De-Risking Stratigraphic and Combination Traps with Newly Re-Imaged Depth Data in the Orange Basin, Namibia

Summary The Namibian margin is one of the hottest exploration areas in Africa, with multiple multi-billion barrel discoveries in the Orange Basin since 2022 within a range of Upper and Lower Cretaceous reservoirs. As exploration progresses in the Orange Basin, more detailed seismic attribute mapping on depth migrated data is needed to capture subtle variations in structural dips across the basin, in particular, to accurately image structural dips beneath the gravitational system and de-risk trapping structures. Depth re-imaging of eight 2D surveys in the Orange Basin was completed in 2024, creating one contiguous dataset extending across the entire continental shelf into the deepwater domain. Many prospects mapped in the deepwater Orange Basin rely on some component of stratigraphic trapping (e.g. basin floor fans, slope fans), therefore imaging the reflector geometries correctly aids the evaluation of seismic attribute and AVO mapping, providing improved confidence in their conformance to both regional and local structural trends. We show examples of counter-regional dips observed in PSDM, and the impact on mapping prospects in depth versus time. Detailed play mapping on these integrated PSDM data highlights the potential for sizeable stratigraphic traps, which may appear smaller or be missed on time data alone.