Fluid Leakage Pathways and Shallow Gas Accumulation in Peon field, northern North Sea

Shallow gas accumulations are well known as a hazard for drilling activities as well as future prospective reservoirs. The Peon field is a huge shallow gas accumulation located in the northern North Sea discovered by Statoil in 2005. The Peon sandstone reservoir is formed as a sub-aquatic, ice-contact glaciomarine fan in Pleistocene (0.01-1.8 Ma) and is located 574m below sea level. The reservoir covers a large area of 250 km2 and contains approximately 35GSm3 gas in place. We use high-resolution P-Cable 3D seismic data to characterize the shallow gas reservoir, fluid leakage pathways and geological features in the Pleistocene sediments. The survey was acquired in 2009 and covers an area of 210 km2. The seismic data has a vertical resolution of 4.5m and provide significantly improved details of the internal structure of shallow gas reservoir and associated fluid flow. The P-Cable data provide high-resolution seismic images up to one second two-way travel time. Conventional 3D seismic data is used to analyze deeper features. In addition, well logs from exploration wells in the area are integrated with the seismic interpretation. The top of Peon sandstone reservoir is marked by a strong, polarity-reversed reflection at ~165m below seafloor. The neutron porosity log and density log distinguish gas-water contact at ~184m below seafloor. The upper regional unconformity (URU) marks the base of the sandstone body at ~198m below seafloor and separates it from westward dipping Late Pliocene sequences. Unconsolidated Pleistocene sediment sequences overlying the reservoir exhibits glacial plough marks indicating periodic glacial activity. High-amplitude reflections in the glacially deposited, unconsolidated formations above the reservoir and pull-down in reflections indicate presence of gas. Chaotic, low-amplitude reflections below the high-amplitude reflections could be due to upward migrating gas. Pockmark-like depressions, varying in width from ~200m to ~400m occur at different stratigraphic levels above the reservoir indicating past fluid expulsions. The present day seafloor shows no fluid flow expressions and may suggest that the fluid flow system is not active now. Conventional 3D seismic data show chaotic reflections and high amplitude anomalies beneath the reservoir indicating gas migration. Polygonal faults observed below the reservoir could be acting as pathways of the migration of hydrocarbons from deeper formations. These observations suggest a previously active hydrocarbon plumbing system in the area.