DHULIAN OILFIELD : A CASE HISTORY
Farooq A. Khan and S. Tariq Hasany
Pakistan Oilfields Limited
ABSTRACT
The Dhulian oilfield is located in the central part of the
Potwar Plateau, about 90 km south-west of Islamabad.
A.W.Wynne first mapped the surface structure in 1877
as a broad east-west trending, doubly plunging anticline.
In 1918, the Attock Oil Company Limited started
exploration on the surface structure. First commercial
production was obtained in 1937 from the fractured shelf
carbonates of Eocene Chorgali-Sakesar formations . First
oil discovery in Pakistan from Paleocene reservoir was
made during 1951 in Dhulian. In 1960 Pakistan's first
Jurassic oil-bearing reservoir was also discovered in the
Ohulian-39 w ell. A total of 49 wells were drilled till1966.
The average w ell depth in the field is about 8,500 feet,
but Dhulian 43, the deepest well, was drilled to a depth
of 12,428 feet into Infra-Cambrian; the Permian and
Cambrian objectives were water bearing.
In 1993 POL acquired seismic data which revealed that
in the subsurface the Dhulian structure is a broad
asy mmetri c compressional fold with faulted
compartments. It is salt cored , with a wrench-induced
major thrust to the north separating it from the Khaur
pop-up stru cture. The trapping mechanism for the
Tertiary reservoirs is a four-way dip closure, whereas the
Jurassic oil is trapped by a combination of structure and
reservoir p inch out. The Kuldana Formation (red clay)
forms the top seal for the Eocene reservoir, w hereas the
Nammal and Datta variegated sh ales are the cap rocks
for the Paleocene and Jurassic respectively. The Eocene
marine carbon ates and sh ales and the black marine sh ales
of the Paleocene Patala Formation are believed to be the
source rocks for the oil in Dhulian. The Paleocene and
2
Jurassic reservoirs appear to be in pressure
communication . However, many wells, including
Dhulian-46, produced oil from deeper Jurassic sand,
while shallower Paleocene limestone in the same w ell
produced only water, implying non-communication.
Dhulian has an active water drive in the Eocene reservoir,
whereas the principal drive mechanism in the Paleocene
and Jurassic reservoirs is solution gas and partial water
drive.
The Dhulian field has produced a total of approximately
41 mmbbls of oil and 199 be£ of solution gas. The 500 feet
thick Eocene shelf carbonates has produced 7.7 mmbbls
of 28°-32° API oil with initial maximum reservoir
pressure of 5960 psi. The main oil production of 21
mmbbls was obtained from the 450 feet thick Paleocene
shelf carbonate and 12 mmbbls of oil has been produced
from the 70 feet thick basal Jurassic Datta sandstone. The
Palaecene and Jurassic reservoirs gradually watered out
and the flow ceased completely in 1983. Prior to the
initiation of an enhanced hydrocarbon recovery project
in late 1997, daily production from the Eocene was only
about 18 b I d oil and 256 b I d water. After the recent
completion of the Dhulian-17 and -39 workovers, oil and
gas production from the field has increased significantly
INTRODUCTION
Dhulian Oil Field is located ab out 90 km southwest of
Islamabad in Central Potwar Plateau of the Upper Indus
Basin. Tecton ically, th is region, form s part of an active
fo reland fold and thrust belt in n orthern Pakistan (Fig . 1).
The Dhulian structure was first mapped by A.B. Wynne
and shown on a geological map in the records of the
DHULIAN FIELD
Geological Survey of India in 1877. It was recognized as
a likely oil-bearing prospect by E.S. Pinfold in 1914 (Gee,
1961). Although exploratory drilling activity started in
1918, the first commercial discovery of oil was made in
1937 from Eocene limestone. Oil was also discovered for
the first time in Indo-Pakistan from Paleocene and
Jurassic reservoirs, during further appraisal of Dhulian
structure. Some oil production was also obtained from
the Miocene Murree Formation during initial stages. The
Dhulian field, as for as Eocene reservoir is concerned is
almost depleted. However the Paleocene and Jurassic
reservoirs still have some potential for secondary
recovery. A total of 49 wells were drilled in Dhulian oil
field out of which 46 wells were drilled by Attock Oil
Company (A.O.C.) and three wells by Pakistan Oilfields
Limited (P.O.L.) as shown in Figure-2. Seven wells did
not reach objective reservoirs and three wells could not
be put on production due to various technical reasons.
At present the Dhulian Oilfield is covered by a
Development & Production lease granted to P.O.L. in
August, 1993. After recent successful workovers on two
wells, the production has increased to 50 BOPD, 4.0
MMCFD gas, with 270 BWPD alongwith natural gas
liquids.
This paper mainly focuses on the exploration and
development history, stratigraphy, structure, and
petroleum geology of Dhulian field. Reservoir
engineering and E.O.R aspects are also discussed briefly.
EXPLORATION AND
DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
The Attock Oil Company Limited, which had established
commercial production of oil from the nearby Khaur
Field, was granted a Prospecting Licence over the
Dhulian structure. Exploratory drilling started in 1918
solely based on surface geological mapping. Until1933,
four wells were drilled and abandoned due to severe
drilling problems encountered during drilling of molasse
above the main Eocene objective. The first well to reach
the Eocene objective was Dhulian-5, drilled in 1936 to a
total depth of 7863 feet in Sakesar Formation (Fig. 2). It
was located on the eastern plunge of the fold, about 250
feet down dip from the crest. This well, however, flowed
oil for a couple of days before it started producing water.
This also indicated that the well was drilled near the
oil/ water contact.
The first commercial production was obtained in May,
1937 when Dhulian-7 produced several hundred barrels
of oil of 28° API gravity with initial reservoir pressure of
5960 psi at a depth of 7715 feet. With the continued
development of the Eocene reservoir, a peak production
of 2900 BOPD was reached in March, 1941. Thereafter,
the field produced at declining rates with increasing
volumes of formation water.
Initially, the prospects for obtaining production below
the Eocene were considered poor, because of absence of
oil shows in the Paleocene (Ranikot) Limestone. It was
not until1951 that Dhulian-24, an Eocene producer, was
deepened to Paleocene (Ranikot) and was completed as
an oil producer at a depth of 8245 feet. The lighter
Paleocene oil (43° API) had a much higher gas/ oil ratio
(3000 SCF /STB) . The Eocene production by that time
had declined to less than 170 BOPD, which was also
approximately the rate of production from the Paleocene
(Ranikot) discovery well. Additional Eocene wells were
deepened to Paleocene (Ranikot) which gave satisfactory
production. By December 1954, in excess of 1700 BOPD
were being produced from the Paleocene (Ranikot)
reservoir. During 1960, Paleocene (Ranikot) reservoir was
producing about 2800 barrels per day from eight wells.
In July 1960, Dhulian-39 was drilled to a depth of 9106
feet, below the Eocene and Paleocene, and good
production was obtained from coarse to medium grained
porous quartzose sandstone of Datta Formation
("Variegated Beds") of Jurassic age. From 1960-66, ten
3
DHULIAN FIELD
more wells were drilled, primarily to develop Paleocene
and Jurassic reservoirs. Some of these wells were
completed as dual producers from both the reservoirs.
During 1962-64, Dhulian-43 was drilled to 12,428 feet as
the deepest well. The well was drilled down to the Salt
Range Formation of Infra-Cambrian age. Good shows
of oil and gas were encOLm tered in Permian but on testing
it proved to be water bearing. Dhulian-43 also proved
the absence of Jurassic section in the eastern part of the
structure and indicated the wedging out of the Jurassic
strata below the Paleocene unconformity.
STRATIGRAPHY
Rocks from Pre-Cambrian to Quaternary age are present
in the Potwar Plateau. These rocks with a total thickness
of more than 26,000 feet represent a variety of
environments of depositions, ranging from marine to
fluvial. Periods of uplift and erosion were quite extensive,
as indicated by several major unconformities (Fig. 3).
The oldest rocks penetrated by Dhulian-43, are the Pre-
cambrian evaporites of the Salt Range Formation. These
were deposited unconformably on a Pre-Cambrian
basement in a restricted hypersaline basin of
Gondwanaland interior Uaswal et al., 1997). Dhulian-43
drilled 511 feet of Salt Range Formation, which consists
of massive salt deposits grading from gypsum through
marl to dolomite. The overlying Cambrian rocks of the
Jhelum Group, which are present in the eastern Potwar,
gradually thin out towards west and are missing in
Dhulian Field. The unconformity above Salt Range
Formation extends from Ordovician to Upper
Carboniferous. Erosion during this time resulted in the
removal of Cambrian rocks in the western Potwar sub-
basin including Dhulian area.
Sedimentation was re-established in Early Permian with
the accumulation of Tobra Formation in glacio-fluvial
environments. The Permian sequence shows a gradual
4
transition into marine facies indicating a wide spread
transgression. In Dhulian area, marine conditions
persisted until the end of Permian. In Dhulian Field,
Permian rocks are represented by Nilawahan Group
(Tobra, Dandot, Warcha and Sardhai formations) and
Zaluch Group (Amb, Wargal and Chhidru formations).
The Permian and Triassic strata are separated by an
unconformity, reflecting a regression of the sea and
emergent conditions persisted during Late Permian/
Early Triassic, followed by yet another marine
transgression in the Triassic. The rocks of Triassic,
Jurassic and Cretaceous age were deposited on a west-
northwest facing passive margin after the breakup of
Gondwanaland with maximum development of
Mesozoic rocks in the western Potwar and Salt Range,
overlapped by Paleocene strata towards east (Yeats and
Hussain, 1987). In Dhulian area, Mesozoic sediments
comprise a thin sequence of Triassic and Jurassic sands
and shales (Mianwali and Datta formations) overlain
unconformably by Paleocene strata. The Jurassic
sequence, however, is also missing over the eastern part
of Dhulian Field, as it wedge out in the NE-SW direction,
and as a consequence, Hangu Formation (Dhak Pass)
directly overlies the Mianwali Formation.
During Paleocene, shallow marine deposition ensued,
which was dominated by bioclastic and micrite
carbonates of Lockhart Limestone (Khairabad
Limestone). The overlying Patala Formation represents
alternations of deeper outer and shallower inner shelf
facies. This is followed by another period of Paleocene
carbonate build-up represented by Upper Ranikot and
Oyster Beds and this sedimentation was terminated with
the onset of apparently more anoxic deep water
deposition of Nammal Formation.
During Eocene, shallow marine sedimentation resumed
with deposition of a mainly calcareous/ argillaceous
sequence of Sakesar and Chorgali formations. The
DHULIAN FIELD
overlying Kuldana Formation, which consists of red
claystones and shales, was deposited in open-marine to
partially restricted environments.
The last period of uplift and erosion corresponds to major
collision between the Indo-Pakistan and Eurasian plates
probably in Late Eocene. Oligocene rocks are not present
ill the Potwar region. During the main orogenic phase
in Miocene and Pliocene, thick fluvial sediments
represented by Rawalpindi Group (Murree and Kamlial
formations) and Siwalik Group (Chinji, Nagri, and Dhok
Pathan formations) were deposited in the Potwar
Foredeep, i11 response to the continued uplift in the north.
PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
Dhulian Structure
Th e Dhulian s urface structure is an almost symmetrical
anticline with maximum dips of 30° to 35° (Fig. 4). The
fold axis trends ENE-WSW and plunges about 4°-5° at
both ends, running en-ech elon to the nearby Khaur fold.
Dhulian fold is flanked by the Soan Syncline to the south
and by the tight Pindi Gheb syncline to the north. The
wes terly pitch appears to be continuous for about 18 km
beyond which it flattens or even reverses to form Injra
structure. The sandstones of Nagri Formation form the
flanks of the Dhulian anticline whereas Chinji Formation
is exposed in the core of the fold.
The Dhulian s tructure was originally thought to be a
conve nti onal anticline with a fold axis trendin g
n ortheast-so uthwest. Based on surface geology, Dhulian
was recognized to have been genetically related to the
adjacen t Khaur structure, which was known to have
origina ted by thrusting. Consequently the development
of the Dhulian field was carried out without Geophysical
surveys and all subsurface geological maps and cross-
sections were co n s tru c ted based on borehole
information, wireline logs and regional structural and
stra tigraphic trends. (Figs. 5 a & b)
The multifold seismic acquired by OXY and POL
demonstrated that Dhulian subsurface structure is more
complicated than what was originally thought. Based on
this new seismic evidence, Dhulian structure was proved
to be a thrust-bounded salt-cored anticline, which is cut
across by a major wrench fault that splits Dhulian into
two major fault blocks (Fig. 6). Besides exhibiting a dip-
slip motion with the western fault block which is
upthrown relative to the eastern fault block, the wrench
fault also displays strike-slip separation. As a result, th e
Dhulian structure may be compartmentalized. Another
effect of the wrench faulting is the rotation of the Dhulian
structure to the north (towards Khaur), relative to the
western fault block. The western fault block has a gentler
back limb which dips to the north (Fig. 7) while the
eastem fault block has a back limb which dips to the south
(Fig. 8). Th e main thrusting in these two blocks is in
opposite direction . The foreland thrust in the western
fault block is located to the south while in case of the
eastem fault block, the thrust is on the northern side
(hinterland verging thrust). It is suspected that the
wrench is responsible for this counter thrust movement,
which has resulted in the disappearance of the Pindi Gheb
syncline in between Dhulian and Khaur in the east.
RESERVOIRS
Eocene
The initial production at Dhulian was obtained from a
limes tone of Eocene age near the contact of Chorgali and
Sakesar Limes ton e. This oil bearing h orizon was
remarkably consis tent and it becam e known as the "Main
Oil Horizon ". The Eocene strata from the top ofNammal
Formation to the base of Kuldana Formation are 475 feet
thick in the central part of the Dhulian field. The top 150-
200 feet of this sequence overlies the "Main Oil H orizon "
which has been described as chemical limestone. Below
this horizon, the limestone is coarse grained and highl y
fossiliferous, but in POL#1 the lowes t 150 feet of section
consists of fine grained globigerinal compact limestone
5
DHULIAN FIELD
with no apparent permeability. However, high-salinity
water flows have been encountered in this basal150 feet
of section in the central part of the field .
The Eocene reservoir, which was discovered in 1937 was
developed over an approximately 20 acre spacing and
reached peak production of 2900 BOPD in 1941 (Fig. 9).
The rate of production had declined to less than 70 BOPD
with 97% water cut b y 1952, w hen all Eocene producers
were shut in~ The reservoir was re-opened to flow in 1957
when surface pressure increased from 925 psi to 1310
p s i (Cotton, 1958). The Eocene reservoir has an
abnormally high pressure, the original pressure gradient
being in excess of 0.75 psi/ foot. The areal extent of the
oil accumulation, however, is very small (approximately
400 acres) as compared to that of aquifer. As a
consequence, all of the oil production obtained todate
has b ee n accompanied b y large volumes of very
corrosive salt water. Evidence from cores taken from the
"Main Oil Horizon" indicates that this zone is highly
fractured with very low matrix porosity. Very few
samples showed porosities greater than 5% and most
samples av eraging less than 3% porosity. Pressure
b ehavior of the reservoir indicates excellent
communication both laterally and vertically (DeGolyer
and MacNaughton, 1960). The production history of the
Eocene reservoir indicates an active water-drive
mechanism for the reservoir. Todate, the Eocene reservoir
h as p roduced 7.7 milli on ba rrels of oil and is s till
producing at an average rate of 20 BOPD and 255 BWPD.
Paleocene
Th e Paleocen e reser v oir m ay b e divided into three
stratigraphic un its: Oys ter Bed s/ Upper Ranikot, Patala
Formation and Lockhart Formation. The Oyster Bed/
Upper Ranikot Limes tone consists of 120 feet of
argillaceous, highly fossiliferous limestone and forms the
upper reservoir. This zone has produced oil from
Dhulian-5,7,16, 24, 28, 41, and 43 wells and was tested
productive in Dhulian-39. The underlying Patala
6
Formation consists of an argillaceous foraminiferal
limestone bounded by shales. The limestone has been
termed as "Patala Main Limestone" and is 60-70 feet in
thickness, where it is developed. The formation show s
marked facies changes within the limits of the field . The
entire Patala Formation consists of shale in well No. 37.
On the other hand in some of the wells (Dhulian-38, 39,
41 and POL-l) it shows a prominent development of
limestone. The formation generally thickens (75-150 feet)
towards east with a decrease in limestone / shale ratio.
The Main Patala Limestone has been productive in
Dhulian-11,16,24,28,41 and 43 wells. The lowermost unit
of Paleocene section is the Lockhart Formation
(Khairabad Limestone), which is a massive, argillaceous
limestone. This zone has produced hydrocarbons from
six wells (Dhulian-37, 38,41,42,44 and 45) and appears
to be productive in Dhulian-39.
Cores from the Paleocene reservoirs revealed a slightly
porous and impermeable limestone with considerable
vertical fracturing. Core analyses show a matrix porosity
of less that 2.5% with no measurable permeability. The
nature of the reservoir rock and the production behavior
indicate that most of the oil in Paleocene reservoir was
stored in a system of interconnected fractures (DeGolyer
& MacNaughton, 1960).
From the available data, it is not possible to determine
w h e ther the three reservoir zon es ac t as sepa rate
reservoirs. The a vailable bottom-hole m eas urem ents
indicate that these zon es are in p ressure commun ication
but these are probably not in equilibrium.
Based on p roduction history, b ottom-h ole p ressure da ta
and natu re of the Paleocen e forma tions, it h as become
evident th a t the principal producing mechanism of this
reservoir is gravity segregation (DeGolyer &
MacNau ghton, 1960). In the id eal case of gravity
segregation producing mechanism, the solution gas
which is evolved in the reservoir due to decline in
DHULIAN FIELD
pressure migrates to the crest of the structure to form a
secondary gas cap. This expanding gas cap displaces the
oil and helps maintain a high oil saturation and therefore
a high relative permeability to oil, in an oil- bearing zone.
The oil which enters the well bore then contains only
that gas which remains in solution at the current reservoir
pressure. Only Dhulian-37, which is structurally the
lowest well in the field, behaved in this manner. All of
the crestal wells produced a large volume of gas from
the secondary gas cap.
The regular production from Paleocene started in March
1952 and continued till1983 (Fig. 10). Various wells have
flowed at different rates. The peak production level was
achieved during September 1965, when maximum
production level of 5094 BPD of oil and 5.74 MMSCFD
of gas was achieved. Water production from Paleocene
wells started during February 1958 with maximum
salinity of 20%, (Sodium Chloride). The Paleocene wells
with decreasing reservoir pressure gradually watered
out and the flow ceased completely in 1983. The original
oil in place of the Paleocene reservoirs is estimated to be
about 80 MMSTB out of which 21.3 million barrels of oil
has been recovered so far alongwith 113.75 Bcf of gas
and 5.2 millon barrels of water.
Jurassic
Dhulian-39 was Pakistan's first oil discovery from a
Jurassic reservoir (Datta Formation). Subsequently, nine
more deep wells were drilled below Jurassic. Dhulian-
41 bottomed in Permian and Dhulian-43 was drilled
down to Salt Range Formation. Dhulian-41 drilled a very
thin section of Jurassic while Dhulian-43 did not
encounter this formation, which indicated that the
regional truncation edge of Jurassic is located between
Dhulian-41 and 43, near the crest of the fold. POL-3 well
drilled through 170 feet section of Jurassic strata, which
is the maximum thickness of Jurassic section encountered
in Dhulian Field. Although the general thinning is
towards east, but the formation is thicker at the northern
and southern flanks of the Dhulian fold.
Datta Formation can be divided into two parts. The upper
part consists of mudstone, claystone and shale with minor
sandstone and has been termed as "Variegated Beds" in
the Potwar region. The lower unit called "Main Oil Sand"
is more or less a massive, coarse to medium grained, and
sometimes gritty, quartzose sandstone. Most of the oil
from Jurassic was produced from "Main Oil Sand". This
unit also attains a maximum thickness of 107 feet in
Dhulian POL-3 well, the western most well, and is absent
in Dhulian-41 well.
The primary porosity of Jurassic is quite variable and
ranges from 2.9% to 11.6%. The average porosity is about
8.5%. Permeability ranges from 1.2 to 869 Milli darcys.
The Jurassic discovery well (Dhulian-39) was completed
in Main Oil Sand and flowed at a rate of 720 BOPD with
WHFP of 2000 psi. Later on a total of seven wells were
completed as Jurassic producers. The maximum
production of 2744 BOPD was achieved during
September 1965 (Fig. 11). Water breakthrough occurred
duringApril1970 with salinity of 13% (Sodium Chloride).
The field was abandoned in 1983, when water cut
substantially increased and due to decline in reservoir
pressure to 1600 psi, the Jurassic wells were unable to
produce due to water loading.
The pressure surveys in Jurassic wells indicated that the
Paleocene and Jurassic reservoirs were in pressure
communication. However, many wells, including
Dhulian-46 produced oil from the deeper Jurassic sand,
while shallower Paleocene in the same wells produced
only water, implying non communication between these
reservoirs.
Original oil in place of Jurassic reservoir has been
estimated to be about 40 MMSTB. The cumulative
production from Jurassic is 12.20 million barrels of oil,
85.6 BCF of gas and 1.3 million barrels of water.
7
DHULIAN FIELD
SOURCE
The data regarding source rocks of Dhulian crude is not
directly available to quantify the potential of each
Paleocene and deeper rocks units, and to locate the
precise source rock. However, Chorgali - Sakesar
carbonates and shales along with Patala black marine
shales are now considered potential source rocks.
Derived data from nearby fields, where source rock
studies were carried out, support this view.
SEAL
Kuldana Formation
The Kuldana Formation consists of red and purple
coloured claystone and shale with occasional silty I sandy
streaks. This formation is present all over the Dhulian
field and ranges in thickness from 90 to 120 feet. The
basal part of Kuldana is composed of green compact
shales. which is about 10-20 feet thick. Due to its
impermeable character Kuldana Formation forms an
effective seal over the Eocene reservoir of the Dhulian
Field.
Nammal Formation
Nammal Formation consists of shales with thin bands of
argillaceous limestone bands . Shales of Nammal
Formation (155 to 200 feet thick) are developed all over
the Dhulian Field and provides top seal for the Paleocene
(Ranikot) reservoir.
Datta Formation
The top part of the Datta Formation in Dhulian consists
of varicoloured shale, siltstone, mudstones and claystone
with thin sand beds ("Variegated Beds"). These beds
overlie the "Main Oil Sand" horizon of the Datta
Formation and are believed to be the top seal of the
Jurassic reservoir.
8
ENHANCED OIL I GAS RECOVERY (EOR)
PROJECT
Oil reservoirs after primary recovery leave a large
volume of oil in the reservoir. The fraction of oil left in
the reservoir varies from 85% to 55% depending upon
the primary recovery mechanism. This remaining
fraction of oil left in the reservoir has been the target for
various EOR techniques, which range in cost and
complexity from water injection to a miscible
displacement by solvent slug or carbon dioxide injection.
At Dhulian field the Jurassic and Paleocene reservoirs
had an initial oil-in-place of 89-118 million barrels. These
reservoirs produced about 33 million barrels of oil during
primary production by solution gas drive and partial
water influx. Thus, the remaining oil volume in these
two reservoirs is quite significant. However, the wells
drilled in Dhulian Field are in poor condition for having
been shut-in for a long time and therefore there is
potential risk of encountering casing leaks, parted tubing,
and abandoned fish. POL took the challenge of reviving
this old and depleted field. The company strategy in the
first phase was to assess the success rate of being able to
workover the old wells and put them on production and
after successful workover of 4 to 6 wells, to initiate a
pilot water injection to prove whether oil in the reservoir
can be mobilized and displaced towards the producing
wells.
After thorough evaluation and study of the field in 1996,
some wells were selected for workover operation by
considering the initial productivity of the Paleocene/
Jurassic reservoirs, degree of fracturing, structural
position and volume of total fluid production (Hasany,
1997). Mechanical integrity of the wells and existing
production/ completion strings of the wells were also
taken into consideration. The drilling problems
associated with depleted reservoir pressure of about
1600 psi were also kept in view.
DHULIAN FIELD
The workover operations in Dhulian field commenced
in October, 1997, using Petrolog workover rig. Two wells
(Dhulian-39 and 17) have been successfully workedover
and placed on production . The additional production
from these well has averaged about 25 BOPD and 4
MMSCFD of gas. The gas is being processed at Meyal
LPG Plant and is yielding 13-14 metric tons per day of
LPG, 10-11 barrels of solvent oil and 25-30 barrels of
gasoline.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors wish to express their sincere thanks to P.O.L.
Management for their permission to present and publish
this paper. We are also indebted to all our colleagues in
P.O.L. who provided technical support and data in the
preparation of this manuscript. Our special appreciation
is due to members of the Technical Committee of the
PPEPCA - PAPG Convention for critically reviewing
the paper and making valuable suggestions for
improvement.
REFERENCES CITED
1. Cotton, G, 1958. A treatise entitled "Dhulian
Oilfield".An internal Attock Oil Company Limited
report.
2. Da y, A.E. 1963. Case Histories of Dhulian and
Balkassar Oil Fields, West Pakistan. In Case History
of Oil and Gas Fields in Asia and Far East;
Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East
Mineral Resources Development Series No. 20.
United Nations, New York.
3. DeGolyer and MacNaughton Incorporated, 1960;
Production Engineering Study of the Dhulian Field
in West Pakistan. An internal Pakistan Oilfield
Company Limited report.
4. Gee, E.R.1961. Geology and Petroleum Prospects
of the northern part of West Pakistan. An internal
Pakistan Petroleum Limited I Pakistan Oilfield
Limited report.
5. Hasany S.T.l997. Dhulian field Reevaluation Study,
Pakistan Oilfield Limited, an internal report.
6. Jaswal T.M, Lilie R.J. and Rebert D. Lawrence 1997,
Structure and evaluation of the North Potwar
Deformed Zone, Pakistan: A.A.P.G. Bulletin,V81,
P.308-328.
7. Martin, N.R. 1954 : Report on the revision of the
geology of Dhulian Khaur, and Mayal-Kharp a
region. An internal Attock Oil Company Limited
report.
8. Yeats R.S. and A. Hussain 1987, Timing of structural
events in the Himalayan foothills of Northwes tern
Pakistan : Geological Society of American Bulletin
V99, P-161-176.
9
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··®
PO<.-J
~
..® &!'
0
" &::~< !!,•• lA••
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&< 8 8~·go,og• ~ ~
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Jl, IZ' ~'& ~·· &,_..
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~u
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..
8

0 1 2 Kms
Dlzulian Development and Production Lease

-Q- Plugged & Abondoned (Dry Hole)

® Jurassic and Paleocene Dual Producer

6 Eocene Producer

~ Initially Eocene Well, Afterward

Deepend to Paleocene
~ Paleocene Producer Wel l Figure : 2 Well location and status map of Dhulian oil field
G Jurassi~ Producer
} Work Overs Candidates
 ,Vl
a.. oz
0
::J a::O
0 oa:J LITHOLOGY
~ ~ a:: >-a::
w w
a..
(.!) I()
FLUVIAL , Gr ee ni sh grey sl. and c lay,
PLIO. NAGRI Cll i\NNP.L co n glomera tic

CHINJI 24 13-
w 3520 Brighl red clays wilh Sst.
zw 380- b r own Sst.,
u KAMLIAL 604
0...... FLUVIAL
~ MURREE R/C In te rb edded li g h l grey Sst.

u w
>- z
w
1-t 0::: u
0 <( 0
w
..... 1------l SAKESAR
N f- NAMMAL S/C
dark
a:::
0 w w <t" OYSTER BEDS 15-20
f-
zw ;i §) 1 - - - - - - - - l
z u f- 0 U.RANIKOT
100-
120
R/S
dark

0 <(0:::
UJ w a.. l9 PATALA R/S Dark. grey greenish sh and Lsl
_J
<(
u a.. LOCKHART R/S
Massive li g h l -
,,·ilh minor sh,
rk grey Lsl.
'le

U CRETACEOUS
.....
0
N
0 JURASSIC
(/}
w
~ TRIASSIC
I CHIDDRU marl and calcareous Ssl
u
::J WAR GAL
_J R Massive grey Lsl.lhin carbanaceous sh.
<(
N AMB Calca r eous Sst., carb Sh.

z<( SARDHAI s Dark pu r ple & Lavendor clays

S lr eaks of Sst.
u z I
~~ <( WARCHA Red & Lighl co lored Sst. and gril
0:::~ ~
0 <(0:::
ww ::i DAN DOT Olive - green and gray Sst. & Sh.

N a..
or-----~~~~~·~~~~~~~~~=m"-=~m=m=~~~m=m=~~m=~rl
UJ CARBONIF.

_j DEVONIAN

~ SILURIAN
ORDOVI CIAN

CAMBRIAN
HESTHICTEU
SALT RANGE HY1\Nlm~~F. + 511 Red gypsum marl, rock sail, Evaponles
PRECAMBRIAN
BASEMENT Biolile sch1sl. quarlZilic, rhyolile
INDIAN SHIELD
~: RESERVOIR ROCK ~: SOURCE ROCK (9: CAP ROCK Author: TARIQ HASANY CAD by: M.F.QAZI MAY,l998

Figure : 3 Generalized stratigraphic column and depositional setting,Dhulian field

12
 KHAUR FOLD
+ +
s--<~c0~~
"33°-l!l' +

N ~ PINDIGHEB
• \~~"
?'~\)\ G'''
/

I
I
\
', =-

-
~
-- ~--~l., ~

~ ~~ so~'~'~ siNcuNE.

0 I 2 Kms
72° Ill ' 72". 20 1 2•. 2!l'

V)
Figure : 4 Surface Geological Formline Map of Dhulian Structure
(Modified After Martin 1954)
 ,. ........
I
?l'"IO' Tl"-ta'

+ +

=
====----~-~P=a=taulca Form~t·1on.epth Contour M ap
Figure·. 5 .a ~~ulian oil field . D

SEA LEVEL

SAKESAR&CHORGAU FM

rlZZZl NAMMAL .

nmm PATALA

~ FM.

FM.

c:::J MIANWALI FM.

!5:2iJ ZALUCH GP.

SCALE
HOR.& VER.

~==~1~,o:;oo==~
- • 0_
Meters 2 00
_ _ _ ___::._ ___ 'WITH CAMB:IACORED
STRUCTUR N SALT
-
----
Figure : S.b Structural C
across cent~~s~f ~ehctil?n along A - A'
ulan Field.
14
 N
6

1
31!.10
+

[CONTOUR INTERVAL 50 Milli Seconds I

SCALE
0 I 2Kms
72~ Ul' 72 •. 201 Baqai S . 1993

Figure : 6 Time Structure Map of Dhulian field at Eocene Limestone

(Chorgali Formation)
Vl
 s N
DHULIAN # 39

130 120 110

NAGAI

NAGAI

1· 0

KAMLIAL

MUAAEE FM
2 ·0

Mohammad S.T. 1997

Figure · 7 Geoseismic Section along seismic line PDK-102

16 across Western fault block.(For Location see Flgure-6)
 s hnN
DHULIAN # 43

140 130 120 110

170 160 150

NAGAI
CHINJI

LIAL

MURREE FM

MURREE
THICKENED

+
+ + + + + + + + + + +
T++++++++ +
+ + + + + + + + + •. + + +
+++++++++++++
+++++,++++++
+ + + + + + + + + + + +
+ ++++++ + + + +
+ + + + +
+ + ++ +
+
+ + ,~·~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~----~ + +
+ + + + + + +-,r--._,;____ + + +
+ + - t. + ++++
+++ +++ + + +++++++++ +++++++++
+ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +++++++++++

Mohammad S.T. 1997

Figure · 8 Geoseismic Section along seismic line PDK- 104

across Eastern fault block. (For Location see Ftgure-6) 17
 8I

bbls/d

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0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0

1940
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1942
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1946
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1948
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1961
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1965
1966
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1968
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1970
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61

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, 1952
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1981
1982
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1985
1986
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1987
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1992 ·-
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N 1995 ~
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1996
tO 1997
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 oz

bbls/d

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0 0 0 0
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1963
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CD 1965
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1967
1968
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1969
1970
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1973
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1976
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1979
1980
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1982
1983
1984
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1987
1988
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1991
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c... .......
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.,Q,)
s:::: .....,
.........
C"'
1994
1995

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(J) en 1996
c..
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(J)
CD 1993
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1994
1995
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1997
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CD 1996
CD
........ 1997
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