Offshore Carbonate Facies Characterization and Reservoir Quality of Miocene Rocks in the Southern Margin of South China Sea

Carbonate rocks are important hydrocarbon reservoirs around the globe and in Southeast Asia a key one,particularly,is the Central Luconia province.Understanding the internal characteristics,distribution,geometry and lateral extent of these rocks is essential for exploration and production success.Detailed work on Miocene carbonate reservoir facies,north of Bintulu,offshore Sarawak includes qualitative and quantitative analysis of photomicrographs and reservoir quality,considering especially microporosity.Stratigraphically,these carbonates are known as Cycles IV and V and are represented by eight major facies types(F-1 to F-8).They comprise:coated grain packstone(F-1)(av.Ф=3%,av.Kh=0.5 m D)(av=Average;?=total porosity,and Kh=permeability);massive coral lime grainstone(F-2)(av.Ф=14.7%,av.Kh=6 m D);oncolite lime grain-dominated packstone(F-3)(av.Ф=10%,av.Kh=4 m D);skeletal lime/dolo-packstone(F-4)(av.Ф=15%,av.Kh=4.6 m D);coral(platy)lime mud-dominated packstone(F-5)(av.Ф=4%,av.Kh=0.5 m D);coral(branching)lime-dominated pack-grainstone(F-6)(av.Ф=15%,av.Kh=1 m D);cross-bedded skeletal lime packstone(F-7)(av.Ф=20%,av.Kh=2 m D);and bioturbated carbonate mudstone/chalk(F-8)(av.Ф=8%,av.Kh=0.8 m D).Study of thin sections reveals that red algae,foraminifera,and corals are the dominant fossil components with a minor admixture of skeletal fragments of echinoderms,bivalves,bryozoans,and green algae.All parameters,e.g.,facies characterization,petrography,porosity–permeability value,and microporosity value were utilized to obtain a reliable reservoir quality.The microporosity value was quantified using digital image analysis software and is significant for recognition of good reservoir quality.Consideration of the presence of microporosity against the total porosity in the carbonate rocks has improved the correlation coefficient(R2)value,which has increased from 0.51 to 0.82.

Microfacies and Depositional Environments of Miocene Isolated Carbonate Platforms from Central Luconia, Offshore Sarawak, Malaysia

The Luconia Province-offshore Sarawak-is a key geological unit for understanding the distribution of hydrocarbon resources in Malaysia. Nevertheless, little effort has been made to address the palaeoenvironmental characteristics of the Tertiary carbonates in the key sector of Central Luconia.We study the sedimentology and petrography of core samples from a well in Central Luconia, for which thirteen microfacies have been identified reflecting different depositional settings. This is the first microfacies scheme elaborated for Luconian carbonates. Lithofacies and microfacies distribution are compatible with deposition in a reef complex, originating around a framework reef, within the euphotic zone. Sediments were deposited in environments of backreef, reef crest, and forereef. The fair weather wave base is marked by the presence of coralline red algae, foraminifera, decreasing degree of bioclast fragmentation and other microfacies features. As a result, a depositional-environmental model is constructed, depicting a reef complex built around a framework reef developed on the margin of an isolated platform. In addition, an innovative, preliminary time series analysis of facies, microfacies and depositional environment data reveal the existence of seasonal cycles in the stacking patterns of facies and microfacies.

Biostratigraphy,Depositional and Diagenetic Processes in Carbonate Rocks from Southern Lebanon:Impact on Porosity and Permeability

Carbonate rocks contain prolific hydrocarbon reserves all over the world,particularly in the Middle East.For exploration and production strategies,it is essential to understand carbonate reservoirs in terms of their internal characteristics,depositional environment,relative age,diagenetic processes and impact on petrophysical properties.This study has been performed on exposed Cretaceous,Paleocene and Miocene marine carbonate sedimentary sequences in two localities(Maghdoucheh and Qennarit)near the city of Sidon(Southern Lebanon).It represents the first comprehensive study that takes into consideration the carbonate reservoir facies,diagenetic history and reservoir quality in the area.Rocks at Maghdoucheh are mainly dominated by limestone beds showing sedimentary structures and erosive bases alternating with microfossil-rich silty marls,related to a shallowing upward sequence in a restricted marine platform environment.Shells of benthic foraminifera and mollusks dominate the fossil assemblage extracted from the studied rocks.The microfossil and nannofossil assemblage detected in the Maghdoucheh sections indicates a middle Miocene age.Rocks at Qennarit are composed of mudstone/wackestone limestone beds rich in planktonic foraminifera and nannofossils related to open marine conditions.Based on the nannofossil content,rocks from Qennarit 1 and 2 are Paleocene and Cretaceous in age,respectively.Four main types of microfacies have been identified,i.e.(1)microbioclastic peloidal calcisiltite,(2)pelagic lime mudstone and wackestone with planktonic microfossils,(3)grainstone/packstone with abundant foraminifera and(4)fenestral bindstones,mudstones and packstones with porostromate microstructures.The porosity-permeability(poro-perm)analysis of representative samples reveals moderate to good porosity but very low permeability.This is mainly due to the presence of large moldic pores that are isolated in nature.The diagenetic features are dominated by micritization and dissolution(both fabric selective and non-fabric selective).Among all diagenetic features,dissolution in both localities contributes to porosity enhancement,while micritization,cementation,compaction and the filled fractures have negative impacts on permeability;hence the overall reservoir quality.

Multi-Elemental Chemostratigraphy,Sequence Development,Depositional History,and Environmental Importance of Early Eocene Red Beds(Kuldana Formation)in NW Himalayas,Pakistan

The Eocene Kuldana Formation(KF)in the Yadgar area of Pakistan,comprises a diverse range of sedimentary facies,including variegated red beds of shales,mudstones,and sandstones,as well as interbedded limestone and marl.In this study,we conducted an integrated micropaleontological,sedimentological,mineralogical,and geochemical investigation to determine the depositional setting,biochronology,provenance,and paleoclimate of the KF.The study identified six lithofacies and six microfacies,which indicate a variety of environments ranging from floodplains and channels to the margins and shallow marine settings.The nannofossil biostratigraphy places the KF in the Early Eocene,more precisely the NP10 zone(Ypresian),and the fossil zone of benthic foraminifera classifies the study section as the Shallow Benthic Zone SBZ-8(Middle Ilerdian 2).In terms of petrography,the KF sandstone was classified as litharenite and feldspathic litharenite,while the QtFL diagram suggests a recycled orogen.Geochemical proxies indicate an oxidizing environment,a high-to-low regular sedimentation rate,moderate-to-intense chemical weathering in the source region,and a warm-humid to dry climate during the deposition of KF.Overall,the findings suggest that the deposition of KF marks the end of Neo-Tethys due to the Early Eocene Indian–Kohistan collision and that the uplifting of the Himalayas provided the source for the deposition of KF in the foreland basin.The study provides new insights into the depositional environment,biochronology,provenance,and paleoclimate of KF,and highlights the potential for red beds as reliable indicators of oxygenation levels in proximity to mineral deposits.

Analysis and Characterization of Pore System and Grain Sizes of Carbonate Rocks from Southern Lebanon

Carbonate rocks are common in many parts of the world, including the Eastern Mediterranean, where they host significant groundwater supplies and are widely used as building and ornamental stones. The porosity of carbonate rocks plays a critical role in fluid storage and retrieval. The pore structure connectivity, in particular, controls many properties of geological formations, as well as the relationships between the properties of individual minerals and the bulk properties of the rock. To study the relationships between porosity, rock properties, pore structure, pore size, and their impact on reservoir characteristics, 46 carbonate rock samples were collected from four stratigraphic sections exposed near Sidon, South Lebanon. The studied carbonate rocks are related to marine deposits of different ages(e.g., Upper Cretaceous, Eocene, and Upper Miocene). In order to understand the pore connectivity, the MICP(mercury injection capillary pressure) technique was conducted on ten representative samples. Results from the SEM analysis indicate the dominance of very fine and fine pore sizes, with various categories ranging in diameter from 0.1 to10 μm. The MICP data revealed that the pore throat radii vary widely from 0.001 to 1.4 μm, and that all samples are dominated by micropore throats. The grain size analysis indicated that the studied rocks have significant amounts of silt-and clay-size grains with respect to the coarser ‘sand-size’ particles, suggesting a high proportion of microporosity. Obtained results, such as the poorly-sorted nature of grains, high microporosity, and the high percentage of micropore throats, justify the observed low mean hydraulic radius, the high entry pressure, and the very low permeability of the studied samples. These results suggest that the carbonate rocks near Sidon(south of Lebanon) are possibly classified as non-reservoir facies.