Controls on the reservoir quality of Late Cretaceous Springar Formation deep-water fan systems in the Vøring Basin

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 247-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alana Finlayson ◽  
Angela Melvin ◽  
Alex Guise ◽  
James Churchill

AbstractA new reservoir quality model is proposed for the Late Cretaceous Springar Formation sandstones of the Vøring Basin. Instead of a depth-related compactional control on reservoir quality, distinct high- and low-permeability trends are observed. Fan sequences which sit on the high-permeability trend are characterized by coarse-grained facies with a low matrix clay content. These facies represent the highest energy sandy turbidite facies within the depositional system, and were deposited in channelized or proximal lobe settings. Fan sequences on the low-permeability trend are characterized by their finer grain size and the presence of detrital clay, which has been diagenetically altered to a highly microporous, illitic, pore-filling clay. These fan sequences are interpreted to have been deposited in proximal–distal lobe environments. Original depositional facies determines the sorting, grain size and detrital clay content, and is the fundamental control on reservoir quality, as the illitization of detrital clay is the main mechanism for reductions in permeability. Core-scale depositional facies were linked to seismic-scale fan elements in order to better predict porosity and permeability within each fan system, allowing calibrated risking and ranking of prospects within the Springar Formation play.

1984 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 299 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. R. Bhatia ◽  
M. Thomas ◽  
J. M. Boirie

Late Permian sandstones form the reservoir of the Tern and Petrel gas fields in the offshore Bonaparte Basin. The producing reservoirs of the Petrel field were deposited in various environments associated with a major northwesterly trending deltaic system. The producing sands in the Tern field were deposited in the shoreface environment of a barrier-bar system.The reservoir quality of the sands is controlled by the diagenesis, which is facies dependent. In the Petrel field, sandstones deposited in the upper delta plain and along the shoreline are clean, medium-to coarse-grained and highly quartzose but have very low porosity and permeability due to extensive quartz diagenesis. However, sands deposited in delta front and lower delta plain environments are medium to fine grained, argillaceous and have fair to good reservoir potential. In these sands, the dispersed clays formed coats and rims on quartz grains during early diagenesis and inhibited quartz overgrowth. In the Tern field, sands of the upper shoreface have poor reservoir quality due to early calcite cementation. However, finer-grained sandstones of the lower shoreface facies have good reservoir quality. The porosity in these sands is mainly primary and preserved due to low carbonate and high clay content. The processes of quartz and calcite cementation which drastically reduced the reservoir quality of the coarse-grained sands occurred early and were influenced by the texture of the sands and probably also by the chemical character of the formation waters.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yousif M. Makeen ◽  
Xuanlong Shan ◽  
Mutari Lawal ◽  
Habeeb A. Ayinla ◽  
Siyuan Su ◽  
...  

AbstractThe Abu Gabra and Bentiu formations are widely distributed within the interior Muglad Basin. Recently, much attention has been paid to study, evaluate and characterize the Abu Gabra Formation as a proven reservoir in Muglad Basin. However, few studies have been documented on the Bentiu Formation which is the main oil/gas reservoir within the basin. Therefore, 33 core samples of the Great Moga and Keyi oilfields (NE Muglad Basin) were selected to characterize the Bentiu Formation reservoir using sedimentological and petrophysical analyses. The aim of the study is to de-risk exploration activities and improve success rate. Compositional and textural analyses revealed two main facies groups: coarse to-medium grained sandstone (braided channel deposits) and fine grained sandstone (floodplain and crevasse splay channel deposits). The coarse to-medium grained sandstone has porosity and permeability values within the range of 19.6% to 32.0% and 1825.6 mD to 8358.0 mD respectively. On the other hand, the fine grained clay-rich facies displays poor reservoir quality as indicated by porosity and permeability ranging from 1.0 to 6.0% and 2.5 to 10.0 mD respectively. A number of varied processes were identified controlling the reservoir quality of the studies samples. Porosity and permeability were enhanced by the dissolution of feldspars and micas, while presence of detrital clays, kaolinite precipitation, iron oxides precipitation, siderite, quartz overgrowths and pyrite cement played negative role on the reservoir quality. Intensity of the observed quartz overgrowth increases with burial depth. At great depths, a variability in grain contact types are recorded suggesting conditions of moderate to-high compactions. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy revealed presence of micropores which have the tendency of affecting the fluid flow properties in the Bentiu Formation sandstone. These evidences indicate that the Bentiu Formation petroleum reservoir quality is primarily inhibited by grain size, total clay content, compaction and cementation. Thus, special attention should be paid to these inhibiting factors to reduce risk in petroleum exploration within the area.


2001 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 415 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.C. Barr ◽  
A.F. Kennaird ◽  
J. Fowles ◽  
N.G. Marshall ◽  
V.L. Cutten

A recent geological study, integrating sedimentological core-derived descriptions with ichnofacies, high resolution biostratigraphy and wireline log data, establishes the lateral continuity of reservoir sandstones in the Laminaria Formation. By defining a hierarchy of bedding surfaces and correlating this hierarchy with major correlation surfaces, and lateral and vertical facies patterns, it was possible to identify genetically related sediment packages between 12 wells in the study area.The Laminaria Formation is interpreted to have been deposited on a tide and storm-influenced marine shelf, and was strongly influenced by fluctuations in sea level. The formation consists of a series of progradational parasequences, each dominated by good quality, fine- to medium-grained sandstone. These sandstones are believed to have formed as subaqueous dunes or sand banks, exhibiting blanket-like geometry over much of the area. Several sandstones are capped by thin, intraclast-rich layers that mark transgressive surfaces of erosion. These surfaces can be traced across the study area and, therefore, act as important correlative markers.Evidence of gradual transgression, which ultimately led to the drowning of the system, is seen near the top of the formation. Clay content increases upward, while grain size and bedding thickness generally decrease. However, several thin, laterally extensive, medium- to coarse-grained sandstones exist, improving reservoir potential in this part of the formation.The results of this study are being used to estimate reserves and assess reservoir performance, and will serve as a basis for future geological and petrophysical modelling work.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. SM15-SM24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xixin Wang ◽  
Yuming Liu ◽  
Jiagen Hou ◽  
Shaohua Li ◽  
Qiangqiang Kang ◽  
...  

The activity of synsedimentary faults plays an important role in controlling the distribution of sand bodies in basins and furthermore the porosity and permeability of reservoirs. We have used fault interpretation, the method of image and granularity size analysis, and the seismic pumping effect to investigate the control of the activity of the Kongdong fault on the development degree of the dissolution pores and grain size, further studying the controlling mechanism of the activity of synsedimentary faults on reservoir quality (porosity and permeability). The results showed that the slip rate of synsedimentary faults is one of the main factors in controlling reservoir quality. The slip rate controls the accommodation space and hydrodynamic conditions and it furthermore controls the grain size. The higher the slip rate, the bigger the grain size in the downthrow wall of synsedimentary faults; the seismic pump produced by synsedimentary faults activity also controls the development degree of dissolution pores. The development degree of dissolution pores in the downthrown wall of synsedimentary faults is greater than that in the upthrown wall. Dissolution pores are more developed in areas with a large slip rate of synsedimentary faults. Porosity increases gradually with the increase of plane porosity of dissolution pores, whereas the changes of permeability are not obvious.


1972 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 457-464 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. P. WARKENTIN

An index property for clay soils is sought to give the information that grain size gives about coarse-grained soils. The liquid limit is suggested as such an index property. The liquid limit is closely related to surface area for clay soils containing tabular clay minerals. This relation exists also for soils containing allophane or amorphous material. In addition to estimating surface area, liquid limit also gives information about the nature of the surface. In this respect it is a more useful measurement than clay content.


2020 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 131-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Wasielka ◽  
J. G. Gluyas ◽  
H. Breese ◽  
R. Symonds

AbstractThe Cavendish Field is located in UK Continental Shelf Block 43/19a on the northern margin of the Outer Silverpit Basin of the Southern North Sea, 87 miles (140 km) NE of the Lincolnshire coast in a water depth of 62 ft (18.9 m). The Cavendish Field is a gas field in the upper Carboniferous Namurian C (Millstone Grit Formation) and Westphalian A (Caister Coal Formation) strata. It was discovered in 1989 by Britoil-operated well 43/19-1. Production started in 2007 and ceased in 2018. Gas initially in place was 184 bcf and at end of field life 98 bcf had been produced. The field was developed by three wells drilled through the normally unmanned platform into fluvio-deltaic sandstone intervals that had sufficiently good reservoir quality to be effective reservoirs. The majority of the formation within closure comprises mudstones, siltstones and low permeability, non-reservoir-quality feldspathic sandstones. The quality of the reservoir is variable and is controlled by grain size, feldspar content and diagenesis. The field is a structural trap, sealed by a combination of intra-Carboniferous mudstones and a thick sequence of Permian mudstones and evaporites.


2018 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 705
Author(s):  
Ayman Ezdini ◽  
James Griffith ◽  
Nick Lange ◽  
Soroush Tehrani ◽  
Hamad Roshan ◽  
...  

This extended abstract presents a ground-breaking study of thermal properties of soils and their dependency on saturation. The paper tries to prove that thermal diffusivity is not significantly dependent on saturation due to its close relationship with saturation-independent parameters such as thermal conductivity and volumetric heat capacity. The investigation is divided into two main scopes of work: the first is to build statistical analysis using the Monte Carlo technique by means of random sampling certain soil thermal properties; and the second is to experimentally validate the statistical models. The experimental framework of the study encompasses the measurement of thermal properties of different soil samples. These samples varied in terms of grain size, percentage clay content, and level of saturation. The experiments were carried out using a KD2-Pro Dual Needle Probe Thermal Properties Analyser. The results demonstrate that saturation has a negligible effect on thermal diffusivity of soils but an inverse relationship exists between diffusivity and clay content. Furthermore, the variation in grain size effect on diffusivity is within 5%. The study shows a correlation between lithology, porosity, and thermal properties. The implications are numerous: from the determination of unwanted heat diffusion of pipelines to the estimation of reservoir properties such as porosity and permeability.


1986 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 202
Author(s):  
D.I. Gravestock ◽  
E.M. Alexander

When effective porosity and permeability are measured at simulated overburden pressure, and grain size variation is taken into account, two distinct relationships are evident for Eromanga Basin reservoirs. Reservoirs in the Hutton Sandstone and Namur Sandstone Member behave such that significant porosity reduction can be sustained with retention of high permeability, whereas permeability of reservoirs in the Birkhead Formation and Murta Member is critically dependent on slight porosity variations. Logging tool responses are compared with core-derived data to show in particular the effects of grain size and clay content on the gamma ray, sonic, and density tools, where clay content is assessed from cation exchange capacity measurements. Sonic and density crossplots, constructed to provide comparison with a water-saturated 'reference' reservoir, are advantageous in comparing measured effective porosity from core plugs at overburden pressure with porosity calculated from logs. Gamma ray and sonic log responses of the Murta Member in the Murteree Horst area are clearly distinct from those of all other reservoirs, perhaps partly due to differences in mineralogy and shallower depth of burial compared with other formations.


2015 ◽  
Vol 1113 ◽  
pp. 285-295
Author(s):  
Wan Zairani Wan Bakar ◽  
Arina Sauki ◽  
Mohd Haziafiz Abd Halim ◽  
Norrulhuda Mohd Taib

Clay is the primary cause for resistivity reduction in most of the low resistivity pay cases. While dry clay acts as insulator, reaction with water made wet clay a good conductor. Clay conductivity is contributed by the exchangeable cation properties of the mineral. This reduces the actual resistivity of the formation, especially in the invaded zone. The effect is more severe if clay existed as dispersed type in the formation; which will also reduce other important petrophysical properties such as porosity and permeability. The study was conducted to observe the mechanism and reduction of formation resistivity due to mud invasion and find the relationship between resistivity reduction and petrophysical properties of the formation. The resistivity was measured on four types of samples with different grain size and sorting; well sorted fine grain size, well sorted medium grain size, well sorted coarse grain size and not well sorted sand. Three types of fluids were flushed into sand pack those are brine, crude oil and water based mud to simulate the invasion process. Sand pack with not well sorted sand and fine grain size had the most resistivity reduction, which possibly due to the high clay content that interacted with water.


Clay Minerals ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Ramm

AbstractClose relationships are demonstrated between reservoir quality, lithofacies, provenance and burial history in the Jurassic Brent and Viking Groups in the Norwegian North Sea. Porosity and permeability are strongly and systematically related to the initial texture and composition of the sandstones. Porosity variations are related to the amount of compaction, which is more severe in matrix-rich than in clean facies, and quartz cementation, which is most important in clean facies. Permeability variations are related to porosity and facies-controlled variations in grain size, and abundance and texture of intergranular fines. Illitization of early diagenetic kaolins require K, which is derived mainly from dissolution of K-feldspar. Sediments were sourced from K-feldspar- poor provenances during the maximum progradation of the Brent Group, and sandstones deposited at this time are less exposed to illitization and have better permeability at deep burial than reservoir sandstones that initially contained more K-feldspar.


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