Analysis of high-resolution aeromagnetic (HRAM) data of Lower Benue Trough, Southeastern Nigeria, for hydrocarbon potential evaluation

The analyses of high-resolution aeromagnetic (HRAM) data of lower Benue Trough in southeastern Nigeria have delineated sections of the basin with requisite sedimentary thickness that could support the generation of oil and gas from right-type organic-matter rich source rock as well as identified intra-sedimentary structural framework that could aid hydrocarbon migration and restrain generated hydrocarbon within available reservoirs. The susceptibility and Analytic Signal (AS) maps derived from processed Gaussian-filtered and Reduced to Pole at Low Latitude (RTPLL) aeromagnetic data discriminate crystalline basement rocks from the sedimentary units. Likewise, many relatively shallow, short (900–1600 m) intra-geologic terrain linear structures and fewer long, deeper (>1.5–43 km) inter-geologic terrains crustal linear structures which reduce in population but increase in lateral extent and depth with increasing continuation distances were delineated from the processed Tilt Derivative (TDR) and the Horizontal components of the Tilt Derivatives grids at different Upward Continuation distances. Euler Deconvolution depth-weighting analyses determined depth to magnetic sources which ranges in value from 120 m above to 5 km below the Minna reference datum. Regions having sedimentary thickness in excess of 3 km with active intra-sedimentary structural elements qualify for further petroleum exploration campaign using other detailed geological and geophysical tools.