The Fracturing of Deep Non-Conventional Volcanic Reservoir - A Case History Raageshwari Gas Field, Onshore India

Vermani, Sanjeev; Gupta, Anish; Purusharthy, Naresh Kumar; Stolyarov, Sergey; Arora, Gaurav; Dean, Gregory D.

doi:10.2118/132932-ms

Cited by 12 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…145 MMSCFD including volcanic and Fatehgarh reservoirs. Although aspects of reservoir engineering of the RDG have been covered in a number of technical articles and presentations (Bhushan, 2008; Chowdhury et al., 2014; Gupta et al., 2015; Mishra et al., 2011; Mund et al., 2017; Shaoul et al., 2007; Somasundaram et al., 2017; Vermani et al., 2010), little has been published on associated volcanic facies. This study presents an integrated appraisal of the Raageshwari Volcanic Formation volcanic lithofacies, placing the field in the context of regional Deccan volcanism.…”

Section: Geological Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

Volcanic facies architecture of early bimodal volcanism of the NW Deccan Traps: Volcanic reservoirs of the Raageshwari Deep Gas Field, Barmer Basin, India

Millett

Jerram

Mund³

et al. 2021

Basin Research

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The Deccan Traps large igneous province (LIP) comprises one of the largest continental flood basalt provinces on Earth with the main phase of volcanism spanning the Cretaceous-Palaeogene boundary. The oldest volcanism of the province is encountered in the northwest of modern-day India where Deccan stratigraphy is often buried beneath thick Cenozoic sedimentary sequences. The Raageshwari Deep Gas (RDG) Field, located onshore in the central Barmer Basin, NW India, produces gas from the early Deccan Raageshwari Volcanics which are subdivided into two members, the Agni Member and the overlying Prithvi Member.The RDG comprises a globally important example of a producing volcanic reservoir whilst also offering unique insights into the early volcanism of the Deccan with the aid of extensive high quality sub-surface data. Within this study, the volcanic facies of the RDG sequences are investigated from five cored intervals (total 160 m). Core-based facies determinations are compared with geochemical analyses, petrophysical analyses of the cores (density, porosity and permeability), and wireline data including micro-resistivity borehole images (FMI) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) data. A wireline based volcanic lithofacies scheme is developed and applied to the uncored parts of the sequence which in turn is compared to 3D seismic data. Results of the study reveal the Agni Member to comprise a compositionally bimodal (basalt through to trachyte), dominantly alkaline series with mixed volcanic facies including spectacular felsic ignimbrites, basic-intermediate simple lava flows, volcaniclastic units and newly identified shallow intrusions. The Prithvi Member in contrast is dominated by tholeiitic basalt compositions with less common basic-intermediate alkaline compositions and comprises a sequence dominated by classic tabular lava flow facies inter-digitated with boles, volcaniclastic units, rare compound braided lava facies and evolved tuffaceous ash layers. In one interval of the Prithvi Member, evidence for agglutinated spatter is recorded inferring potential proximity to a palaeo-eruption site within the area. Comparison between core data and volcanic facies reveals a first order control of volcanic facies on reservoir properties

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Section: Geological Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

Volcanic facies architecture of early bimodal volcanism of the NW Deccan Traps: Volcanic reservoirs of the Raageshwari Deep Gas Field, Barmer Basin, India

Millett

Jerram

Mund³

et al. 2021

Basin Research

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“…In previous studies, the RVF was sub‐divided into three units; lower basalt lava flows and felsic ignimbrites overlain by upper basalt lava flows (Compton, 2009, his Figure 6), that were referred to as Volcanic‐3, Volcanic‐2 and Volcanic‐1 (Mishra et al, 2011; Vermani et al, 2010). In a revision of the stratigraphy, Dolson et al (2015) formalized two members, the lower Agni Member, predominantly pyroclastic flows and an upper Prithvi Member, dominated by basaltic lava flows.…”

Section: Tectono‐stratigraphy Of the Barmer Basinmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They are termed the Raageshwari Volcanic Formation (RVF), named after the Raageshwari Field, which contains significant reserves of oil and gas hosted in the volcanic rocks (Compton, 2009;Millett et al, 2021;O'Sullivan et al, 2011;Vermani et al, 2010).…”

Section: Geochronological and Palaeomagnetic Studies Demonstrate Thatmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These DVP rocks have been fully penetrated in several of the deeper wells drilled along the Central Basin High, a 40 km long horst structure comprising a series of N–S oriented en echelon fault terraces (Dolson et al, 2015), located in the southern part of the Barmer Basin. They are termed the Raageshwari Volcanic Formation (RVF), named after the Raageshwari Field, which contains significant reserves of oil and gas hosted in the volcanic rocks (Compton, 2009; Millett et al, 2021; O'Sullivan et al, 2011; Vermani et al, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Syn‐rift volcanism in the Barmer Basin: An intra‐basin extrusive complex at the northern limit of the Deccan volcanic province in India

Burley

Gould²,

Taylor

et al. 2022

Geological Journal

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The Raageshwari Volcanic Formation (RVF) is a volcanic complex in the southern part of the Barmer Basin, NW India, localized around a large rift centre horst block, the Central Basin High. The RVF comprises an initial sequence of acid igneous rocks, which are of ignimbritic origin, termed the Agni Member, overlain by a stacked sequence of basaltic lava flows interbedded with subordinate pyroclastic deposits, the Prithvi Member. Seismic data confirms that the volcanic complex has a conical overall geometry and a layered internal structure produced by successive and extensive flows of basalt and ignimbrite, very similar to that observed in the main Deccan lava outcrops along the western margin of India. U–Pb zircon ages near the top of the Agni Member in the Raageshwari‐26 well give an age of 68+/−2 Ma for a tephrite pyroclastic unit, whilst Ar–Ar analysis of a distal basalt containing phenocrysts of biotite from the Saraswati‐4 well gave an older robust Ar–Ar plateau age of 73.7 ± 1.4 Ma. A typical Deccan age of 67.9 ± 1.7 Ma was obtained from the isolated unaltered basaltic andesite in well NE‐South‐1. Due to depositional on‐lap onto the Central Basin High, the overlying alluvial Dandlawas and Fatehgarh formations are absent on the crest of the Central Basin High and Barmer Hill Formation lake sediments rest directly on the basalts. This relationship indicates that the volcanic cone was a structural or topographic high during deposition onto which the Fatehgarh and Barmer Hill formations lake sediments eventually on‐lapped. The RVF of the Barmer Basin along with the Deccan volcanics in the Cambay Basin, Narmada Rift and in Saurasthra are all developed within fault‐bounded rift basins, in which deep seated faults extend beneath the Deccan volcanic sequence. They are associated with thermal anomalies and thinned continental crust and the presence of a linear low velocity zone at ~100 km depth in the upper mantle region beneath the Barmer and Cambay basins. This is interpreted to be the position of the “conduit” through which plume head material passed through the upper mantle before arriving at the base of the Indian lithosphere. The RVF therefore appears to be an early eruption of differentiated ultrabasic magma from a shallow, secondary magma chamber produced by partial crustal melting.

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“…The igneous rocks exposed across the island span a range of basaltic lava flow morphologies from aa to pahoehoe, and include extensive pyroclastic deposits ranging from unwelded tuffs to welded ignimbrites. The basaltic lava flows provide an analogue for basalt-hosted discoveries such as those in Neocomian basalt lava flows in the Campos Basin, offshore Brazil (Mohriak et al, 1990), in Tertiary basalt lava flows in the Nuussuaq Basin, onshore Greenland (Rogers et al, 2006), and in Paleocene basalt lava flows in the Cambay Basin, onshore India (Compton, 2009;Vermani et al, 2010;Gupta, 2012). The pyroclastic deposits provide analogues for the ignimbrite and tuff reservoirs of the Jurassic Austral and Neuquén Basins, onshore Argentina (Sruoga et al, 2004;Sruoga and Rubinstein, 2007), and the Miocene basalt and rhyolite tuff reservoirs of the Niigata Basin, onshore Japan (Mitazaki et al, 1979).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Use of X‐ray Computed Tomography to Quantify the Petrophysical Properties of Volcanic Rocks: A Case Study From Tenerife, Canary Islands

Couves

Roberts

Racey³

et al. 2015

Journal of Petroleum Geology

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Basaltic lava flows and ignimbrite units around Puerto de Santiago, SW Tenerife, were investigated as potential analogues for hydrocarbon‐bearing volcanic reservoir rocks. Conventional helium porosity and air permeability measurements together with the results of a micro‐focus X‐ray computed tomography study were integrated with field observations on flow morphology and the continuity of defined internal lava flow zones. Individual lava flows typically comprise distinct tops, cores and bases, with lava piles showing repeated cycles of these three internal zones. Reservoir quality is best in the flow tops (mean ϕ = 23.14%, k = 5.622mD) where vesicular porosity dominates. Flow cores are relatively tight with primary porosity mainly controlled by cooling joints, fractures and intercrystalline microporosity (mean ϕ = 2.40%, k = 0.001mD). Flow bases show variable reservoir potential due to the presence of breccia and/or vesiculation (mean ϕ = 11.77%, k = 0.001mD). By contrast, ignimbrites show the highest porosities but have low permeabilities (mean ϕ = 35.64%, k = 0.0056mD). In all cases, the primary porosity and permeability may have been modified to create additional secondary porosity and permeability as a result of fracturing and mineral dissolution during burial or weathering, although porosity may also be occluded through the precipitation of secondary minerals or the alteration of primary minerals. The new porosity data presented demonstrates that pyroclastics and basaltic lava flow tops have the best reservoir properties, with the flow tops having sufficient porosity and permeability to transmit fluids and gas. In contrast, flow cores are relatively tight (impermeable), and would act as seals to potential hydrocarbon accumulations when fractures and cooling joints are absent. The reservoir potential can be high where vesicles and fractures are present (i.e. in lava flow tops), although there is uncertainty whether flow tops could be connected to each other vertically to form a potentially exploitable hydrocarbon reservoir. Although in some areas such volcanic rocks can be primary targets for hydrocarbon exploration (e.g. onshore China), in many others they are considered to be a secondary target, adding incremental resources to hydrocarbons produced from more conventional sandstone and carbonate reservoirs.

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The Fracturing of Deep Non-Conventional Volcanic Reservoir - A Case History Raageshwari Gas Field, Onshore India

Cited by 12 publications

References 7 publications

Volcanic facies architecture of early bimodal volcanism of the NW Deccan Traps: Volcanic reservoirs of the Raageshwari Deep Gas Field, Barmer Basin, India

Volcanic facies architecture of early bimodal volcanism of the NW Deccan Traps: Volcanic reservoirs of the Raageshwari Deep Gas Field, Barmer Basin, India

Syn‐rift volcanism in the Barmer Basin: An intra‐basin extrusive complex at the northern limit of the Deccan volcanic province in India

Use of X‐ray Computed Tomography to Quantify the Petrophysical Properties of Volcanic Rocks: A Case Study From Tenerife, Canary Islands

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