STRUCTURAL TRAPS IN THE RIO DEL REY BASIN AND THEIR IMPLICATION TO PETROLEUM MIGRATION

ABSTRACT

A review of the tectonic evolution, stratigraphic, structural framework, petroleum systems and hydrocarbon potential of the of Rio Del Rey (RDR) Basin in Cameroon in relation to the Niger delta basin in Nigeria. It involves reviewing the structural traps of the RDR and how it influences the migration of petroleum within the basin. The RDR basin is a passive margin basin present in the Gulf of Guinea and it is located southeast of Niger Delta over an area of about 7,000 km² offshore. Its stratigraphic components, like those of Niger Delta, comprise of a diachronous succession of prodeltashales (Akata Formation), overlain by delta front sands and shales (Agbada Formation), in turn, overlain by fluvial sands (Benin Formation). The age of this basin ranges from Eocene to Recent and it consists of four structural provinces namely; the growth fault province in the north, the Cretaceous Onshore province in the southeast, the Shale Ridge province in the southwest, and the Delta Toe-thrust in the south-central region. The RDR Basin features three stages of tectonic development: Pre-rift phase (Late Proterozoic to Late Jurassic); Syn-rift phase (Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous) and Post-rift phase (Late Cretaceous to Holocene). It is the oil producing of the country.

The Tertiary Niger Delta (Akata-Agbada) has been identified to be one of the petroleum systems. The Delta proper began developing in the Eocene, accumulating sediments that are now 10km thick. The primary source rock is the upper Akata Formation, the marine shalesfacies of the Delta, with possibly contributions from interbedded marine of the lowermost AgbadaFormation, however, turbidite sand in the upper Akata Formation is a potential target in the deep water offshore and possibly beneath currently producing intervals onshore. The Niger Delta is known as the twelfth oil and gas producing basin

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