Applied Sedimentology

Applied Sedimentology

Paleoenvironmental reconstruction, sequence stratigraphy and reservoir quality of Lower Cretaceous sequences (Kazhdumi Formation) in the northwest of the Persian Gulf

Authors
1 M. Sc., student. School of Geology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
2 Assist. Prof., School of Geology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
3 Assoc. Prof., School of Geology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
This study aims to investigate the control of facies characteristics and depositional environments on the distribution of reservoir parameters (porosity and permeability) in the Kazhdumi (Burgan) reservoir formation in one of the fields in the northwest of the Persian Gulf. This formation is composed of fine- to medium-grained sandstones, mudstone, calcareous shales, and limited carbonate sequences, and consists of eight sedimentary facies. Based on the integration of sedimentological and reservoir properties, the Kazhdumi Formation is divided into two sections: the lower and upper parts. The lower section, composed of a thick sequence of high-quality sandstones, constitutes the most significant reservoir horizon. The sandstones in the upper part of this formation also have notable reservoir significance. In this study, a comprehensive dataset including core samples, plugs, and thin-section petrographic analyses, along with porosity-permeability data, were utilized to evaluate the reservoir quality of the Kazhdumi Formation. Based on the described facies, the depositional environment of the Kazhdumi Formation is interpreted as a deltaic to open marine setting in the northwest of the Persian Gulf. Sequence stratigraphy analysis was conducted using the transgressive-regressive method and the Exxon sequence stratigraphy model. To assess reservoir quality, methods such as reservoir quality index determination, Winland rock type classification, and modified Lorenz plot were employed. It was ultimately determined that the medium- to coarse-grained, well-sorted, matrix-free sandstone facies in the lower part of the Kazhdumi Formation created the best reservoir horizons. These facies, due to early oil migration and high sedimentation rates, underwent minimal diagenesis and remain loosely consolidated to semi-consolidated, correlating with the lowstand systems tract in the sedimentary sequence of the Kazhdumi Formation.
Keywords

Ahr, W. M (2008) Geology of Carbonate Reservoir. John Wiley and Sons Inc., Hoboken, 277 p. doi.org/10.1002/9780470370650.
Aladwani, N. S., Alenezi, A., and Diab, A (2023) Investigation of the Cretaceous total petroleum system using wireline logs, core, and geochemical data in Bahrah Field, Northern Basin, Kuwait. J Petrol Explor Prod Technol, 13: 381- 406 doi.org/10.1007/s13202-022-01556-4.
Al-Helal, A., AlRefai, Y., AlKandari, A., and Abdullah, M (2023) Subsurface Stratigraphy of Kuwait (pp. 27–50). doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-16727-0_2.
Al-Husseini, M. I (2007) Iran’s crude oil reserves and production, GeoArabia, 12 (2): 69–94. doi.org/10.2113/geoarabia120269.
Alizadeh, B., Rahimi, M., and Seyedali, S. M (2024) Total organic carbon (TOC) estimation using ensemble and artificial neural network methods; a case study from Kazhdumi Formation, NW Persian Gulf. Earth Science Informatics, doi.org/10.1007/s12145-024-01337-z.
Alsharhan, A. S (1994) Albian CLAstics in the western Persian Gulf region: A SEdimentological and petroleum‐geological interpretation. Journal of Petroleum Geology, 17(3): 279–300. doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-5457.1994.tb00135.x.
Alsharhan, A. S (2014) Petroleum systems in the Middle East. In: Rollinson, H. R., Searle, M. P., Abbasi, A. I., Al-Lazki, A. I. and Al Kindi, M. H., Eds., Tectonic Evolution of the Oman Mountains, 392, Geological Society, London: 361-408. doi.org/10.1144/SP392.19.
Amaefule, J. O (1993) Enhanced reservoir description: using core and log data to identify hydraulic (flow) units and predict permeability in uncored intervals/ wells. Proceedings - SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, 205–220. doi.org/10.2523/26436-ms.
Beydoun, Z. R (1991) Arabian Plate Hydrocarbon Geology and Potential - A Plate Tectonic Approach. AAPG Studies in Geology, doi.org/10.1306/St33533.
Bromhead, A. D., van Buchem, F. S. P., Simmons, M. D., and Davies, R. B (2022) Sequence stratigraphy, palaeogeography and petroleum plays of the Cenomanian–Turonian succession of the Arabian Plate: an updated synthesis. Journal of Petroleum Geology, 45(2): 119–161. doi.org/10.1111/jpg.12810.
Christian, L (1997) Cretaceous Subsurface Geology of the Middle East Region. GeoArabia, 2(3):  239–256. doi.org/10.2113/geoarabia0203239.
Davies, R. B., Payne, D., Taylor, K (1997) Reservoir Geology of the Burgan Formation in Raudhatain and Sabiriyah Fields, North Kuwait. Unpublished Badley Ashton report 97001 for Kuwait Oil Company.
Dunham, R. J (1962) Classification of Carbonate Rocks According to Depositional Texture. In: Ham, W.E., Ed., Classification of Carbonate Rocks, AAPG, Tulsa, 108-121.
Ebrahimi, D (2017) Inspecting the Reservoir Characteristics of the Burgan Formation of Soroosh Oil Field Applying Rock Typing Methods in the Context of Geological Studies. Open Journal of Geology, 7(4): 488–504. doi.org/10.4236/ojg.2017.74034.
Embry, A. F (1993) Transgressive-regressive (T-R) sequence analysis of the Jurassic succession of the Sverdrup Basin, Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 30 (2): 301–320. doi.org/10.1139/e93-024
Gomes, J. S., Riberio, M. T., Strohmenger, C. J., Negahban, S. Kalam, M. Z (2008) Carbonate reservoir rock typing the link between geology and SCAL. SPE Paper No. 118284. doi.org/10.2118/118284-MS.
Gunter, G. W (1997) Early determination of reservoir flow units using an integrated petrophysical method. Proceedings - SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Omega (Pt 1): 373–380.
Haq, B. U. and Al-Qahtani, A. M (2005) Phanerozoic cycles of sea-level change on the Arabian platform. GeoArabia, 10 (2): 127–160 doi.org/10.2113/geoarabia1002127.
Heldreich, G., Redfern, J., Legler, B., Gerdes, K., Williams, B. P. J (2017) Challenges in characterizing subsurface paralic reservoir geometries: a detailed case study of the Mungaroo Formation, North West Shelf, Australia. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 444 (1): 59–108 doi.org/10.1144/SP444.13.
Honarmand, J (2016) Factors Controlling Reservoir Quality of the Burgan Formation in Foroozan Oil Field, Persian Gulf. Journal of Petroleum Research, 25 (85-1): 86-99.
Kolodzie, S (1980) Analysis Of pore throat size and use of the Waxman-Smits equation to determine OOIP in Spindle Field, Colorado. Society of Petroleum Engineers of AIME, (Paper) SPE [Preprint] doi.org/10.2523/9382-ms.
Mehrabi, H (2019) Reservoir characterization of the Burgan Formation in northwestern Persian Gulf. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 174: 328–350.
Mehrabi, H., and Bagherpour, B (2022) Scale, origin, and predictability of reservoir heterogeneities in shallow-marine carbonate sequences: A case from Cretaceous of Zagros, Iran. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 214: 110571.
Mehrabi, H., Hajikazemi, E., Zamanzadeh, S. M., Farhadi, V (2023) Reservoir characterization of the Oligocene–Miocene siliciclastic sequences (Ghar Member of the Asmari Formation) in the northwestern Persian Gulf. Petroleum Science and Technology, 1–26. doi.org/10.1080/10916466.2023.2216229.
Pettijohn, F. J (1975) Sedimentary Rocks. 2nd Edition, Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 628 p.
Posamentier, H. W. and Vail, P. R (1988) Eustatic controls on clastic deposition II<>9d\sequence and systems tract models. Sea-level changes: an integrated approach, 125–154. doi.org/10.2110/pec.88.01.0125.
Sharland, P. R (2004) Arabian plate sequence stratigraphy - Revisions to SP2. GeoArabia, 9 (1): 199–214.
Strohmenger, C. J (2006) Sequence stratigraphy and reservoir architecture of the burgan and mauddud formations (Lower Cretaceous), Kuwait. AAPG Memoir, 213–245.
 Van Buchem, F. S. P (2010) Barremian - Lower Albian sequence-stratigraphy of southwest Iran (Gadvan , Dariyan and Kazhdumi formations) and its comparison with Oman , Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. GeoArabia Special Publication 4, 2(December): 503–548.

  • Receive Date 21 July 2024
  • Revise Date 07 October 2024
  • Accept Date 08 October 2024