JOURNAL GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF INDIA

Vol.84, September 2014, pp.303-310

The Application of Chromatographic Gas Ratio Analysis in Reservoir

Fluid Evaluation of “Beta” Field in the Congo Basin

AYONMA WILFRED MODE, OKWUDIRI ALOYSIUS ANYIAM and BRIAN CHINEDU EGBUJIE
Department of Geology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka
Email: okwudiri.anyiam@unn.edu.ng

Abstract: This study illustrates how real time chromatographic analysis of light hydrocarbons can provide effective
fluid characterisation as the reservoir is being penetrated. For the analysis, gas chromatographic data of Methane to
Pentane (C1-C5) were collected from the reservoir sections of three wells (A, B and C) in the “Beta Field”, onshore
Congo basin. These gas values were plotted on the Pixler plot for the individual wells. Also, the values of their wetness,
character and balance ratios were evaluated. The results obtained were compared with the fluid type standard values of
the gas ratios, to identify the type of fluid in the formation. The fluid types indicated by these results were then compared
with the results obtained through the analysis of the resistivity values from the three wells. These results show that both
the chromatographic gas ratio analysis and the resistivity results indicate the same fluid type (oil) in the three wells.

Keywords: Gas chromatography, Formation evaluation, Fluid identification, Congo basin.

INTRODUCTION have traditionally been used to supplement wireline (LWD

The Congo basin is a part of the central African
continental margin; and one of the most prolific hydrocarbon
provinces of the world. The margin runs from Congo
Republic to Democratic Republic of Congo; Gabon to
Equatorial Guinea and some parts of Cameroon. It covers
an area of about 115,000 square kilometres and extends
offshore to a water depth of about 3,500 m, with pre and
post Cretaceous salt trends.
Oil and gas exploration efforts, over the years, in and
around the Congo basin led to the significant hydrocarbon
discoveries of oil and gas fields such as the Mboundi and
Azurite. Petroleum in the Congo basin is produced from
the Vandji-Conkouati structure, which consists of two main
separate reservoirs with oil and gas accumulations (Aptian
Chela Sand Formation); and a source rock (Sialivakou
Marls), that also acts as the seal rock (Fig.2). The
hydrocarbon migration pathways are mainly along the
open faults and fractures. The trapping mechanism has
been identified to be sealed faults. Exploration and
production of hydrocarbons in the Congo basin cannot be
effective without a proper evaluation of the sub-surface
formation and characterisation of the reservoir intervals.
Thus it is essential to build a realistic and dynamic reservoir
and fluid distribution model away from the wellbore to
maximize the returns from the hydrocarbon reservoirs.
Analyses of hydrocarbon abundances in drill mud gas
and MWD) log analyses in order to identify pay zones during
drilling. However, traditional mud gas analyses could miss
or incorrectly identify hydrocarbon bearing intervals due to
the effects of drilling conditions on the hydrocarbon
concentrations in the mud gas (Whittaker, 1991). In recent
years, the kind of analyses performed on mud gases have
developed to include isotopic characterisation of individual
hydrocarbon components (Ellis et al., 2003). Furthermore,
determination of gas origin and gas maturity can reveal
differences between the gas charge in adjacent reservoir
intervals and thus enable reservoir continuity to be assessed
(Beeunas, et al., 1999). Fluid characterisation may be done
with a number of different ratio techniques, but the
chromatographic gas ratios that are most applicable to real
time analysis are the wetness, balance and character ratios
(Haworth et al., 1984, and Haworth et al., 1985). These
ratios are calculated and plotted instantly, providing an
immediate appraisal of the formation fluid character as the
well is being drilled. The ratio values and separation of these
ratio curves are used to determine the hydrocarbon fluid
type, relative changes in oil gravity and gas wetness. The
advantage of this technique is that reservoir fluids are
analysed immediately before contamination by mud invasion
which alters the characteristics of formation fluids adjacent
to the borehole. This often can be detrimental to the
subsequent electrical analysis.

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304 AYONMA WILFRED MODE AND OTHERS
Fig.1. Location map of the study area (Courtesy of US Geological Bulletin, 2006.)
The objective of this study is to carry out real time
analysis of light hydrocarbons (C1 to C5) from returning
drilling mud in order to identify the hydrocarbon fluid
types as the rock layers are being penetrated using the Pixler
plots.
REGIONAL GEOLOGICAL SETTING
OF THE CONGO BASIN
The Congo Basin is located on the west African
continental margin (Fig.1) and forms a part of the Aptian
salt basin (Clifford, 1986) that extends between the
Cameroon volcanic line to the north and Walvis ridge to
the south. Since the Cretaceous time, the Aptian salt
basins have been subjected to rift tectonics (Burollet, 1975),
a process whereby rigid blocks of strata separate along
listric faults that sole out in a ductile detachment horizon.
In the lower Congo basin, the decoupling horizon consists
of Aptian salt and other sedimentary piles. The open areas
between the separating blocks are successively filled with
syn-sedimentary strata.
The Congo basin is a fast growing hydrocarbon province
where turbidity deposits constitute important reservoir units
(Anderson, et al., 2000). The basin has grown as a result of
salt tectonics which fundamentally controlled the flow
patterns of the turbidity currents (Anderson et al., 2000).
The stratigraphy of the Congo basin is divided into the
pre-salt and post-salt formations. The Vandji – Conkoutai
structure illustrates only Neocomian pre-salt formations
(Fig.2). The Barremian pre-salt formations were eroded due
to the rise of the basement. In the post-salt formations,
Senonian and Turonian formations are missing. The pre-
salt formation consists of the Vandji sandstone (Neocomian)
which is mainly of light grey, feldspathic quartzose sandstone
and occasionally conglomeratic; Sialivakou marls
(Neocomian) which is a thick column of claystone that act
as the seal. There is also the Chela sandstone (Aptian) and
the Salt Formation belonging to the pre-salt formations. The
Chela sand contains dark claystones with interbedded brown
dolomites and quartzose sands while the Salt Formation
contains both sodic and potassic salts (sylvinite).
The post-salt formations are made up of the Sendji
carbonate (Albian) that contains whitish dolomitic
limestones with interbedded quartzose sandstone and grey
claystone. There is also the Likouala shaly siltstone (Late
Albian, Cenomanian, Turonian) that has white to reddish
quartzose sandstone with interbedded brown claystone. The
post-salt formations also consist of the Loango dolomite
(Turonian), the Madingo marls (Senonian to Eocene) and
the Paloukou shaly sands (Miocene).
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 APPLICATION OF CHROMATOGRAPHIC GAS RATIO ANALYSIS, CONGO BASIN
Fig.2. Generalised stratigraphic column of the Lower Congo Basin (after Ala and Selley, 1997).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Three mudlogs from three wells (Figs.2-5) were used
for this study.The mudlogs from the wells ( “A”, “B”, and
“C”) were analysed and the different gas peaks were selected
from the reservoir sections for further analysis (Figs.3-5).
The gas chromatographic data (C1 to C5) were then plotted
on the Pixler diagram and calculations were done to obtain
their wetness, character and balance ratios. These ratios were
calculated using the following formulas according to
Harworth et al. (1984) and Harworth et al. (1985).
Wetness ratio (Wh) = [(C2 + C3 + C4 + C5) / (C1 + C2
+ C3 + C4 + C5)] x 100;
Balance ratio (Bh) = [(C1 + C2)/ (C3 +C4 + C5)];
Character ratio (Ch) = [(C4 +C5)/C3]
Resistivity data from the three wells were also obtained
JOUR.GEOL.SOC.INDIA, VOL.84, SEPT. 2014
305
for this study. Different fluid types have different resistivity
values. As a result, the values obtained from the gas ratio
calculations; which could indicate oil, gas or water, were
compared to the resistivity values from the wells as well.
These calculations, together with the Pixler plots were
used to evaluate the fluid types in the reservoir sections of
the three wells.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The wetness ratio (Wh) shows an increasing trend as
gas density increases, that is, the amount of heavy gas
components increase proportionally against the lighter gases
(Tables 1 and 2). The balance ratio (Bh) is a direct
comparison between light and heavy hydrocarbons; but
for interpretative purposes, it is used together with the
306 AYONMA WILFRED MODE AND OTHERS

Fig.3. Typical mudlog showing lithology and gas plots from Well “A” (Datalog).

wetness ratio. Balance ratio is inversely proportional to
wetness ratio, i.e. it decreases as the fluid density increases.
It is used to determine, or confirm, gas production potentials.
The value will be very high with dry methane for example,
and then fall rapidly as soon as there is a trace of the
heavy hydrocarbons associated with a productive source.
In practice, a very simple relationship between the
wetness and balance ratios is used to determine changing
fluid types and contact points as drilling progresses. If the
balance ratio is greater than the wetness ratio, gas is being
predicted. The closer the curves are to each other, the denser
the gas and more likely the reservoir will be productive. If
the wetness ratio is greater than the balance ratio, then oil is
predicted. If the curves are to closer each other, the lighter
the oil. The greater the separation of the curves, the heavier
the oil and more likely the reservoir is unproductive or
contains residual oil. The gas-oil contact (GOC) is therefore,
defined by the cross over points of the two curves. The oil-
water contact is typically determined when there is a sharp
increase in the wetness ratio, accompanied by a greater
proportion of heavier hydrocarbons associated with residual
oil traces.

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 APPLICATION OF CHROMATOGRAPHIC GAS RATIO ANALYSIS, CONGO BASIN 307

Fig.4. Typical mudlog showing lithology and gas plots from Well “B” (Datalog)

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308 AYONMA WILFRED MODE AND OTHERS

Table 1. Interpretation of hydrocarbons for the different wetness ratios Table 4. Gas Analysis Calculation for a Gas Peak in the Reservoir Section
of Well “A”
Wh ratio <0.5 Non-productive, non-associated dry gas,
geo-pressured methane Parameter Gas Ratio Interpretation
Wh ratio >0.5<17.5 Gas increasing in wetness as Wh increases C1/C2 4.8 Medium Gravity Oil
Wh ratio >17.5<40 Oil, increasing density(decreasing API Inverse Oil Indicator 0.1 Saturated Oil
gravity) as Wh increases
Wetness 26.1 Indicative of Oil
Wh ratio >40 Residual oil, non productive, very low
Balance 8.4 Productive Oil
gravity oil
Character 0.6 Gas Associated with Oil

Table 2. Fluid characterisation using the wetness and balance ratios

Table 5. Gas Analysis Calculation for a Gas Peak in the Reservoir Section
(Hawker, 1999)
of Well “B”
Balance Wetness Reservoir Fluid and Production
Parameter Gas Ratio Interpretation
Ratio Ratio Potential
C1/C2 8.1 Indicates Oil bearing zone
>100 Very light dry gas, typically non-associated
and non-productive, such as the occurrence Inverse Oil Indicator 0.1 Unsaturated Saturated Oil
of high pressured methane, metagenic Wetness 20.5 Indicative of Oil bearing zone
cracking below the oil window, bacterial Balance 8.4 Productive Oil zone
methane etc
Character 0.9 Indicates an Oil zone
<100 <0.5 Possible production of light, dry gas
Wh<Bh<100 0.5-17.5 Productive gas, increasing in wetness as the Table 6. Gas Analysis Calculation for a Gas Peak in the Reservoir Section
curves are closer together of Well “C”
<Wh 0.5-17.5 Productive, very wet gas or condensate or Parameter Gas Ratio Interpretation
high gravity oil with high GOR (Bh<Wh
indicates liquid, but Wh still indicates gas) C1/C2 5.8 Medium gravity Oil
<Wh 17.50-40 Productive oil with decreasing gravity as the Inverse Oil Indicator 0.1 Unsaturated Saturated Oil
curve separation increases Wetness 24.2 Indicative of Oil bearing zone
<<Wh 17.50-40 Lower production potential of low gravity, Balance 8.0 Productive Oil zone
low gas saturation oil Character 0.6 Gas associated with oil
>40 Very low gravity or residual oil.

wetness, balance and character ratios respectively (Table

At a depth of 2272 m in well A, the character ratio is 5). A wetness value of 20.5 indicates an oil bearing zone
evaluated to be 0.6, 8.4 for balance ratio and 26.1 for wetness whereas a balance ratio of 8.4 shows a productive oil zone.
ratio. A character ratio of 0.6 indicates the presence of oil A character ratio of 0.9 also points to an oil rich formation.
associated with little gas while a balance ratio of 8.4 indicates The range of the resistivity values in this region is between
productive oil. Also, a wetness value of 26.1 shows the 21 to 24 ohms, which is relatively high enough to indicate
presence of oil (Table 4). The resistivity values around this oil presence. A Pixler plot of the gas values at this depth
depth (2272 m) range from 22 to 26 ohms; which indicate shows that it is rich in oil (Fig.7).
the presence of oil. The plot on the Pixler diagram indicates Well “C” yielded a character value of 0.8, a wetness
the presence of oil associated with some gas as shown in value of 34.9 and 5.7 for the balance ratio (Table 6). All
Fig.6. these values point to an oil producing zone, which
The gas ratios obtained from the reservoir section in well corresponds with the resistivity values recorded within the
“B” at a depth of 2686 m, are 20.5, 8.4 and 0.9 for the interval. The Pixler plot for the analysed gas peak showed
that the zone is oil bearing as shown in Fig.8.
Table 3. Gas Chromatographic data for gas peaks in the reservoir sections
of the three wells studied
Well /Depth C1 C2 C3 iC4 nC4 iC5 nC5 CONCLUSIONS
(M)
This study illustrates how real time chromatographic
Well A 167459 35002 15339 2304 4486 1384 594
(2272.4 m) analysis of light hydrocarbons can provide effective fluid
Well B 9311 1151 662 122 253 83 124
characterisation as the reservoir is being penetrated. The
(2686 m) advantage of this is that reservoir fluids are analysed
Well C 96275 16658 8823 1261 537 2487 930 immediately before contamination by mud invasion which
(2394 m) can alter the characteristics of the formation fluids adjacent

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 APPLICATION OF CHROMATOGRAPHIC GAS RATIO ANALYSIS, CONGO BASIN 309

Fig.5. Typical mudlog showing lithology and gas plots from Well “C” (Datalog)

to the borehole. A comparison of the results obtained from
gas chromatographic ratios analysis, and the resistivity
values indicated the presence of oil in the reservoir. Plots of
the gas chromatographic values on the Pixler diagram also
indicated that oil is the only fluid encountered as drilling
progressed through the formations. Though these methods
cannot be conclusive, but combining them with other logging
tools data will yield more definite results.
Acknowledgements: The authors wish to acknowledge
Eni Congo for the approval and release of the data for this
study.

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JOUR.GEOL.SOC.INDIA, VOL.84, SEPT. 2014

310 AYONMA WILFRED MODE AND OTHERS

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(Received: 12 February 2013; Revised form accepted: 13 July 2013)

JOUR.GEOL.SOC.INDIA, VOL.84, SEPT. 2014