Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Inferring Hydrocarbon Migration and Sealing Potentials of Some Shales of the Anambra Basin (South-Eastern Nigeria) from Their Paragenesis and Geotechnical Index Properties

  • Original paper
  • Published:
Geotechnical and Geological Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Shale samples from designated units of the Imo, Nsukka, Mamu, Enugu and Nkporo Formations of the Anambra Basin were subjected to X-ray diffraction and geotechnical index tests to determine the potential of the Formations to either create hydrocarbon migration pathways or to form seals for hydrocarbon entrapment. The X-ray diffraction results indicate that the shales are made up of silicate minerals with carbonates and sulphates. Results of the geotechnical index tests showed that the plasticity index (PI) for the Enugu shale ranges from 16 to 24 (average of 20) while the toughness index (TI) ranges from 0.4 to 0.8 (average of 0.7). The PI for the shales of Imo and Nsukka Formations ranges from 62 to 72 and 34–59 with averages of 67 and 46 respectively while their TIs range from 0.8 to 1.7 and 1.5–2.2 with averages of 1.3 and 1.9, respectively. These properties dispose the Enugu shale to easy amenability to loss of cohesion, deforming in a brittle manner, when subjected to shearing stress with the ability to create joints and faults that are pathways of hydrocarbon migration. Conversely, the properties of the shales of the Imo and Nsukka Formations give them the capacity to absorb high shearing stress without loss of cohesion thereby deforming in a ductile manner, which prevents the leakage of fluids in fluid migration. Hence, Enugu shale has the highest potential of creating hydrocarbon pathways while the shales of the Imo and Nsukka Formations are better seal rocks than others.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Agagu OK, Ekweozor CM (1982) Source rock characteristics of Senonian shales in the Anambra syncline. J Min Geol 19:132–140

    Google Scholar 

  • Atkinson JH (1993) An introduction to the mechanics of soils and foundations: through critical state soil mechanics. McGraw-Hill Int, UK

    Google Scholar 

  • Avbovbo AA, Ayoola O (1981) Petroleum prospects of southern Nigeria’s Anambra Basin. Oil Gas J 79:334–347

    Google Scholar 

  • Bjerrum L (1954) Geotechnical properties of Norwegian marine clays. Geotechnique 4(TAI.G3):49–69

    Google Scholar 

  • Bott MHP (1976) Mechanism of basin subsidence—an introductory review. Tectonophysics 36:1–4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burke K (1972) Geological history of the Benue valley and adjacent areas. In: Proceedings of the conference on African geology. Department of Geology, Univ. of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria, December 1970, pp 187–205

  • Burmister DM (1951) Identification and classification of soils. Symposium on Identification and Classification of Soils, special technical publication No. 113, American Society for Testing Materials (TA710.A5), pp 3–24

  • Chukwu-Ike JM (1977) A crustal and lineament in North Africa—discussion. Tectonophysics 40:375–380

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ekweozor CM (1982) Petroleum geochemistry application to petroleum exploration in Nigeria’s Lower Benue trough. J Min Geol 19:122–130

    Google Scholar 

  • Ekine AS (1989) Empirical heat flow studies; geohistory analysis and hydrocarbon maturation studies in the Anambra Basin, Nigeria. PhD dissertation, University of Nigeria, Nsukka

  • Genik GJ (1993) Petroleum geology of cretaceous-tertiary basins Niger, chad and central African republic. AAPG Bull 77:1405–1434

    Google Scholar 

  • Grant NK (1971) South Atlantic, Benue trough and Gulf of Guinea triple junction. GSA Bull 8:2295–2298

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hibbard MJ (2002) Mineralogy: a geologist’s point of view. McGraw-Hill companies Inc, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • ICDD (1978) The international centre for diffraction data. ICDD Information display web. http://www.icdd.com/profile/overview.htm. Accessed 3rd Feb 2012

  • Ladipo KO (1987) A depositional framework for the Anambra Basin, Southeastern Nigeria. Bull Centres Rech Explor—Prod Elf—Aquitaine 11:166–167

    Google Scholar 

  • Means RE, Parcher JV (1963) Physical properties of soils. Charles Merill books, Columbus

    Google Scholar 

  • Murat RC (1972) Stratigraphy and paleogeography of the cretaceous and lower tertiary in Southern Nigeria. In: Dessauvagie TFJ, Whiteman AJ (eds) African geology. University of Ibadan Press, Ibadan, pp 251–276

    Google Scholar 

  • Nagy RM, Chuma MA, Rogers JJW (1976) A crustal suture and lineament in North Africa. Tectonophysics 31:67–72

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Njumbe E (1995) Seismic velocity modelling in the Anambra Basin, Southeastern Nigeria. M.Sc dissertation, University of Nigeria, Nsukka

  • Nwajide CS (2006) A guide for geological field trips to Anambra and related sedimentary basins in Southeastern Nigeria. A publication of the Petroleum Tech. Dev. Fund (PTDF) chair in Geology, Univ. of Nig. Nsukka. Great AP Express publishers Ltd, Nsukka

  • Obaje NG, Ulu OK, Petters SW (1999) Biostratigraphy and geochemical controls of the hydrocarbon prospects in the Benue Trough and the Anambra Basin, Nigeria. NAPE Bull 14:18–54

    Google Scholar 

  • Obi GC (2000) Depositional model for the Campanian-Maastrichtian Anambra Basin, Southern Nigeria. PhD dissertation, University of Nigeria, Nsukka

  • Obiora SC, Umeji AC (2004) Petrographic evidence for regional burial metamorphism of the sedimentary rocks in the lower Benue rift. J Afr Earth Sc 38:269–277

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ofoegbu CO, Odigi MI, Ebeniro JO (1990) On the tectonic evolution of the Benue Trough. In: Ofoegbu CO (ed) The Benue Trough, structure and evolution. Friedr. Vieweg. and Sohn Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, Braunschweig, Germany, pp171–201

  • Ojoh K (1990) Cretaceous geodynamics evolution of the Southern part of the Benue Trough (Nigeria) in the equatorial domain of the South Atlantic: stratigraphy, basin analysis and paleogeography. Bull Centres Resh Explor—Prod EIF—Aquitaine 14:419–442

    Google Scholar 

  • Okoro AU (1995) Petrology and depositional history of sandstone facies of the Nkporo formation in the Leru area of southeastern Nigeria. Nig J Min Geol 32:105–112

    Google Scholar 

  • Olade MA (1975) Evolution of Nigeria’s Benue Trough (Aulacogen)—a tectonic model. Geol Mag 112:575–580

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Onuoha KM (2006) A closer look at the petroleum potentials of the Anambra Basin: inputs from geophysics and geohistory. In: Okogbue CO (ed) Hydrocarbon potentials of the Anambra Basin: geology, geochemistry and geohistory perspectives. Great AP Express publishers Ltd, Nsukka, pp 47–82

    Google Scholar 

  • Onuoha KM, Ekine AS (1990) Pitfalls in the reconstruction of thermal histories and evaluation of maturation stages of oil and gas bearing strata. Nig Ass Pet Explor Bull 5(1):88–102

    Google Scholar 

  • Petters SW (1978) Mid-cretaceous paleoenvironments and biostratigraphy of the Benue Trough, Nigeria. Geol Soc Am Bull 89:151–154

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Punmia BC, Ashok KJ, Arun KJ (2005) Soil mechanics and foundations. Laxmi Publications Ltd, Daryaganj

    Google Scholar 

  • Reyment RA (1965) Aspects of the geology of Nigeria. Ibadan University Press, Ibadan

    Google Scholar 

  • Shroff AV, Shah DL (2003) Soil mechanics and geotechnical engineering. Taylor and Francis, UK

    Google Scholar 

  • Skempton AW (1944) Notes on the compressibility of clays. Quart J Geol Soc Lond 100(QE1.G345):119–135

    Google Scholar 

  • Stroud MA (1974) The standard penetration test in insensitive clays and soft rock. In: Proceeding of the 1st European symposium on penetration testing, Stockholm, Sweden, vol 2, issue no 2, pp 367–375

  • Unified Soil Classification System (1952) In: Bell FG (ed) Engineering geology, 2nd edn. Butterworth-Heinemann (Elsevier Ltd), Jordan Hill, pp 201–210

  • Varghese PC (2005) Foundation engineering. Prentice-hall, Englewood

    Google Scholar 

  • Velde B, El Moutaoukkil N, Iijima A (1988) Compositional homogeneity in low temperature chlorite. Contributions to mineralogy and petrology. In: Price GD, Ross NL (eds) The stability of minerals. Chapman and Hall Companies Inc, London, pp 329–346

    Google Scholar 

  • Whiteman AJ (1982) Nigeria: its petroleum geology resources and potential. Graham and Totman, London

    Book  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This paper is part of ongoing studies on the hydrocarbon potentials of the Anambra Basin. The authors are grateful to Mr. Ogundare of Engineering Materials Development Centre, Akure, Ondo state, Nigeria for his assistance in the mineralogical analysis of shale samples and to the staff of soil mechanics laboratory, Department of civil engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka for the geotechnical index properties analyses.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria

    Celestine O. Okogbue & Tochukwu S. Ugwoke

Authors
  1. Celestine O. Okogbue
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Tochukwu S. Ugwoke
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Celestine O. Okogbue.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Okogbue, C.O., Ugwoke, T.S. Inferring Hydrocarbon Migration and Sealing Potentials of Some Shales of the Anambra Basin (South-Eastern Nigeria) from Their Paragenesis and Geotechnical Index Properties. Geotech Geol Eng 30, 1249–1260 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-012-9538-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-012-9538-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation