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Implication of structural style in hydrocarbon accumulation pattern -
a case study from Panidihing area, North Assam Shelf

Narendra K. Verma*, Dr. R. Prasad and Dr. S.K. Singh

A&AA Basin, ONGC, Jorhat; *Email: narendrakverma@gmail.com

Abstract
The Panidihing area constitutes the northern-most part of Sivsagar District PEL of North Assam Shelf
block. Five exploratory wells have been drilled in the area and presence of hydrocarbons has been
established in Eocene sediments. An integrated analysis of available 3D seismic and drilled well data
has been carried out to understand tectonic framework and their control on the hydrocarbon
accumulation pattern.

The structural model offered in the paper is contrary to the general view held for Panidihing area
which is considered to have evolved as primarily controlled by vertical block faulting under extensional
regime. The new structural model provides better explanation to the hydrocarbon accumulation
pattern as well as better understanding of structural evolution of the area in line with regional
geological set up. It is expected to offer valuable input for future exploration strategy in the area.

Introduction
Assam shelf is a prime petroliferous block of Assam and Assam-Arakan Basin (Fig.1). It is located
between the eastern Himalayan foothills and the Assam-Arakan thrust belt .The geologic province is
bound by the Brahmaputra river valley in the north and west and by Indo-Burmese ranges-Central
Burma Basin towards east. Present study focuses on Panidihing structure situated in the NW part of
the North Assam Shelf. An integrated analysis of available 3D seismic and drilled well data has been
carried out to understand tectonic framework and their control on the hydrocarbon accumulation
pattern. The top of six stratigraphic levels namely TS-2, LCM, BCS, Sylhet, Tura and Basement
encountered in the oil well of the area have been calibrated on 3D seismic data and Time structure
and depth maps have been prepared.

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The Panidihing area constitute the northern-most part of Sivsagar District PEL of North Assam Shelf
block wherein five exploratory wells have been drilled so far with commercial presence of
hydrocarbons established in Eocene sediments (Sylhet and Tura formations). The accumulation of
hydrocarbons in Tura sediments has also been proven in the adjacent Lakwa field towards south-
east. In the adjoining PEL of Oil India Ltd. in the northeast, Tura Formation is major producer. The
present work emphasizes on the various structural elements mapped at Tura and Sylhet levels, which
are inferred to be the potential exploration targets.

Regional geological setting

The major structural trend of the basin is represented by northeast-southwest fault system running
sub parallel to the strike of Himalayan and Arakan folding. This system of faults dissects the Assam
foreland into a series of step like blocks imparting a southeasterly basin slope throughout Tertiary.
The other dominant structural trend, transverse to the former, strikes northwest southeast and further
divides the basin into numerous blocks. During Quaternary, the basin experienced a northwestward
tilt and extended contiguously into the Himalayan foredeep towards north. In the north of Dauki-Naga
faults, the basin is tectonically differentiated into plunging linear ridges and depressions, oriented in
NE-SW directions (ONGC Report, 2005, Singh et al 2006 & Vasudevan and Palakshi, 2000 ) .

The subsurface stratigraphic succession is of Cenozoic age (Fig.1). Basal sedimentary sequence
starts with the Tura Sandstone (Basal sandstone) Formation of Paleocene to Early Eocene age
deposited nonconformably over a granitic and metamorphic basement. The top of the unit is
demarcated by thick shale separating the overlying calcareous unit (Sylhet formation). A
predominantly argillaceous Kopili Formation overlies Sylhet Formation conformably. Towards the top
the overlying the Barail Group is separated from the Neogene sequence by a basin wide
unconformity. Neogene section is represented by arenaceous Tipam Group, which is unconformably
overlain by Moran Group of Plio-Pleistocene age.

In Panidihing area, hydrocarbons at Tura level have been established in shallow levels in the range
from 4200-4300m. Further south-east in Lakwa field which forms structurally contiguous area,
hydrocarbon occurrence has been established in depth range from 4500 m to 4700 m. The
schematic-geological section (Fig. 2) shows series of rotated blocks dispositioned in cascading
manner from northwest highest structural level to the south-eastern lowest structural levels. Tura
sands are widespread in the area with nearly uniform thickness (Fig. 3) implying primarily the post
depositional faulting responsible for the present day structural fabric. The Integration of testing results
indicates that only the top most litho-unit with in Tura is hydrocarbon bearing. No hydrocarbon
indications have been noticed so far in the lower litho unit of Tura, which directly overlies the
basement comprising of coarse, grained to gritty micaceous / feldspathic sandstones and thin sandy
clay stone and grey shales. This is in contrast to Oil India PEL in the north-east where gravitational
segregation of hydrocarbon is evident with lower units charging as well. The possible reason for the
same could be due to quantum of charge not being enough to fill the trap full.

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Structural style – it’s genetic evolution
Several structural culminations with two distinctive sets of faults viz. ENE-WSW to E-W and NE-SW to
NNE-SSW are evident on TWT / Depth maps from Basement up to LCM levels (Fig. 4-6) have
bearing on hydrocarbon accumulation in the area. Most of these faults continue even at TS-2 level
and prominent structural low and high trends are bound by an array of cascading curvilinear faults.

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The structural trend at basement /through Sylhet level appears to be governed by curvilinear fault
geometries with linear ridges and lows along the mapable fault trajectories. These fault bounded
linear ridges have always yielded hydrocarbons in its structural culmination in the area. The only well
(in the northern extreme) that has gone bone dry was drilled in the structurally unfavorable part (Well
no. 5, Fig. 4).

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Mapping at BCS-LCM-TS-2 levels indicate arrays of structural culminations develop in NE-SW
alignment with increased prominence at successively younger stratigraphic levels. There is a
systematic transition in vertico-lateral generation of these structures along with swing in their
alignment from ENE to NE & NNE trend at successively shallower levels. In vertical section their
amplitude reduces upwards but spatially these enlarge with overlapping margins at shallowest levels.
The characteristic behaviour of these structures show strong genetic affinities to strike-slip related
micro-flower structures. The curvilinear binding faults and swinging structural alignment further
substantiate their origin under compressional strike-slip combination regime with development of
incipient positive flower structural arrays (Fig. 7). Regionally, the genesis of these can be linked to the
oblique propagation of Naga Thrust front over the Assam Shelf area which is manifested in terms of
large structural culminations like Geleki, Lakwa, Rudrasagar, Charali Changmaigaon with late stage
inversion phenomenon well established in the area.

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Hydrocarbon accumulation pattern
Several workers have discussed about existence of twin “Total Petroleum System” (TPS) in Sylhet-
Kopili / Barail–Tipam in Assam shelf (Wandrey, 2004). What is important is their accumulation pattern,
which appears to be directly linked to the structural style of the area. Eocene oil peak generation is
considered as Mid Pliocene when it migrated to the already available early inversion structures and
was perhaps not much affected by late inversion (around Upper Pliocene ) except at places where
vertical conduit in terms of faults were available. However the Oligocene oil was completely
redistributed and in the Frontal Thrust zone it is observed that this oil has migrated to younger
reservoirs like TS I, TS II and TS III in Lakwa Sandstone. Occasionally mixing of both the oil is
observed as in case of TS-IV, TS-V and TS-VI reservoirs of Geleki Sandstone in Lakwa – Lakhmani
structure.

Near source to limited lateral migration has been envisaged in the Panidihing area. The variation of oil
character is attributed to near sourcing from different source pods. The importance of structural style
marked by rotated fault blocks bound by curvilinear fault geometry in controlling the accumulation
pattern has been brought out above. In study area Eocene pays have been proven however “yet to be
explored” Tipam reservoirs could be future targets in the light of the several culminations mapped by
the present work.

Conclusion
The structural model offered in the paper is contrary to the general view held for Panidihing area
which is considered to have evolved as primarily controlled by vertical block faulting under extensional
regime. Further structures like Panidihing which are away from Frontal Belt , appear to be genetically
similar to structural styles of well known Geleki & Lakwa fields situated in the vicinity of Frontal belt as
they mimic the similar E-W structural Trends at basement and NE-SW trend at shallow levels. The
latter has futuristic value for hydrocarbon exploration as such these are to yet to be accurately
mapped and explored in many areas .The new structural model offers better explanation for the
hydrocarbon accumulation pattern as well as better understanding of structural evolution of the area in
line with regional geological set up.

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Acknoledgements
Authors wish to thank Sri D.K. Pande, Director (Exploration) ONGC and Sri J.S. Sekhon, GM-Basin
Manager, A & A A Basin for permitting the presentation and publication of this paper. Views expressed
herein are of the authors and not necessarily of the organization they represent.

References
ONGC Report, 2005: Information Docket on Assam-Assam Arakan Basin, March 2005: C Unpub.
Report
Singh, H. J., Singh, R.K., Akhtar, M. S., Baveja, A and Dattatrya, K, 2006: Deeper Eocene projects
revisited in time & space – a case study from North Assam Shelf. 6th Intl. conf & exp. On Petroleum
Geophysics” Kolkata 2006” pp 687-693.
Vasudevan, K and Palakshi ; 1997 : Two Phase Inversion Tectonics Related Petroleum System
Model for Assam Shelf . ONGC Unpub. Report.
Wandrey, C.J. 2004: Sylhet-Kopili / Barail-Tipam Composite Total Petroleum System, Assam
Geologic Province, India. U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 2208-D. pp .1-19

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