Evaluating the Ranikot formation in the middle Indus Basin, Pakistan as a promising secondary reservoir for development

Kadanwari Gas Field (KGF) is located in the Middle Indus Basin (MIB), Pakistan is characterized by a variety of heterogenous sedimentary facies, and unique reservoir architecture. These factors make the area more challenging with respect to identification of hydrocarbon potential. Several studies were conducted to delineate the true potential of the basin which were mostly limited to Cretaceous reservoirs only. Therefore, an effort was made to reveal the reservoir characteristics Ranikot Formation (Paleocene) using an integrated approach using 3D seismic and well data. Petrophysical analyses, rock physics analysis, seismic interpretations, structural framework modelling, seismic inversion, facies modelling, and static modelling were performed to describe the reservoir characteristics and structural variation of the formation. The petrophysical study revealed the Ranikot Formation contains lower values of volume of shale (15–25%), higher effective porosity (20–24%), and hydrocarbon saturation (60%) around K-01 well which marks the good reservoir potential of the formation. The lower values of both P- and S-impedances encountered in K-01 and K-06 wells also indicate the greater potential of the formation. Seismic interpretations reveal the presence of horst-graben type structural geometry and better spatial variability which also delineates the potential of the formation to produce hydrocarbon in addition to the Cretaceous reservoirs.