Stratigraphic Breaks and Hydrocarbon Occurrences
( J. C. DOLSON et al., 2000)
16
SUBSURFACE BASIN CONFIGURATION
Cyprus
Mediterranean Sea
Une E

X- ,
lineS c:
o
c:
CD
Line C -0
<Z>
-.J

Line 0
I (
,-
,. Aatio3
• Hula 2
~
, . eltM2
,.-' • EIDeq H'-
-'

2 D Seismic Selected Lines and Wells Location Map

of Levant Basin
 Seismic Characteristics

- 2008 PGS Geostreamer Techniques reaching 8-10 s two way travel time waves

- Normal polarity, Zero phase Amplitude

- 60-70 meters seismic vertical reflector resolution for Oligocene horizons

- 50 meters seismic vertical reflector resolution for Miocene horizons

WNW-ESE Seismic Calibration Line A
 ,~
"'" ''l''

N/S W/E

WNW-ESE N-S Seismic Regional Calibration Link Lines

 1530m/
s
Sea
Bottom 2000m/
s
Base
PlioQ 4000m/
s
Base
Messinian
2600m/
Top Lower s
Miocene
2900m/
s
Top
Oligoocene 3500m/
s
Top 3700m/
Eocene?
s
4500m/
Senonian
Unc. s
Intra- 4700m/
jurassic? s
Basement? 5000m/
Stacking
s
velocity

REPSOL© / D.G. UPSTREAM / D. GEOLOGY /SPECIAL PROJECTS / G&G SERVICES

Extracted Constant interval velocity from layer computed interval

velocity from stacking
Erathostenes Sea Mount Lebanon Continental
Margin

E-W Seimsic Line C

Eastern Continental Northern Continental
Margin Margin

N-S Seismic Line I

 Top Depth Oligocene Structural Top Depth Lower Miocene Structural
Map of the Levant Basin Study Area Map of the Levant Basin Study Area
(CI 100 m) (Repsol, 2011) (CI 100 m) (Repsol, 2011)
 D

Top Eocene-Top Oligocene Isopach Top Oligocene – Top L Miocene Isopach

Map of the Levant Basin Study Area Map of the Levant Basin Study Area
(CI 100 m) (CI 100 m)
SEISMIC SEQUENCE STRATIGRAPHY
SYSTEM TRACTS AND DEPOSITIONAL
MODELS OF SILICICLASTIC

ENVIRONMENTS FROM
CONTINENTAL SHELF TO BASIN FLOOR
 A

AL P N

~::::::! ESTUARI I FLU IAt.

Ii REFA I DELTAI AND
ARI
MARIN
R D

... . .. .. .... .... .Jf1 •• ........ .. .. ..

- 18T - - -
- Q - --
~;!
m~--/'j

Theoric Sequence Deposit Representation in Siliciclastic Environment along a Continental

Margin, showing Remarkable Surfaces and Unconformities, Sequence Boundaries and
Systems tracts lithofacies (Vail et al., 1987 ; Van Wagoner et al., 1988)
DEEP-MARINE ENVIRONMENT SYSTEMS

I
Bottom
Currel']

Schematic Diagram showing Shelf, Slope and Basinal Deep-Marine Sedimentary Environments Occurring at Water Depths
Deeper than 200 m (shelf-slope break). (Shanmugam G. 2003)
 Slol''' Fall

..................1 Canyo n Fill

Lowstand Progradin/!. Wedge
with Shinjtled T urbi(fitn

(from Vail, 1989)

Geological model of Lowstand Slope Fan Deposits (from Vail, 1989)
Seismic Facies Diagram of Idealized Canyon-Fan System, Convave up and Convex up Geometries
(Mitchum, 1985)
SEISMIC SEQUENCE STRATIGRAPHY

LINES
 ....... "."",. Rellectillis ITJfau!ts B l" Order Sequence IIoondary ~ranYOffi aOIannels ~ Progij~aoonal Tij(~ B Retroga~ational Onlap ~ Progij!lationall»ftMP I2i Toplap ~ Oligocene Jiorder sequenres
0 Miocene J"ordersequencesC!!!] LOIIstand system trnct ~ Trnnsgressive system tr.K~ Maximum lIooding surface

E-W Seismic Stratigraphic Section of Line A

 Convex up
Geometry

E-W Detailed Sismostratigraphic Section of Line C

36
 Line E
3
3

10 km

1-"'_ 1Progradational Tracts --- Seismic Reflections / Faults - - 2nd Order Sequence Boundary ,:'7 Canyons & Channels
1 > 1Retrogadational Onlap 1~ 1Prog radational Downlap I......" 1Toplap ~ Oligocene 3'dsequences 0 Miocene 3,dsequences
~ Lowstand system tract ~ Transgressive system tract~ Maximum flooding surface

E-W Seismic Stratigraphic Section of Line E

South Lines F and G North

Line A Line B Line C Li ne D

3 Shelf slope Basin Shelf slope 3

Base Messinian Salt

=~~
5

6 6

7 7
I. 20km .1
1__ 1Seismic ReAections [l] Faults 1- - I 2 nd Order Sequence Boundary 1....._1Progradational Tra cts I ",.., IToplap

1 > 1Retrogadational Onlapl """"'" 1Progradationa l Downlap 1":'7 ICanyons & Channels [Q!J Oligocene Jdorder sequences
o Miocene 3,d order sequences@!]Lowstand system tract~ Transgressive system tra~ Maximum Aooding surface

E-W Seismic Stratigraphic Section of Line F and G

E-W Seismic Stratigraphic Perspective View
Sections Showing Basin Structuring
and Lateral / Vertical
Canyon Migration (Red Arrows)
N-S Seismic Stratigraphic Perspective View
Sections Showing Basin Structuring
and Lateral / Vertical
Canyon Migration (Red Arrows)
Hammamet Basin & Levant Basin

hrOllo
lra tigarphy Relativc Sea Lcvel Line G North
Cenozoic: H~q ct 111. 1987)
Line D Line B

Basin Shelf slope 3

Base Messinian Salt

~~~~~~!~~~~14~
5
.....
... ......
~ ~, + .... ",
"'
................ ... 6
.... ""....

aQ\lr.d.ry
t.n'fOl'l1 ., (h,M,I, C!J Oll9oc.nt ~Ofttr M~\ltnCCJ
I[i1]""'"".1' Old.. "Qu.MtJ@!)LOWn.,4 fflt.m U'tQ[!!]TranS9fUSI'I't "ftet'l'llra~H",mum fIoodlftO

Seismic Sequence Boundaries – Global Eustatic Sea

Level Cycles Calibration
PALEOGEOGRAPHIC RESERVOIR
FAIRWAY MAPS DISTRIBUTION
 --
::
: --
-
::
::

.
--
--
--.
:00

----
:>()I'J

.,
-•
::
700
8()()
900
Jooo

25Km

1- )1 Incised Channel and Canyons I --~ I Progradational Clastic

!UJ Basin Floor Clastic lobe fans Domain ~ Clastic Incised Canyons Domai

~ Shelf Slope ~ Shelf Slope-Basin Boundary [SJ Faults

Downlap Directions Onlap Directions
Oligocene Depositional Early and Late Clastic Lowstand System Tracts on Time Map
A

o-
-- --
--
--
--
--

- E3:
25Km _.I==l:
ed Chonn I and Canyon Shelf Slope Domein
'-"''---'
Ie Inci ad COnyon Domeln ~ Shelf Siope-Bo in Boundory

Downlap Directions Onlap Directions

Lower Miocene Depositional Clastic Late Lowstand System Tracts on Time Map
25Km

Clastic Progradational slope fans Incised Channels and Canyons

Clastic Incised Channels and Canyons Domain Shelf Slope Domain

Shelf Slope-Basin Boundary Faults

Downlap Directions Onlap Directions

Middle-Upper Miocene Depositional Clastic Late Lowstand System Tracts
on Time Map
 Basin Floor

Synthetic Reservoir Fair Map of the Study Area showing the Main
Oligocene and Miocene Potential Clastic Reservoir System zones
 CONCLUSIONS

- Central subsiding area surrounded by uplifted shelves and slopes in eastern, western, northern
and southern borders. Deepseated inherited subvertical NE-SW and NW-SE strike slip faults and
folds affect Mesozoic and Cenozoic basin horizons

- Oligo-Miocene infilling shows 3 second order and 5 Oligocene, 4 Lower Miocene, and 5 to 7
Middle-Upper Miocene third order seismic sequences correlabal to the global eustatic sea level
cycles.

- Each Oligocene and Miocene sequence presents a downlap prograding sigmoid, oblique and
mounded slope fans system tracts and basin floor mounds and large turbidites sheets and lobes,
overlain and cutted by late lowstand incised channels, canyons and levees

- Principal source feeders are from eastern and northeastern continental shelf slopes, and more or
less from western and southern areas. This basin can be classified as mobile subtrate basin with
large and small rivers fed

- Oligo-Miocene incised channels and canyons are generally flanked by NW-SE, NE-SW and N-S
faults. They are from stacked single storey and multistory types showing space lateral and vertical
migrations along E-W and N-S directions indicating their important sinuous pathways and proximal
and distal positions
- Channels and canyons sizes range from 3 to 5, 10 and 15 kilometers width with an average in axis
thicknesses between 100 to 350 meters reaching sometimes 1500 meters whereas deepsea mound lobes
can reach 3 kilometers width and 100-150 meters in axis infill.

- Three main domains of reservoir systems related to the slope, lower slope and basin floor had been
highlighted, containing respectively clastic deposits of progradational slope fans, channels, canyons and
levees and basin floor lobes and sheets. They are vertically and laterally superposed and shifted.
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