GeoArabia, Vol. 2, No.

3, 1997 Unayzah Stratigraphic Trap, Saudi Arabia

Gulf PetroLink, Bahrain

Stratigraphic Trap in the Permian Unayzah Formation,

Central Saudi Arabia
Daniel S. Evans, Bassam H. Bahabri and Ahmed M. Al-Otaibi
Saudi Arabian Oil Company

ABSTRACT

The recent discovery in Central Saudi Arabia of Arabian Super Light oil in 'Usaylah-1 confirms
stratigraphic trap potential of the Permian Unayzah Formation. The trap is an updip pinch-out of an
upper Unayzah sandstone along the eastern flank of the north-south trending Hawtah anticline. The
seal is the basal shales and siltstones of the Khuff and Unayzah formations and the source rock is the
Lower Silurian Qusaiba Shale. The well encountered an oil column of 31 feet in an upper Unayzah
eolian dune facies. The areal distribution of the prospect was mapped with a 3-D seismic survey.
Seismic horizon slices and relative amplitude maps at the target reflection clearly delineate the trap.
The oil-productive Unayzah sandstone is imaged as a high-amplitude reflection in an isolated area of
approximately 8 square kilometers. Seismic isochron maps are proving effective in focusing future
exploration to areas of similar stratigraphic trap potential in the region.

INTRODUCTION

Since 1989, eighteen oil and gas fields have been discovered in Central Saudi Arabia. In contrast to the
major producing Jurassic and Permian carbonate reservoirs of Eastern Saudi Arabia, the reservoirs in
Central Arabia are Paleozoic clastics; primarily the sandstones of the Permian Unayzah Formation.
The Unayzah sandstone reservoir is laterally discontinuous and consists of a variety of continental,
braid-plain facies.

The fields in Central Arabia are located along two prominent structural trends: the Hawtah and
Nuayyim trends (Figure 1). Of the 18 fields discovered in the region, 16 are four-way anticlinal closures,
many of which have a stratigraphic component, and two are stratigraphic traps. The stratigraphic
trap potential in the region was postulated because the mapped vertical closure in many fields is
insufficient to account for the observed hydrocarbon column.

This paper describes the first purely stratigraphic trap discovered in Central Arabia, 'Usaylah field,
located 175 kilometers (km) south of Riyadh (Figure 1). 'Usaylah is the 14th oil and gas field discovered
in Central Arabia. The discovery well 'Usaylah-1 tested 49.4° API from the upper part of the Unayzah
Formation. The oil column is 31 feet (ft) thick.

In contrast to the structural traps which were mapped with a conventional 2-D seismic grid, the 'Usaylah
prospect was mapped from a 3-D seismic survey. This discovery demonstrates another successful
application of 3-D seismic in Saudi Arabia (Al-Hauwaj et al, 1993; Saudi Aramco, 1994; Husseini and
Chimblo, 1995; Hastings-James and Al-Yahya, 1996).

STRATIGRAPHY

The Unayzah Formation is a complex succession of continental clastics consisting of braid-plain and
eolian sands and floodplain silts. The Unayzah Formation rests unconformably on the Qusaiba Shale
of Lower Silurian age and is overlain by the Late Permian Khuff Formation. The lowermost part of the
Unayzah consists generally of debris flow gravels and coarse clastics which infill the Hercynian erosional
unconformity on the underlying Qusaiba Shale (Senalp and Al-Duaiji, 1995). The Unayzah fines-
upward into more distal, braided-stream longitudinal bars and channel-fill sandstones and floodplain
siltstones.

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STRUCTURAL
Dilam CREST

HAWTAH NUAYYIM Abu Shidad

TREND TREND
Shiblah
Abu Rakiz
Raghib

Hilwah Mulayh

Abu Markhah

Khuzama

Burmah

Nisalah Nuayyim

Hawtah

Hazmiyah

Ghinah Study
Riyadh

Area
Umm Jurf

Layla Figure 3: Schematic

'Usaylah cross-section

0 25

Km

Figure 1: Location map shows the Hawtah and Nuayyim structural trends in Central Saudi Arabia.

A marked unconformity (Pre-Khuff Unconformity) separates the Unayzah Formation from the
overlying basal Khuff clastics which consist of marine to marginal marine shales and incised channel-
fill sandstones (Senalp and Al-Duaiji, 1995). The stratigraphic succession is shown on the log of the
discovery well (Figure 2).

The source rock for the Central Arabian oil and gas fields is the Qusaiba Shale, deposited during the
Early Silurian sea level rise following the deglaciation of Gondwana (Mahmoud et al., 1992; McGillivray
and Husseini, 1992). The oil discovered at 'Usaylah-1 is typical of Qusaiba-sourced oil with a low
sulfur content and high gravity.

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AGE FM 0
GAMMA RAY (API) 100 45% POROSITY 0%

2.0 3.0
DENSITY
gm/cm3

4,100 –
LATE PERMIAN

KHUFF

Shallow Marine

4,200 –

Marginal
Marine
DEPTH (Feet Subsea)

4,300 – 20-35°
Eolian Pre-Khuff
CORE
Unconformity
EARLY - LATE PERMIAN

Braid Plain

4,400 – Density Porosity

UNAYZAH

10-25° CORE
Channel

Braid Plain
4,500 –

Wadi Fill

4,600 –

Pre-Unayzah
SILURIAN

Unconformity
QALIBAH

QUSAIBA Marine
Shale Member

Total Depth 6,645 Feet

Subsea Depth -4,725 Feet
Figure 2: The 'Usaylah-1 well log illustrates the stratigraphic succession and depositional
environments with tested and cored intervals.

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STRUCTURE

Hawtah and Nuayyim Trends

The Hawtah and Nuayyim structural trends were recognized early in Saudi Aramco’s exploration
program when over 1,500 kilometers (km) of 2-D seismic data was acquired to evaluate the area.
Following the initial discoveries in 1989 and 1990, over 1,500 square kilometers (sq km) of 3-D seismic
data was acquired to better image the laterally discontinuous channelized Unayzah reservoir and
resolve the structural complexities in the field areas.

Figure 3 is a schematic cross-section which shows the Hawtah structural trend and illustrates the
generalized stratigraphic section in the study area. Prominent, high-angle reverse faulting is apparent
in the older Paleozoic section, which does not cut above the Unayzah Formation in the study area.
More gentle drape folds occur in the shallower Mesozoic. The 'Usaylah-1 discovery is shown on the
east flank of the Hawtah Trend.

Figure 4 is the top Unayzah depth map in the study area. The Ghinah, Umm Jurf and Layla fields are
all dominantly structural traps, with a stratigraphic component on the south part of the Umm Jurf
field.

West East
HAWTAH TREND 'Usaylah-1

Arab CRETACEOUS

Dhruma

JURASSIC
0 Marrat

Minjur
ELEVATION (Feet)

Jilh

Pre-Khuff Sudair TRIASSIC

Unconformity
Khuff
Stratigraphic
Trap
PERM.

Qusaiba Shale
-5,000 Unayzah
Ordovician
Sandstone Pre-Unayzah
Unconformity
SILURIAN

Basement

Siliciclastics Dolomite

Limestone Shale
-10,000

Figure 3: West-East schematic cross-section showing generalized structure and stratigraphy at

the 'Usaylah-1 discovery. See Figure 1 for location of section.

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Contour Interval
25 feet

STRUCTURAL
CREST

GHINAH
FIELD

-4,000
0 4

Km

UMM JURF
FIELD
-3,750

-3
,5
00
0
00
,
-4

'USALYAH-1
LAYLA
50

FIELD
00

-4,750
-4,2

-4,5

3-D SEISMIC
-3,250

Figure 4: Depth structure map of the Unayzah Formation showing the location of the 'Usaylah-1
discovery on the southeast flank of the Umm Jurf field.

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Growth History
Following a period of relative quiescence during deposition of Lower Paleozoic Ordovician sandstones
and the overlying Lower Silurian Qusaiba Shale, major structural growth occurred during the Late
Devonian to Carboniferous Hercynian Orogeny (Husseini, 1991).

During this period of deformation, high-angle reverse faulting occurred in Central Saudi Arabia
paralleling and overlying pre-existing zones of weakness established during accretion of the Arabian
Plate in the Precambrian (Simms, 1995). The Late Carboniferous orogeny established both the Hawtah
and Nuayyim structural trends along these deep-seated crustal lineaments.

Following a period of erosion marked by the Pre-Unayzah Unconformity, the Early to Late Permian
continental Unayzah Formation infilled the erosional topography with its source to the west. Although
major Hercynian-age structural growth had ceased prior to deposition of the Unayzah, structural
deformation continued throughout deposition of the Unayzah and prior to the major marine 'Khuff'
transgression. This later growth is clearly reflected by both erosion of Unayzah section at the Pre-
Khuff Unconformity and non-deposition on paleo-structural highs along the Hawtah Trend.

Evidence for contemporaneous growth during Unayzah deposition is expressed by the expansion or
thickening of correlatable intervals throughout the Unayzah Formation interval in both the paleo-
structural lows off the paleo-highs and on the ‘downthrown’ sides of major faults. The sandstone/
siltstone ratio within these intervals typically increases from ‘paleo-structural’ high wells to ‘paleo-
structural’ low wells. Further evidence for growth during deposition of the Unayzah is clearly seen in
3-D seismic horizon slices where thicker, sand-rich meandering braid-channels are imaged flowing
around the paleo-highs and confined to the paleo-lows.

More subtle structural growth continued throughout deposition of the Late Permian carbonates of the
Khuff Formation, the reservoir seal in Central Saudi Arabia. This growth is clearly reflected in the
Khuff Formation seismic isochron map, where isochron thins directly overlie the axes of earlier structural
highs which are reflected in older Paleozoic isochron maps.

More pronounced growth resumed along the same, pre-existing structural highs during deposition of
the Traissic Sudair Formation and the overlying Jilh dolomite. This reactivation occurred during periods
of rifting and subduction along the Arabian Plate boundaries associated with Tethys spreading (Simms,
1995). Again, this later growth is clearly evident on the Jilh to Khuff seismic isochron map where
Triassic paleo-structural highs (isochron thins) directly overlie earlier structural highs.

Late-stage, Tertiary regional tilting to the east shifted the axes of these paleo-structural highs to the
west so that present-day structural axes along both the Hawtah and Nuayyim trends are west of the
paleo-structural highs.

STRATIGRAPHIC TRAP PLAY CONCEPT

Stratigraphic Traps in Central Arabia

Three types of stratigraphic traps have been identified along the Hawtah and Nuayyim structural
trends: (1) isolated reservoir sands that pinch-out updip to the west, forming stratigraphic traps along
the east flank of the Hawtah and Nuayyim trends; (2) truncation traps of upper Unayzah sandstones
below the regional Pre-Khuff Unconformity; and (3) combination structural-stratigraphic traps where
reservoir sand facies pinch-out across structural highs.

'Usaylah field is an example of the first type of stratigraphic trap where the productive upper Unayzah
sandstone is totally encased in surrounding impermeable shales and siltstones. The south part of the
Umm Jurf field, northwest of 'Usaylah, is an example of the second and third types where sands are
both truncated below the Pre-Khuff Unconformity and pinch-out across the Umm Jurf structural high.

In all three potential stratigraphic traps, hydrocarbon was sourced from the Lower Silurian Qusaiba
shale to the east and migrated updip to the west where both structural and stratigraphic accumulations
occur along the Hawtah and Nuayyim trends.

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Stratigraphic trap potential is believed to occur in both the laterally discontinuous Unayzah Formation
as well as the marginal marine clastics of the Khuff Formation. Geochemical fingerprinting of oils
recovered from Khuff Formation clastics at the Nuayyim field indicate a likely stratigraphic trap in
that area (M.I. Halpern and M.H. Tobey, personal communication, 1996). In contrast, stratigraphic
trap accumulations have been found only in Unayzah Formation clastics along the Hawtah Trend.

West East
WELL-E WELL-D WELL-C WELL-B 'USAYLAH-1
3,000

GAMMA
RAY
KHUFF
SANDSTONE
Pre-Khuff
Unconformity KHUFF WELL-A

3,500
DEPTH (Feet Subsea)

KHUFF-D
ANHYDRITE
Pre-Unayzah
Unconformity

4,000
UNAYZAH

QUSAIBA SHALE

4,500

Ghinah

Umm Jurf
C
D
1 'Usaylah
B Oil Zone
E A
Layla 0 10 Sandstone
Km Siltstone
5,000
Figure 5: Structural cross-section shows the updip pinchout of the upper Unayzah sandstone.

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Risks

Risks associated with stratigraphic trap plays are substantially higher than purely structural traps,
and the stratigraphic trap play along the Hawtah and Nuayyim trends is no exception. Indeed, most
four-way structural closures in Central Arabia had been drilled prior to drilling 'Usaylah-1.

The principal risks encountered in Central Arabia include: (1) the stratigraphic complexity of the
Unayzah reservoir; and (2) the inability to consistently resolve stratigraphic trap geometry because of
limits in seismic resolution. For example, a sand may ‘appear’ to pinch-out on seismic data, yet continue
updip as a thin stringer and provide leakage of hydrocarbon to adjoining permeable sands. Minor
faults of 30 to 40 feet may go undetected by the interpreter yet allow leakage from a target sand to an
adjoining, thin sand juxtaposed updip across the fault. A breach in the trap can easily occur. Seismic
tuning effects can also mislead the interpreter in mapping sandstone boundaries.

Although the risks are substantial, the shallow depths to the primary objective Unayzah reservoir
(6,000-7,000 ft in the Hawtah Trend and 9,000-10,000 ft in the Nuayyim Trend) and the fact that
production facilities are largely in place make this a viable economic play in Central Arabia. The
continued use of 3-D seismic data and mapping paleo-structure as a predictive tool in recognizing
stratigraphic potential are techniques emphasized in this paper that should lower risks further in this
play.

West East

WELL-E WELL-D WELL-C WELL-B 'USAYLAH-1 WELL-A

KHUFF-D KHUFF
ANHYDRITE

Pre-Khuff
KHUFF Unconformity
SANDSTONE EOLIAN
SANDSTONE

SILTY
UNAYZAH SANDSTONE
LOWER
UNAYZAH

Ghinah
Pre-Unayzah
QUSAIBA SHALE
Umm Jurf Unconformity
C
D
200 Ft 1 'Usaylah
B
E A Sandstone
Layla 0 10
Siltstone
Km

Figure 6: Stratigraphic cross-section illustrates the lateral discontinuity of Unayzah sand

in the study area.

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'USAYLAH FIELD DISCOVERY

The 'Usaylah-1 wildcat tested a stratigraphic trap or updip pinch-out of an upper Unayzah sandstone
along the east flank of the Umm Jurf field (Figure 5). Drilled as a deviated hole because of land-
surface problems, the well encountered three sandstones within the Unayzah Formation and confirmed
the 3-D seismic interpretation done prior to drilling this well. The oil reservoir in 'Usaylah-1 is an
eolian sandstone consisting of both dune and interdune facies. Reservoir quality is good with an oil
column of 31 ft. Slump and dewatering structures were observed in a core cut in the middle sand at
'Usaylah-1 which may indicate gravity sliding on channel margins during deposition (A. Al Duaiji, J.
Cocker and J. Filatoff, unpublished Saudi Aramco report, 1996). Figure 6 is a stratigraphic cross-
section flattened on a regional stratigraphic marker, the Khuff-D anhydrite, which shows the oil-
productive, upper Unayzah sandstone pinching-out to the west.

3-D Seismic Interpretation

Horizon slices from 3-D seismic data illustrate the stratigraphic complexity of the upper Unayzah
interval in the 'Usaylah field area. Figure 7 is a horizon slice 12 milliseconds (ms) below the top of the

'
N B
UP

'USAYLAH-1
W
DO

A
EOLIAN
SAND

WELL B A'
CE
RA

CH
TT

AN

+
UL

NE
FA

AMPLITUDE
AX
IS
B

0 1

Km

Figure 7: Horizon slice of the productive upper Unayzah sandstone demonstrates the
compartmentalized eolian dune sand that formed the stratigraphic trap at 'Usaylah-1. Refer to
Figures 8 and 9 for seismic traverses A-A' and B-B'.

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West WELL B 'USAYLAH-1 East

A A'
+

AMPLITUDE
0.7
TIME (sec)

Top Khuff

KHUFF
0.8
KHUFF

CHANNEL

EOLIAN SS
Top Unayzah
0.9
Pre-Unayzah QUSAIBA
Unconformity Pre-Unayzah
Unconformity
0 1 Total Depth QUSAIBA
Total Depth
6,803 Feet 6,645 Feet
Km

Figure 8: Seismic traverse A-A' (dip-line) shows the high amplitude eolian sandstone in the discovery
well and the braid-plain channel to the west.

South North
WELL B 'USAYLAH-1
B B'

0.7

Top Khuff

0.8 KHUFF
KHUFF
TIME (sec)

EOLIAN
SS

Top Unayzah
0.9
CHANNEL
Pre-Unayzah
Pre-Unayzah Unconformity
Unconformity +
Total Depth
6,645 Feet
QUSAIBA Total Depth
AMPLITUDE

6,803 Feet
1.0 QUSAIBA

0 1
Km
2
Figure 9: Seismic traverse B-B' (strike-line) clearly shows the channel axis to the south of the discovery
well. Well-B, a dry hole, is interpreted to be hydraulically separate from 'Usaylah-1 and penetrated
a potentially trapping sand breached by a small fault.

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Unayzah Formation seismic event. The high-amplitude, oil-productive dune sand (blue) is clearly
imaged at the 'Usaylah-1 location. To the south, a meandering braid-plain channel is evident cutting
across the area from northwest to southeast. The overbank silts and clays associated with this channel
system effectively compartmentalized the eolian sands to the east and formed the stratigraphic-trap at
'Usaylah-1.

Seismic traverses A-A’ (dip-line, Figure 8) and B-B’ (strike-line, Figure 9) show the productive eolian
sandstone (blue, positive amplitude) at the 'Usaylah-1 discovery and the channel axis to the west. An
offsetting dry-hole (Well B), drilled 2 km southwest and structurally high to the discovery well,
encountered well-developed, stacked channel sandstones which are hydraulically separate from the
oil-productive eolian sandstone in the discovery well. This well was drilled on a trap postulated to be
a truncation of upper Unayzah sandstone below the Pre-Khuff Unconformity.

Well B was likely dry because the targeted upper Unayzah sandstone appears to be cut by a down-to-
the-east fault that juxtaposed the upper sand against a stratigraphically lower sand to the west. A trap
breach therefore could have occurred. Another explanation is that oil has moved further updip within

+
AMPLITUDE

'USAYLAH-1

WELL B EOLIAN SS.

UPDIP LIMIT
OF SANDSTONE

WELL A

BRAID
00

CHANNEL
-3,500
-3,4

-3,600

LIMIT OF
-3,700
-3,800

3-D SURVEY
00
-3,9

-4,100

-4,200

00
,3
-4

0
-4,40

-4,50

Oil Producer
0 2 Water Injector
Dryhole
Km

Figure 10: Seismic amplitude map of the upper Unayzah sandstone superimposed on the Unayzah
depth map showing the stratigraphic trap at 'Usaylah-1.

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the channel sand penetrated by Well B where erosion was incomplete. This explanation seems less
likely because the channel sand is so limited areally that any oil accumulation that occurred updip
should also have extended downdip to Well B.

Figure 10 shows a horizon slice of the upper Unayzah interval superimposed on the top Unayzah
depth map. Different colors are used in this display to highlight the lateral discontinuities of facies
within the upper Unayzah section. The oil-productive eolian sandstone at the 'Usaylah-1 discovery is
shown in red. The updip, westward limit of the targeted upper Unayzah interval coincides with
structural drape over the down-to-the-east fault that flanks the Umm Jurf field. The lack of upper
Unayzah sandstone west of this updip pinch-out is likely caused by both non-deposition and erosion
as structural growth resumed during upper Unayzah deposition.

To the southwest of the eolian sandstone in 'Usaylah-1, braid-channel meander belts are imaged cutting
across the area from northwest to southeast immediately east of the steep dip (drape) over the major
down-to-the-east fault trace. Potentially productive, stratigraphic traps, (red, positive amplitudes) on
the lower-left part of this figure could extend to the south. Additional 3-D seismic data is being acquired
to further evaluate the area.

Figure 11 is a depositional model for the Unayzah Formation in the 'Usaylah field area which
schematically illustrates depositional features apparent on the horizon slices. The 'Usaylah-1 well and
the offsetting dry hole (Well B) are both shown on the schematic.

WELL-B 'Usaylah-1

NORTH

Sand
Braid Dunes
Plain
Braid
Channel

Z AH L
UN
AY FIL
DI
WA
QU
S AIB
Sand A
Silt Pre-Unayzah 0 2
Shale Unconformity
Km

Figure 11: A schematic block diagram illustrating the Unayzah Formation depositional
model in the study area.

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FUTURE STRATIGRAPHIC-TRAP POTENTIAL IN CENTRAL ARABIA

Mapping the structural growth history of the Hawtah Trend using seismic isochron maps provides a
predictive tool in recognizing additional stratigraphic-trap potential in Central Arabia. Except for
late-stage Tertiary regional tilting to the east, different periods of structural deformation from the Late
Paleozoic to the Mesozoic were focused along the same structural trends.

Because the base of the primary objective Unayzah Formation is an erosional unconformity, which is
very difficult to image seismically, mapping Unayzah Formation thickness variations using seismic
data alone is usually not possible. Integrating well control with the seismic data has limited use when
predicting Unayzah sand distribution on the flanks of the structural highs because well control is
limited to structural highs where most wells have been drilled.

Seismic isochron maps of the shallower Late Permian Khuff Formation (Figure 12) and the Triassic Jilh
Formation to Khuff Formation (Figure 13) interval were generated where seismic events are much
stronger. These isochron maps were used to show structural growth, i.e., paleo-highs and paleo-lows,
from Late Permian to Triassic time. Realizing that structural growth along these same structural trends
was active during earlier Unayzah deposition, the interpreter can predict areas of stratigraphic-trap
potential within geologically older Unayzah section using isochron maps of the younger events.

The areas of better stratigraphic-trap potential are in the paleo-lows on the east flanks of the paleo-
highs where 'untruncated' Unayzah section is likely to be preserved. These paleo-lows also are sand
depocenters where isolated, potentially thicker oil-productive sand bodies are likely to occur. The
eolian sand at the 'Usaylah field discovery is an example.

East-Flank of Ghinah Field

Paleo-structural trends were used to predict stratigraphic-trap potential on the east flank of the Ghinah
Field, 20 km north of the 'Usaylah field. Figure 3 shows the present-day structural crest of the reservoir
objective Unayzah Formation in black. Figures 12 and 13 are the seismic isochron maps of the Khuff
Formation (Late Permian) and the Jilh Formation to Khuff Formation (Late Permian to Triassic),
respectively. The paleo-structural axes of both of these isochron maps are coincident and are shown
in blue on these figures.

Figure 14 is a horizon slice 12 ms below the top Unayzah Formation extending from the 'Usaylah field
in the south to the Ghinah field in the north. Figure 15 is an enlargement of this display in the Ghinah
field area. The horizon slice shows both the westward pinch-out of the upper Unayzah sandstone
section as well as the lateral distribution of sands within the interval. The seismic amplitude character
and the stratigraphic position indicate that these sands are likely eolian dune and braid-plain channel
sands.

Superimposed on the horizon slice are the present-day structural axis (black) of the top Unayzah
Formation as well as the paleo-structural axis (blue) of the Jilh Formation to base Khuff Formation
events. Significantly, the present-day structural axis has shifted about 5 km to the west of the paleo-
structural highs due to late-stage Tertiary regional tilting to the east.

Because of the shift in the structural axis to the west, the present-day structural axis does not reflect
nor ‘predict’ areas of stratigraphic-trap potential nearly as well as the isochron thin or paleo-structural
high.

The upper Unayzah sand pinch-out (positive, red amplitudes) is best developed immediately east of
the axis of the paleo-high.

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GHINAH
PRESENT DAY
N FIELD
STRUCTURAL
CREST

ISOCHRON THIN
(PALEO-HIGH)

Thin

Thick
140

130
UMM JURF
FIELD

3-D SEISMIC

'USALYAH-1
LAYLA
FIELD
0
14

Contour Interval
5 Milliseconds

0 4

Km

Figure 12: Seismic isochron map of the top Khuff Formation to top Unayzah Formation interval
showing Permian paleo-structural trends.

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PRESENT DAY
STRUCTURAL N GHINAH
CREST FIELD

ISOCHRON THIN
(PALEO-HIGH)

Thin

5
27

250

275
Thick

UMM JURF
FIELD
3-D SEISMIC
275

'USALYAH-1
LAYLA
FIELD
250

Contour Interval
5 Milliseconds

0 4

Km

Figure 13: Seismic isochron map of the top Jilh Formation to top Khuff Formation showing
Triassic paleostructural highs. Note coincidence with earlier Permian trends.

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Limit of
N 3-D Seismic
Survey

PRESENT DAY
STRUCTURAL
R SAND
CREST UPPE
Updip
GHINAH
(western)
PALEO-HIGH FIELD
Limit of
Upper Sand
AMPLITUDE C
Positive

C'
Negative
Stratigraphic
LE
MIDD D Trap
SA N Potential
G

LAYLA
IN
SS

FIELD
MI
DS
SAN
LE
DD
MI

'USAYLAH-1
D
AN
PER
UP

Limit of 0 4
Eolian 3-D Seismic
Sands? Survey Km

Figure 14: Horizon slice showing seismic amplitudes of the productive upper Unayzah sandstone
interval with superimposed paleo-structural trends. Stratigraphic-trap potential is interpreted east
of the paleo-structural highs.

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 Unayzah Stratigraphic Trap, Saudi Arabia

AMPLITUDE
Positive

Negative
SAND
UPPER

GHINAH
FIELD
Updip
(western)
C Limit of
Upper Sand

C'

Stratigraphic
Trap
Potential
LE
MIDD D
SAN

Eolian and
Braid
Channel
Sands
PRESENT DAY
STRUCTURAL
CREST 0 2
PALEO-HIGH Km

Figure 15: Enlargement of horizon slice (Figure 14) showing the updip limit of the upper Unayzah
sandstone immediately east of the paleo-high.

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CURRENT
STRUCTURAL HIGH PALEO HIGH
West East
C Ghinah Field Limits C'
+

0.6

AMPLITUDE
0.7

KHUFF Top Khuff

0.8
TIME (sec)

STRATIGRAPHIC
TRAP POTENTIAL KHUFF

0.9
Top Unayzah
Horizon
Slice
QUSAIBA Pre-Unayzah
0 2 Unconformity
1.0
Km
Figure 16: Seismic traverse C-C' depicts current structure and shows the updip pinch-out
substantially east of the present-day structural crest of Ghinah Field.

Figure 16 is a seismic traverse through the northern part of the Ghinah field showing present-day
structure. The prospective upper Unayzah sand pinch-out (2 km east of the present-day, eastern flank
of the Ghinah field) is a much greater distance than current structure would suggest. In contrast, the
flattened section (Figure 17) clearly shows a more ‘predictable’ updip sand pinch-out immediately
east of the isochron thin or paleo-high.

CONCLUSION

The recent 'Usaylah-1 oil discovery confirms stratigraphic-trap potential in the Permian Unayzah
Formation in Central Saudi Arabia. The well was the first purely stratigraphic trap test drilled along
the Hawtah and Nuayyim structural trends and encountered 31 ft of oil in an upper Unayzah eolian
dune facies. Stratigraphic traps in Central Arabia include both updip pinch-out of reservoir sands
and truncation traps below the regionally extensive Pre-Khuff Unconformity.

Mapping paleo-structure is a predictive tool in focusing future exploration in Central Arabia where
additional stratigraphic potential exists. 2-D seismic data has been shot extensively throughout Central
Arabia, with distances of 5 to 10 km between dip lines. The widely-spaced 2-D seismic grid has been
sufficient to map regional paleostructure and identify general areas of stratigraphic trap potential, but
is not adequate to map stratigraphic trap prospects in the area. Because of rapid lateral changes in
Unayzah sand facies, 3-D data is necessary to mature drillable stratigraphic trap prospects in the
region.

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 Unayzah Stratigraphic Trap, Saudi Arabia

CURRENT
STRUCTURAL HIGH PALEO HIGH
West East
C Ghinah Field Limits C' +

AMPLITUDE
0.6

0.7 Top Khuff

KHUFF KHUFF
STRATIGRAPHIC
0.8 TRAP POTENTIAL
TIME (sec)

Top Unayzah
Horizon
Slice

0.9 Pre-Unayzah
Unconformity

QUSAIBA

0 2
1.0
Km
Figure 17: Seismic traverse C-C' is flattened on the top Khuff Formation. Note the predictable
updip limit of the upper sandstone just east of the paleo-high.

Although the risks of this stratigraphic trap play are clearly greater than a conventional structural
play, the use of 3-D seismic data, the fact that production facilities are already in place, and the relative
shallow depths to the target horizon make this play viable economically.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors would like to thank the Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco) and the Saudi Arabian
Ministry of Petroleum & Mineral Resources for their support and permission to publish this paper.
The authors appreciate J.A. Al-Hajhog, C.J. Heine and M. Senalp of Saudi Aramco for sharing their
understanding of the Unayzah Formation stratigraphic complexity and would like to thank J.R. Wilkins,
P.S. Gregorio, and M.A. Zarea for their contribution in preparing maps and cross-sections. Appreciation
also is extended to Scott Mussett, M.A. Qureshi, R.D. Petsef and V.O. Tegelan for graphics design.
Finally, special gratitude is extended to Gulf PetroLink and the reviewers whose helpful comments
and suggestions significantly improved the original manuscript.

REFERENCES
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Reservoirs, Ghinah Field, Central Saudi Arabia. Organization of Arab Exporting Countries-Institut
Français du Pétrole Joint Workshop, Paper 22.

Hastings-James, R. and K.M. Al-Yahya 1996. 3-D Land Seismic Acquisition in Saudi Arabia. GeoArabia:
Middle East Petroleum Geosciences, v. 1, no. 4, p. 511-528.

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Husseini, M.I. 1991. Potential Petroleum Resources of the Paleozoic Rocks of Saudi Arabia. 13th World
Petroleum Conference. Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Husseini, M.I. and R. D. Chimblo 1995. 3-D Seismology in the Arabian Gulf Region. In M.I. Al-Husseini
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McGillivray, J.G. and M.I. Husseini 1992. The Paleozoic Petroleum Geology of Central Arabia. Bulletin of
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Saudi Aramco, 1994. Saudi Aramco 3D Seismic. 20 p.

Senalp, M. and A. Al-Duaiji 1995. Stratigraphy and Sedimentation of the Unayzah Reservoir, Central Saudi
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Simms, S. C. 1995. Structural Style of Recently Discovered Oil Fields, Central Saudi Arabia. In M.I. Husseini
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ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Daniel S. Evans is currently Bassam H. Bahabri is
Geological Specialist in the currently the Chief Geologist of
Central Area Exploration Northern Area Reservoir
Division of Saudi Aramco Geology Division in the
developing prospects along the Exploration Organization of
recently discovered Hawtah Saudi Aramco. For the last 16
Trend in Central Arabia. Dan years, Bassam had been
worked as a groundwater involved in several geological
geologist between 1970 and and exploration projects before
1975 and joined Aramco in 1975 where he worked on a his current position. As part of his career development,
variety of assignments for the Exploration Department he participated in exploration assignments with Exxon,
until 1981. He then joined Tenneco Oil Co. as an Texaco and Chevron. Bassam graduated with a BSc in
Exploration Geologist from 1981 to 1984. From 1984 Geology from King Saud University in Riyadh in 1981.
to 1989, he worked for an independent oil operator based He also obtained his DIC/MSc from Imperial College
in San Antonio. He rejoined Saudi Aramco in 1989. in Petroleum Exploration in 1993.
Dan holds BA and MA degrees in Geology from the
University of Texas at Austin.

Ahmed M. Al-Otaibi received

a BSc degree in Engineering
Geology from King AbdulAziz
University in Jeddah in 1990
and a MSc degree in Geology Manuscript Received 28 May, 1997
from Keele University, UK in
1993. Ahmed has been working Revised 7 July, 1997
on various projects including
reservoir characterization, Accepted 20 July, 1997
geostatistical reservoir modeling and exploration since
he joined Saudi Aramco in 1990. He is currently a
member of the Stratigraphic Trap Exploration Team,
Central Saudi Arabia.

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