Modelling the Propagation of Seismic Waves Through the Sedimentary Basin of the Niger Delta

The Niger Delta sedimentary basin, one of the world's thickest and most actively explored hydrocarbon provinces, exhibits complex seismic wave propagation behaviour due to its alternating shale-sand stratigraphy and the presence of gas-charged sands and overpressured zones. Accurate seismic wave propagation modelling is fundamental for improving subsurface imaging quality in hydrocarbon exploration and for assessing seismic hazard. This study models P-wave and S-wave propagation through a realistic Niger Delta stratigraphic column using finite difference solution of the visco-elastic wave equation. A velocity-depth model is constructed from published well log data and seismic refraction surveys in Bayelsa State. Q-factor values for key lithological units are assigned from core-based laboratory measurements. Synthetic seismograms are generated and compared with recorded seismic data from the NNPC archive. Results demonstrate that the high-attenuation Benin Formation produces significant P-wave amplitude decay that must be compensated in amplitude versus offset analysis. Converted wave generation at shale-sand boundaries contributes significant S-wave energy not accounted for in standard P-wave processing. The finite difference model provides a platform for testing advanced seismic imaging algorithms applicable to Niger Delta exploration. Keywords: seismic wave propagation, Niger Delta, finite difference, visco-elastic, subsurface imaging