Unraveling the stratigraphic complexity of the Upper Miocene slope-channel systems at MP313, Gulf of Mexico Shelf: Leveraging reprocessed seismic to establish a new trend within a mature field. The Gulf of Mexico shelf MP313 field was discovered in 1980 by Gulf Oil when more than 7 stacked hydrocarbon-bearing sands were found in the OCSG-04127 #1 exploration well. In 2017, Cantium acquired the field from Chevron who operated the field since 2000. The last well Chevron drilled at the MP313 field was the A9ST01 well in 2014 targeting the Upper Miocene aged H-10 Lower Sand. This well drilled into a stratigraphically trapped amplitude anomaly that was deposited upthrown to a major producing fault block to the south. The A9ST01 found 84’TVT net oil in clean, stacked channel-facies sands and has produced >800 MBO to date in a 21-acre DHI amplitude anomaly and served as the primary analog to the Outforde prospect. Production within the H-10 Sd in fault block A started in 1983 and totaled 3.1 MMBO and 4.1 BCF under water drive. Varying oil-water contacts, bottom-hole pressures, differing oil rates among concurrent producers, and drastic facies changes across the fault block alluded to complex drainage patterns in the reservoir. A screening of our newly reprocessed seismic survey revealed two distinct depositional episodes of the H-10 sand package previously thought to be a single sand with multiple stratigraphic barriers.
Unraveling the stratigraphic complexity of the Upper Miocene slope-channel systems at MP313, Gulf of Mexico Shelf: Leveraging reprocessed seismic to establish a new trend within a mature field.
The Gulf of Mexico shelf MP313 field was discovered in 1980 by Gulf Oil when more than 7 stacked hydrocarbon-bearing sands were found in the OCSG-04127 #1 exploration well. In 2017, Cantium acquired the field from Chevron who operated the field since 2000. The last well Chevron drilled at the MP313 field was the A9ST01 well in 2014 targeting the Upper Miocene aged H-10 Lower Sand. This well drilled into a stratigraphically trapped amplitude anomaly that was deposited upthrown to a major producing fault block to the south. The A9ST01 found 84’TVT net oil in clean, stacked channel-facies sands and has produced >800 MBO to date in a 21-acre DHI amplitude anomaly and served as the primary analog to the Outforde prospect. Production within the H-10 Sd in fault block A started in 1983 and totaled 3.1 MMBO and 4.1 BCF under water drive. Varying oil-water contacts, bottom-hole pressures, differing oil rates among concurrent producers, and drastic facies changes across the fault block alluded to complex drainage patterns in the reservoir. A screening of our newly reprocessed seismic survey revealed two distinct depositional episodes of the H-10 sand package previously thought to be a single sand with multiple stratigraphic barriers.
Interpretation of the reprocessed seismic data show that the older H-10 Lower member is divided into stratigraphically isolated NE-SW trending channels confined to small, isolated fault blocks within the eastern side of fault block A. This unit pinches out to the west which provided accommodation to deposit the younger H-10 Upper member. Normalized AVA response curves generated from the reprocessed gather data over multiple H-10 Lower penetrations show the strongest pay response (pre-drill) can be seen in the A9ST01 penetration, while the target location also yields a clear Class III AVA response. The higher structural and stratigraphic resolution of the individual H-10 sand members gave more confidence in the prospective anomaly and helped to mitigate reservoir risk. Cantium launched a drilling campaign in early 2024 at MP313 to target a downdip 25-acre amplitude anomaly in the H-10 Lower sand named Outforde. Seismic data clearly imaged the lateral edges of the channel-form amplitude anomaly which was easily extracted as a 3-D geobody in Petrel. Within the same fault block (pre-drill), updip producers went offline from either low rates, high water cuts, or mechanical issues. Trap and charge were high risk elements because the Outforde prospect was heavily dependent on the geologic model and AVA analyses.
Outforde discovered >100’TVT of net oil, approximately 2.5X Cantium’s pre-drill estimate. Production began on 04/2024 and reached peaks rates of 1800BOPD, producing 325 MBO to date and is expected to make >1MMBO EUR. The success of Outforde has opened new development opportunities in neighboring amplitude anomalies in Cantium’s follow-on drilling campaigns. Bio’s: Stefanie is a development Geoscientist for Cantium and the lead Geo for the MP313 field. Prior to her 5 year tenure at Cantium, she spent 5 years working in the Central and Western deepwater GoM for CNOOC in both exploration and development. She received her Master's in Geoscience at the University of Texas at Austin in 2015 and her Bachelor of Science in Geological Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines in 2010 as a student-athlete in women's soccer. Before entering the energy industry, she worked 2 years in industrial minerals with mining company Imerys in Limoges, France. When she's not spending her working hours looking for oil and gas prospects, you can find her playing random international sports like Gaelic and Australian Rules Football. Luke is an Exploration Geoscientist at Cantium, where he is currently managing seismic reprocessing initiatives and performing near-field exploration. Prior to joining Cantium in 2019, he developed and executed a nine-well horizontal drilling program in the Wilmington Field (California) for Warren Resources (2017–2019). From 2013 to 2017, he served as Geoscience Manager at Rooster Petroleum, generating both development and exploration opportunities for mature GOM Shelf assets. Prior to Rooster Petroleum he worked at ERT/Remington Oil and Gas (1999–2013), where he developed both Shelf and Deepwater projects, including the Green Canyon Phoenix Field. From 1997-1999, he worked with ORYX Energy in Deepwater Western GOM. Before ORYX Energy he worked for Enserch Exploration (1991–1997), where he generated shelf and deepwater plays. He began his career as a Seismic Analyst with Geco Geophysical (1985 -1991), processing 3D marine surveys with DMO algorithms using FORTRAN-based systems after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Geophysics from the University of Houston. Outside of work, you will find him designing and 3D printing assorted plastic objects and spending time outdoors grilling in his backyard.
Outforde discovered >100’TVT of net oil, approximately 2.5X Cantium’s pre-drill estimate. Production began on 04/2024 and reached peaks rates of 1800BOPD, producing 325 MBO to date and is expected to make >1MMBO EUR. The success of Outforde has opened new development opportunities in neighboring amplitude anomalies in Cantium’s follow-on drilling campaigns.
Bio’s:
Stefanie is a development Geoscientist for Cantium and the lead Geo for the MP313 field. Prior to her 5 year tenure at Cantium, she spent 5 years working in the Central and Western deepwater GoM for CNOOC in both exploration and development. She received her Master's in Geoscience at the University of Texas at Austin in 2015 and her Bachelor of Science in Geological Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines in 2010 as a student-athlete in women's soccer. Before entering the energy industry, she worked 2 years in industrial minerals with mining company Imerys in Limoges, France. When she's not spending her working hours looking for oil and gas prospects, you can find her playing random international sports like Gaelic and Australian Rules Football.
Luke is an Exploration Geoscientist at Cantium, where he is currently managing seismic reprocessing initiatives and performing near-field exploration. Prior to joining Cantium in 2019, he developed and executed a nine-well horizontal drilling program in the Wilmington Field (California) for Warren Resources (2017–2019). From 2013 to 2017, he served as Geoscience Manager at Rooster Petroleum, generating both development and exploration opportunities for mature GOM Shelf assets. Prior to Rooster Petroleum he worked at ERT/Remington Oil and Gas (1999–2013), where he developed both Shelf and Deepwater projects, including the Green Canyon Phoenix Field. From 1997-1999, he worked with ORYX Energy in Deepwater Western GOM. Before ORYX Energy he worked for Enserch Exploration (1991–1997), where he generated shelf and deepwater plays. He began his career as a Seismic Analyst with Geco Geophysical (1985 -1991), processing 3D marine surveys with DMO algorithms using FORTRAN-based systems after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Geophysics from the University of Houston. Outside of work, you will find him designing and 3D printing assorted plastic objects and spending time outdoors grilling in his backyard.
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