The late Jurassic Arab Formation, a significant carbonate‐evaporite reservoir rock in the Persian Gulf, is characterized by frequent grainstone facies. For rock type identification and reservoir characterization, core description, petrographic studies and pore system evaluation are integrated for Balal oil field in the Persian Gulf. The grainstone facies are developed into three shoal subenvironments on a carbonate ramp platform: leeward, central and seaward. Compaction, dissolution, cementation, anhydrite mineralization and dolomitization are the main diagenetic processes affecting the depositional pore system. Considering depositional and diagenetic features and pore types, the grainstones are classified into six rock types (RT 1 to RT6). Rock types 1, 2 and 5 have large pore throat sizes with intergranular and touching vug pore types. In rock type 3, moldic pores lead to high porosity and low permeability. Rock types 4 and 6 are cemented by anhydrite, calcite and dolomite. Generally, RTs 1, 2, 3 and 5 are related to late Transgressive systems tract (TST) and early Highstand systems tracts (HST) and show fair to good reservoir quality. In contrast, RTs 4 and 6 of late HST system tract show lower poroperm values, due to evaporite mineralization. Characterization of the grainstone facies provides a comprehensive understanding of the reservoir zones of the Arab Formation.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.