Constrained Sparse Spike Inversion for Reservoir Characterization of the AG2 Interval in the Sufyan Sub-basin, Muglad Basin, Sudan

The Sufyan sub-basin is located in the northwestern part of Muglad Basin, Sudan. Because the basin was greatly affected by tectonic activities of the Central African Shear Zone, faults greatly developed and structures are complex, especially in the Sufyan sub-basin. Fluvio-deltaic sandstones within the Abu Gabra Formation represent the primary reservoir. There are great exploration potential of the AG2 interval. The interval is mainly characterized by interbedded mudstones and sandstones. The sand layers are thin and change rapidly in lateral, which brings difficulties in reservoir characterization. The constrained sparse spike inversion (CSSI) is used to predict the reservoir in the Sufyan sub-basin since it does not rely on the model, its accuracy merely depends on the characters of original data. Reservoir distribution characteristics of five layers in AG2 was studied using precise synthetic seismogram calibration, seismic interpretation of complex faulted blocks and seismic inversion. The inversion results, in good agreement with the drilled wells, show that sandstones are well developed in the northern part of the sub-basin. This study provides a guideline for improving well deployment and exploration strategies in the future. This study proves that CSSI can be applied as a rigorous, industry-standard inversion technique in the Sufyan sub-basin, and to recommend further application to much larger data sets in the basin.