Determination of Hydrocarbon potentials in Reservoir of Sokoto Basin Using Triple

Combo Log (density, porosity and resistivity).

Introduction
Petroleum maintains its significance as one of the prevalent energy sources in today’s world due
to continues increases in demand and production. Oil and gas together constitute over 90% of
Nigerian foreign earnings. Globally, petroleum as energy source will continue to dominate other
primary energy sources and is expected to account for up to 60% of the world energy demand in
the year 2030. Therefore, it is very essential to conduct an ongoing assessment of potential energy
and mineral resources with a view of renewal its exploration policy and strategies of economics
development. This is based on increase in acquisition of new geological, geophysical and
geochemical and improve method of geological exploration.
The Sokoto Basin is a sector of the larger Iullemmeden Basin (Obaje et al., 2013) located at its
south-eastern region (Shehu et al., 2017). The Iullemmeden Basin itself is a boarder sedimentary
basin covering significant portions of Libya, Algeria, Mali, Republic of Benin, Niger Republic and
north-western part of Nigeria (Sokoto Basin) (Ibe et al., 2018).The Sokoto Basin, constituting
mainly the Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States of Nigeria (Bonde, 2014). The Basin is predominantly
a gently undulating plain, underlained by metamorphic rocks with an average elevation varying
from 250 to 400 metres above sea-level which is sometimes interrupted by mesas (Ezekiel et al.,
2019).
The petroleum system of the basin is explained based on the assumption that some lacustrine
carbonaceous shales within the Continental Intercalaire could constitute some potential source
rocks, while the sand stone faces are candidates for reservoir rocks (Bonde, 2014). In the Rima
Group, continental lacustrine shales in the Taloka and Wurno Formations and marine anoxic shales
of the Dukamaje Formation constitute potential source rocks (Shehu et al., 2017) while faces in all
formations are potential reservoir rocks. However, energy demand is increasing worldwide due to
the rapid increase in industrialization and population (Ibe et al., 2018) in both the developed and
developing countries (Demirbas, 2010; Savage et al., 2010; and Harun et al., 2010). This leads to
an increase in fossil fuel consumption, as a result of which, oil reservoirs worldwide are becoming
exhausted. For this reason, researchers have continued to study in order to explore every window
of avenue to add to the existing oil reserves. The study made by Obaje et al. (2013) to assess the
Hydrocarbon prospectivity of the Sokoto Basin is quite a very good reference. In their study, they
carried out preliminary geological mapping and attempted to a geological prospectivity evaluation
of the basin. They also carried out geochemical evaluation to assess the source rock qualities and

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the potential of the rocks to generate hydrocarbons. They completed their study with the
interpretation of geophysical aeromagnetic data with the aim to assess the depth to basement or
sedimentary thickness, basement topography and refining of locality prospectivity necessary for
the acquisition of more prospective acreages. Their data evaluation indicated a depth of up to 3
km within the inferred prospective areas. This research work intends to determine the present of
hydrocarbon using triple combo logs covering the entire Sokoto Basin using nuclear techniques to
build upon previous researches. Measurement of logs (density porosity, neutron porosity and
resistivity) will determine the resistivity of oil and gas in pore space. The primary problem is to
optimize hydrocarbon production with finite capital investment. Figure 1 show the geological map
of Sokoto basin.

Figure 1: Geologic Map of Nigeria showing the Sokoto Basin (Obaje et al., 2020).
Essentially, hydrocarbon is stored in the porosity space. Porosity is a key parameter that can be
used to characterised reservoir storage capacity. Hydrocarbon and formation of water share the
account of storage space. Moreover, reservoir porosity is one of the most significant petro physical
parameter for a well logging. The triple combo technique will be display the present of
hydrocarbon in reservoir in three (3) tracks. Track 1 gamma ray response by distinguished higher
volume of shale. While, track 2 indicate higher resistivity of hydrogen zone and track 3 is the

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separation of fluid such as hydrogen content, gas and salt water by neutron and density porosity.
The capture count ratio between two gamma ray detectors is very sensitive to the formation of
porosity.
The present study is to identify the present of hydrocarbon using triple combo logs technique in
Sokoto Basin. The original data obtain will provide baseline information for the possible way of
identify present of oil and gas, improve measurement sensitivity, reduce industry dependence on
chemical source.
Problem Statement
The demand for transport fuels and higher value chemicals in Nigeria and world is increasing;
therefore, it became necessary to diversify the sources of fuels and higher value chemicals that
will solve the problems of fuels shortage and chemical raw materials. The primary problem is to
optimize hydrocarbon production with finite capital investment. Among all the petrophysical
answer for logging tools provide, porosity is a key parameter that can be used to characterize
reservoir storage and optimize production return. This measurement is promising to improve
measurement sensitivity and reduce industry dependence on chemical sources which can have
health safety and this will provide enough information needed for detailed structural study of
Sokoto Basin and other Nigeria’s inland basins.
Aim and Objectives
The main aims of this research is to estimate hydrocarbons content over Sokoto Basin using
nuclear techniques with the purpose of assessing structures of socio-economic importance. The
objectives of the research are as follows:
i. To determine hydrocarbons content by pulse neutron spectroscopy using triple combo logs
(density of fluid, neutron porosity and resistivity) of Sokoto Basin.
ii. To estimate the sedimentary thickness of the basin using quantitative techniques
iii. To produce an overall map indicating sites potential hydrocarbon accumulation, mineral
deposits, dam siting and boreholes drilling.
Literature Review
The hydrocarbon system of the Sokoto basin is explained based on the assumption that some
lacustrine carbonaceous shales within the Continental Intercalaire could constitute some potential
source rocks, while the sand stone faces are candidates for reservoir rocks (Shehu et al., 2017)
while faces in all formations are potential reservoir rocks. Nevertheless, the basin has received
attention of some researchers over the years. One of which is (Nwanko et.al, 2015) estimated an
average value of 1.45 km as the sedimentary thickness of the basin using aeromagnetic data. The
upper part of Sokoto Basin has exclusively been studied by (Shehu et al. 2004), their result
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revealed an average value of 1.386 km as the sedimentary thickness. Suleiman et al. (2014) carried
out the spectral analysis of aeromagnetic data across Kebbi State, Nigeria (south-western part of
the basin) and obtained 1.72 km as the highest depth in the area. These and many others
concluded that the basin is too shallow for any petroleum (and gas) prospectivity based on the
assertion made by (Adamu, A et.al., 2022) that, for any sedimentary basin to host hydrocarbon,
its thickness cannot be less than 2.3 km.
However, Energy and petroleum supply demand is increasing worldwide due to the rapid increase
in industrialization and population (Ibe et al., 2018). For this reason, researchers have continued
to study in order to explore every window of avenue to add to the existing oil reserves. The study
made by Obaje et al. (2013) to assess the Hydrocarbon prospectivity of the Sokoto Basin is quite a
very good reference. In their study, they carried out preliminary geological mapping and
attempted to a geological prospectivity evaluation of the basin. Their data evaluation indicated a
depth of up to 3 km within the inferred prospective areas. All the previous works in the Sokoto
Basin are concentrated on geological mapping and biostratigraphical evaluation. The present work
intends to determine the present of hydrocarbon and other minirals resources lies within Sokoto
basin using nuclear techniques upon to previous researches.
Methodology
A radioactive source such as 241 AmBe or a T-d neutron generator will be used in this
measurement. Two neutron detectors, typically 3He tubes, are placed at different distances from
the source (near and far) to record the number of neutrons at these spacings. Pulse neutron
spectroscopy device will be used to bombard very high energy neutrons. Neutrons lose its energy
as they captured (salty water such as chlorine as neutron absorber), then gamma ray will be
emitted in this process. The formation through casing will be determine by display the spectrums
for further interpretation. This technique allows to estimate the water saturation when porosity
and salinity is known even in the present of fresh water. This change of water saturation cause
develops strategies for completing hydrocarbon recovery.
Expected Result
With nuclear measurement, rock and fluid composition (such as density, neutron porosity, salinity,
and hydrogen content) will be determine. The pulse neutron spectrometry is use to identify
residual hydrocarbons saturation by capture cross section. This will enable to locate, identify and
quantify the hydrocarbons present in the oil reservoir.
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