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THE SHALE GAS POTENTIAL IN LIBYA, IS IT WORTH TO BE EXPLORED?: A

CASE STUDY IN THE GHADAMES BASIN

Article · August 2013

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The 13 International Conference on Materials Science and its Applications in Oil and Gas Industries, Benghazi-Libya (Aug. 26-27. 2013), P. 1-19

THE SHALE GAS POTENTIAL IN LIBYA, IS IT WORTH TO BE

EXPLORED?: A CASE STUDY IN THE GHADAMES BASIN

Omar B. Elfigih
(University of Benghazi, Faculty of Science, Department of Earth Sciences, Benghazi-Libya,
E.mail: oelfigih@yahoo.com)

ABSTRACT

Shale gas is found trapped subsurface in shale rock and is released by creating narrow fissures using a
technique called hydraulic fracturing or "fracking". This method uses a fluid, made up almost entirely
of water and sand, pumped at high pressure into the rock to create millimetre-wide cracks to allow the
gas to escape.
Currently, there is only one shale gas proposed project in Libya linking thoughts and ideas between the
University of South Carolina-USA and Benghazi University- Libya, along with the NOC and some
other possible oil companies. The site, could be in Ghadames Basin, which is mostly operated by
AGOCO and other firms who have drilled more than 400 exploratory wells; most of them were
penetrated the deeply- seated gas-bearing , mature Tanezzuft shale.
The success of shale gas exploration in Libya has to put the spotlight on the importance of industry
regulation. In Libya, shale gas operations should be regulated by the same rigorous regime that all oil
and gas operators must adhere to.
From the outset, the attempt of shale gas fracking application must go through the local planning
application process and before any drilling occurs proposals must also be scrutinised by the
Environment Agency to make sure there is no risk to the environment, and in particular to water
sources; by the health and safety executive for safety; and by NOC to ensure best use is made of the
resources.
As part of this process, operators are required to disclose the content of fracking fluids to the
Environment Agency. Based on some international figures; nearly all, 95%, of the fluid used in
fracking shales has been made up of fresh water. The remaining 5% was made from 4.5% sand and
0.5% additives such as biocide, breaker, buffer, clay stabilizer, friction reducer and gel stabilizer
materials.
As this paper indicates the importance of new insight of recovered gas from compacted Tanezzuft
shale, further investigation is still required on the complex issues surrounding shale gas extraction in
Libya.

Keywords: Shale gas, Tanezzft shale, Ghadames Basin, Hydraulic fracking.

 O. B. Elfigih

INTRODUCTION

Hydraulic fracturing has been used since the 1940s in more than one million wells in
the U.S.[1].The first hydraulic fracturing treatment was pumped in 1947 on a gas well
operated by Pan American Petroleum Corporation in the Hugoton field [2].
Some wells located in Grant Country-Kansas, were tested for low productivity and
subjected to acidizing job. Latter, some of these wells were chosen for the first
hydraulic fracture stimulation treatment, so that acidizing could be compared directly
to hydraulic fracturing. Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a well stimulation process
used to obtain natural resources from underground geological formations. Although
used in several different applications, including the extraction of oil and geothermal
energy, hydraulic fracturing in natural gas production from shale formations has
recently taken center stage. It is estimated that shale gas will comprise over 20% of
the total U.S. gas supply by 2020 [3].
In Libya, some potential reservoirs in the Sirte Basin and Ghadames Basin were
depleted in oil/gas phases and have been subjected to acidizing and water pumping
jobs through secondary recovery. None of these reservoirs and none of the regional
potential shale gas in these basins were subjected to fracturing.
Regional potential shale gas is distributed in the main sedimentary basins of Libya
(Fig. 1) and could be defined to represent the organically mature Rakab Shale (Rkb.
Sh) in the Sirte Basin, the organically mature Tanezzuft Shale (Taz. Sh) and Aounat
Ounine C Shale (AOC. Sh) in the Ghadames and Murzuk Basins and the organically
mature to submature Tanezzuft Shale (Taz. Sh) in the Kufra Basin.
The purposes of this paper are:
(1) To provide an overview and define the possible shale gas of Tanezzuft shale of
Ghadames Basin) in Libya.
(2) To discuss briefly the process of hydraulic fracture treatment, benefits and risks.
Currently, a discussion is taking place on the issue of possible shale gas development
and its future effects in Libya between the University of South Carolina and the
University of Benghazi with the involvement of the NOC and other petroleum firms.

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Figure 1. Distribution of possible shale units in Libyan Basins.

GEOLOGICAL SETTING

Structurally, the Ghadames Basin is an intracratonic basin of Paleozoic-Mesozoic age,

located in the northern part of Libya. The Nefusa Arch and Gargaf Arch flank the
basin to the north and south respectively, whereas the eastern boundary is not well
defined and can be represented by Tipoli-Assowda Arch which begin overlapped by
the western flank of the younger Sirte Basin (Fig. 2). Its western limit is represented
by the partial extension of Tihemboka Arch to the north, and the El-Biod Arch as the
basin stretches in Algeria to the west.
The present structural framework of the Ghadames Basin was produced by the
successive effects of major unconformities related to Taconian, Caledonian,
Hercynian and Austrian-Alpine phased. As consequence, there is a wide variety of
structural styles in the basin; fault patterns and different structural traps associated
with changing basin depocentres as the basin tilts through time.

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Figure 2. Regional map is showing tectonic elements of the Ghadames Basin, NW Libya
(after [4]).

Stratigraphically, generally the stratigraphic section in the Ghadames Basin composed

of Paleozoic and Cretaceous sediments (Fig. 3) [5]; a deep type well (L1-66) in
concession NC8A is used to show the stratigraphic column of the various formations
and their representative GR-log signature in the basin. A regional cross section of the
present day basin picture (Fig. 4) [6] illustrates strructual and stratigraphic
relationships and to show the extended Tasnezzuft shale which is continuously
striking from basin south to basin north area compared with the less extended Aounat
Ounine C Shale (AOC) which piches-out at the basin center. Sandstones and shales of
mainly shallow to marginal marine to fluvio-deltaic origin are all typifying the
Paleozoic rocks. The Late Carboniferous, the Permian and the Triassic to Jurassic
rocks have been eroded. Some continental sandstones may represent the Lower
Cretaceous rocks, whereas argillaceous limestone, oolitic limestone and sandy
dolomite typify most of the Upper Cretaceous section.
This paper attempts to focus on the gas potentiality of the Lower Silurain micaceous,
compacted Tanezzuft shale in the Ghadames Basin.

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Figure 3. Regional stratigraphic section in the Ghadames Basin,

using the deep well LL1-66 of concession NC8A as a type
well in the study area [5].

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EXPLORATION HISTORY

In the Ghadames Basin, some 400 exploration wells have been drilled in the basin
resulted in the discovery of 66 oil fields, 21 gas fields and 75 oil pools in 6 horizons,
with total known discovered volume of oil (4,538 MMBO), gas (16,484 BCFG) and
natural gas liquids (1,011 MMNGL) for all fields (Table 1) [7]. Some of these wells
have been drilled with total depth (TD) at Tanezzuft shale, others were penetrated
even below Tanezzuft shale (Fig. 5). The Tanezzuft shale when cored; it is
characterized by dark grey, micaceous, fissile, compacted, silty at places, occasionally
with fine parallel laminations, graptolitic (Fig. 6). GR-log response of Tanezzuft shale
can be seen in figure 7 of well E1-23 in which relatively high GR-signature of about
180API typifying this homogeneous shale between the Acacus sandstone at the top
and the Memouniat sandstone at the bottom, attaining a thickness of about 800ft to
1100ft, with good areal extension, where an organic-rich shale interval (hot shale)
usually marking its basal part.
In the Ghadames Basin (From South to North) the distribution of natural gas
resources have been detected in many reservoir types and at different levels (Fig. 8).
Conventional associated gas reservoirs have been detected in the monoclonal traps of
Lower Acacus sandstones in the southern part of the basin. Conventional non-
associated gas have been recovered in the anticlinal traps of Lower Acacus sandstone
reservoirs in the northern portion of the basin. Gas-rich shale is concentrated in the
highly mature Tanezzuft shale of Tanezzuft Formation especially in the basin center
areas (middle part of the basin). Tight gas reservoirs are also recognized and mainly
associated with some tight sandstone lenses in the Lower Acacus Formation and the
quartz-rich sandtones of Memouniat Formation. Some surface biogenic gas (Methane)
may be recovered from some coal beds associated with shallow sandstone units of
continental origin.

Table 1. Number and sizes of discovered fields for Tanezzuft-Ghadames assessment

unit through 1995. [MMBO, million barrels of oil; BCFG, billion cubic feet
of gas; NGL, natural gas liquids; MMBNGL, million barrels of NGL. Data
from [7].

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Figure 5. Ghadames Basin base map is showing drilled wells with total depth
(TD) in and below Tanezzuft shale

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Figure 6. Core samples in the dark grey-black, silty, micaceous compacted to finely laminated
Tanezzuft shale (well GG1-NC7A), Ghadames Basin, NW Libya

Figure 7. GR-log signature in Tanezzuft shale (Tanezzuft Formation) of well E1-23,

Ghadames Basin, NW Libya.

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Figure 8. Geological schematic representation of natural gas resources distribution in the

Ghadames Basin, NW Libya.

OIL AND GAS GENERATION LIMITS IN TANEZZUFT(Taz. sh) AND

AOUNAT OUNINE C SHALE (AOC sh):

In the Ghadames Basin, the mean present-day TOC (organic richness) for Taz shale
and AOC shale according to many authors [6, 8, 9 and 10] can be seen in (Table 2) in
which interpretation of TOC values of (0.5%-2%) in terms of generation potential is
characterizing a fair to good generative regional source rock in Tanezzuft shale (Taz.
sh) from basin south to basin north. However, TOC values of (2% to 5%) would
characterize a very good generation potential in Aounat Ounine C Shale (AOC sh),
but its limitation from basin south to basin center, its pinching-out towards the basin
center and of being thin beds will down grade its potentiality, and hence will not be
acting as a good regional potential source rock in the basin. According to [8], the
equivalent vitrinite reflectance (Ro) (source rock maturation) of the Lower
SilurianTanezzuft shale (Taz. sh) and the Upper Devonian Aounat Ounine C shale
(AOC sh) (Fig. 9) ranges from 0.5-2 percent Ro and from 1.1 to 1.3 percent Ro
respectively. Source rocks maturity is variable across the total petroleum system. In
the northern part of the total petroleum system, Lower Silurian Tanezzuft shale source
is presently in the early to peak oil generation phase (Ro 0.5-1.3), whereas Upper
Devonian Aounat Ounine C shale is not existed as it was pinched-out. In basin center
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 O. B. Elfigih

the Tanezzuft shale is in late oil to wet gas generation phase reaches its maximum to
dry gas phase (percent Ro 1.1-2), while the Aounat Ounine C shale is in peak oil to
early wet generation phase (percent Ro 1-1.3). In basin southern part, the Tanezzuft
shale and the Aounat Ounine C shales both are in early to maximum oil generation
phases of percent Ro 0.5-1 and 0.7-0.9 respectively. Based on this analysis, the
Ghadames Basin map (Fig. 10) could be divided into three sectors or zones of
maturation using arbitrary maturation boundaries (Basin south, Basin center and
Basin north), where the Lower Silurian Tanezzuft shale in the Basin center area is
defined as good generative potential of higher chance of being gas prone.

Table 2. Interpretation of TOC values of Tanezzuft shale (Taz.sh) and Aounat Ounine
C shale (AOC sh) from Basin south to Basin north areas in terms of generation
potential (after [6, 8, 9 and 10])

Figure 9. Equivalent vitrinite reflectance (Ro) of Taz shale and AOC shale
throughout the Ghadames Basin areas according to [9].

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Figure 10. Regional map is showing source rocks (Taz. sh, AOC sh)
studied wells in the Ghadames Basin. Arbitrary maturation
boundaries between basin areas (Basin south, Basin center
and Basin north) of different maturation levels.

DATA SETS FOR FRACTURES TREATMENT

The developing of a complete and accurate data set is often the most time consuming
part of solving the shale hydraulic fracture problem. For hydraulic fracture treatment
design, the data required to run both the fracture design model and the reservoir
simulation model can be divided into two groups. One group lists the data that can be
“controlled” by the engineer, which are the well completion details, treatment volume,
pad volume, injection rate, fracture fluid viscosity, fracture fluid density, fluid loss
additives, propping agent type, and propping agent volume. The second group reflects
data that must be measured or estimated, but cannot be controlled, including
formation depth, formation permeability, in-situ stresses in the pay zone, in-situ
stresses in the surrounding layers, reservoir pressure, formation porosity, formation
compressibility, and the thickness of the reservoir in this case the Tanezzuft shale
unit. By using such data, along with fracture treatment records and production
records, accurate data sets for a given reservoir in a given field can normally be
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 O. B. Elfigih

compiled. These data sets can be used on subsequent wells to optimize the fracture
treatment designs. It is normally not practical to cut cores and run well tests on every
well. Thus, the data obtained from cores and well tests must be correlated to log
parameters so the logs on subsequent wells can be used to compile accurate data sets.
Table 3 illustrates typical data needed to design a fracture treatment and possible
sources for the data.

Table 3. Sources of data used to design a hydraulic fracture treatment

CANDIDATE WELLS SELECTION

The success or failure of a hydraulic fracture treatment often depends on the quality of
the candidate well selected for the treatment. Choosing an excellent candidate well for
stimulation often ensures success, while choosing a poor candidate will normally
result in economic failure. The best candidate wells for hydraulic fracturing
treatments in the level of Tanezzuft shale will have a substantial volume of gas in
place, have a good generative potential (maturity), a thick pay zone with good aerial
extent, medium to high pressure, in-situ stress barriers to minimize vertical height
growth, and either be a low permeability zone which will have a need to increase its
productivity index, or a zone that has been damaged (high skin factor). Wells are not
good candidates for hydraulic fracturing are those in which Tanezzuft shale is
characterized by little gas volume in place due to thin intervals, low reservoir
pressure, or small aerial extent.
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FIELD CONSIDERATIONS

A successful field operations requires planning, coordination and cooperation of all

parties.
1) Safety is always the primary concern in the field. It begins with a thorough
understanding by all parties on their duties in the field, through a safety
meeting which is held to review the treatment procedure, establish a chain of
command, be sure everyone knows his job responsibilities for the day, and to
establish a plan for emergencies.
2) Testing of all casing, tubing, wellheads, valves, and weak links, such as liner
tops, prior to rigging up the fracturing equipment. Mechanical failures during
a treatment can be costly and dangerous.
3) Detailed inventory of all the equipments and materials on location should be
conducted prior to pumping the treatment. The inventory should be compared
to the design and the prognosis.
4) Samples of the base fracturing fluid (usually water) should be taken and
analyzed to determine the minerals present and the type of bacteria in the
water. The data from the water analysis can be used to select the additives
required to mix the viscous fracture fluid required to create a wide fracture and
to transport the propping agent into the fracture.

SHALE FRACKING

Hydraulic shale fracturing- also known as shale fracking, is a two-phases process to

extract natural gas from prehistoric shale beds (Lower Silurian Tanezzuft shale)
buried thousands of feet below ground surface. The first phase includes drilling the
wells, the second uses high-pressure blasts of water and sand-laden gel to fracture
shale rock and release gas (Fig. 11).
In drilling phase; drilling a well from spud-point of breaking ground to proposed
total depth (TD) of about 3,000-3,500m (9,000-10,500ft) will take about three to six
weeks depending on depth, drilling problems and length of horizontal well. Water
bearing aquifers are at average depth 200-300m (600-900ft) in the Upper Cretaceous
Sidi Assid and Chicla Formations. For fresh water protection, three sets of steel
casings are cemented into place to prevent accidental pollution of drinking water
aquifers. Gas-bearing shale layers are about 3,000-3,500m (9,000-10,500ft)
underground. Drilling could turn horizontal at kick-off point roughly 100-150m (300-
450ft) above shale, where horizontal section extends up to 300m (900ft). Wellbore of
steel pipe surrounded by cement is set, in which holes punched through its cement and
adjacent shale by shaped explosive charges. Finally, the wellbore cleared from debris
and drilling rig removed.

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In fracking phase; fracking fluid is injected into the well at a high pressure to create
fractures in the shale. Anywhere from 1.2 to 3.5 million gallons of water may be used
in a single fracking project [11]. The fluid is mainly composed of sand and water,
with some chemicals added for a variety of purposes (Table 4), such as preventing
corrosion or shale deposits in the well piping [12], some thicken the water into a gel
that is more effective at opening fractures and carrying proppants deep into the rock
unit. Other chemicals are added to reduce friction, keep rock debris suspended in the
liquid, kill bacteria, control pH and other functions. A variety of proppants are used in
hydraulic fracturing. These are small crush-resistant particles that are carried into the
fractures by the hydraulic fracturing fluid. When the pumps are turned off and the
fractures collapse these crush-resistant particles hold the fracture open, creating pore
space through which natural gas can travel to the well. Frac sand is the proppant most
commonly used today but aluminum beads, ceramic beads, sintered bauxite and other
materials have also been used. Over one million pounds of proppants can be used
while fracturing a single well. Along with the natural gas, anywhere from 15-80% of
the fracking fluids are returned to the surface. This is called the flowback water and it
is stored in open pits or tanks. It may be transported to wastewater treatment plants,
injected into underground tanks, or recycled for reuse at the well.
Water is involved in many parts of the fracking process, as seen in Figure 11. There
are four main phases of water use in fracking operations where potential problems
could originate: first, in the acquisition of water for well drilling and fracturing
operations; second, in the mixing of water with chemicals and proppant (e.g., sand,
ceramic beads) for the fracturing operation, including injection and return of
wastewater to the surface; third, in the storage of wastewater; and fourth,
in the disposal, treatment, or recycling of wastewater.

BENEFITS OF HYDRAULIC FRACKING IN GHAMAMES BASIN

* Hydraulic fracturing can significantly increase the yield of a well. When it is

combined with horizontal drilling unprofitable compacted rock formations (like
Tanezzuft shale) could be converted into productive natural gas fields.
* It can also liberate oil and gas from tight rock units (like Memouniat quartzose
sandstone and some other lenses in Lower Acacus sandstones).
* Hydraulic fracturing is providing a clear economic benefit and a source of cleaner,
domestic energy.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS

Fracking…… why it's controversial? Fracking could affect both surface and ground
water quantity and quality. It can reduce the volume of available drinking water, and
may introduce contaminants into drinking water supplies [13]. Contaminants in
fracking fluid could migrate through fractures in the rock into water aquifers, leak
from production wells, leach from storage pits, or enter drinking water supplies in a
number of other ways (Fig. 12) [14, 15].
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In summary, according to some previous studies in the field of shale gas fracturing
[14,16 and 17], there are a number of environmental concerns related to hydraulic
fracturing. These include:
1) Fractures produced in the well might extend directly into shallow rock units that
are used for drinking water supplies. Or, fractures produced in the well might
communicate with natural fractures that extend into shallow rock units that are used
for drinking water supplies.
2) The casing of a well might fail and allow fluids to escape into shallow rock units
used for drinking water supplies.
3) Accidental spills of hydraulic fracturing fluids or fluids expelled during a fracturing
job might seep into the ground or contaminate surface water.

Figure 11. Shows the entire process during drilling phase and fracking phase. (after [12])
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Table 4. Chemical additives to be used in shale fracking job

Figure 12. Shale gas fracking and the risk of contaminations [14, 15]

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CONCLUSIONS

• Shale gas potential in Libya is valid to be explored in a variety of horizons in

different basins.
• Tanezzuft shale (Taz. sh) of Ghadames Basin is the first priority to be
potentially explored for its gas generation as it is compared with Aounat
Ounine C shale (AOC. sh), because of its good gas preservation, high
maturity, reasonable thickness and of good areal extension.
• Hydraulic fracturing of Tanezzuft shale is the only stimulation process for a
good selected well or candidate to obtain natural resources and after a
combination of managed pressure drilling techniques and formulating treated
drilling fluids.
• While fracking technology is providing a clear economic benefit and a source
of cleaner, domestic energy, additional oversight is needed to protect the
public and the environment so that, additional regulatory options to be
identified throughout environmental and economic impact studies. To ensure
these regulations are properly developed and implemented, there needs to be a
clear involvement of all stakeholders, including, government, the public,
scientific organizations, industry (NOC), and environmental organizations.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank the anonymous reviewers at the Department of Earth

Sciences, University of Benghazi, Benghazi-Libya and at the University of
Technical Researches for Engineering Sciences, Benghazi-Libya for their
reading of an early draft of this paper and their fruitful suggested comments. I
am grateful to AGOCO (Libya) for their generous help for providing me the
access to the core storage facility, and technical data library (TDL). My great
thanks are extended to Prof. Dr. Mohamed Nour Eldin head of the Arab
Society of Material Science (ASMS)-Egypt, Prof. Dr. Abdelsalam Kablan
head of the Arab Society of Material Science-Libyan Branch, Prof. Dr. Sherif
Kandil; Department of Materials Science, Institute of Graduate Studies &
Research, Alexandria University, Egypt, the preparatory committee and
scientific committee of the 13th international conference on material science
and its applications in oil industry, Benghazi-Libya for their unlimited efforts
made for the success of this great conference. To all who helped me in
whatever capacity in preparing this paper, I express my sincere thanks and
appreciation. Thanks are also go to my family for their moral support, patience
and encouragements during the time of writing this paper.

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