Geologic structure and possible petroleum prospects of the Middle Caspian region

Reservoir Characterization of the Pliocene Red Series, Lam Field and Surrounding Areas, Offshore Western Turkmenistan

“…Wireline logs and lithological summaries of wells penetrating the entire Red Series onshore, with basic lithological interpretations, are available in Soviet-era publications, the authors of which had very limited knowledge of fluvial processes or systems. Geodekyan et al (1962), for example, presented a panel of seven wells between the Cheleken field in the west (Fig. 13) and well Balaishem-2 about 150 km to the east, showing an eastward decrease in thickness accompanied by an increase in sand content.…”

“…Ince et al (2008) briefly described surface exposures on the Cheleken Peninsula which they interpreted as representing well-defined, sand-filled channels encased by floodplain deposits comprising reddened mudstones and thinly-bedded sandstones, although they give no indication of the nature of these channels. Within a well drilled on the Monzhukly outcrop, Geodekyan et al (1962) illustrated the Red Series as reduced to around 2000 m but dominated by sandstones and conglomerates; and farther east at Balaishem-2, they indicated that it is only around 1000 m thick, but again dominated by sandstones and conglomerates with an interval at the base, around 150 m thick, of "limestones" with subordinate sandstones and siltstones. No detailed information on the depositional environments is provided in Soviet-era publications beyond general descriptions of a "deltaiccoastal" environment.…”