Ghawar Arab-D Reservoir: Widespread porosity in shoaling-upward carbonate cycles, Saudi Arabia

Lindsay, Robert F.; Cantrell, Dave L.; Hughes, Geraint W.; Mueller, Thomas H. Keith Harry W.; Russell, and S. Duffy

doi:10.3997/2214-4609-pdb.246.221

Cited by 20 publications

(55 citation statements)

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“…The Arabian Shield was to the west and the Qatar-Surmeh High was to the east of the Ghawar field. Overall, the palaeoclimate is interpreted to have been arid and hot, similar to the present climate of this area (Handford et al, 2002;Lindsay et al, 2006;Lokier, 2012).…”

Section: Geological Settingsupporting

confidence: 53%

“…The reflux model has often been used to explain extensive dolomitization of entire carbonate platforms and sedimentary basins (Shields & Brady, 1995;Potma et al, 2001). Previous studies have proposed that reflux is one mechanism for the formation of dolomites observed in Ghawar field (Handford et al, 2002;Swart et al, 2005;Lindsay et al, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A twodimensional RTM has been developed to test the hypothesis. Subsequent hot burial fluids moving up local fracture zones (Cantrell et al, 2004;Lindsay et al, 2006) may also contribute to the final pattern of the dolomite geobody. However, the present study only focuses on early dolomitization that is assumed to be driven by brine reflux in a peritidal environment (Handford et al, 2002;Swart et al, 2005;Lindsay et al, 2006), because the reflux mechanism is considered to be important to explain the origin of the Mg 2+ needed for the formation of dolomite in the reservoir.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Reactive transport modelling of reflux dolomitization in the Arab‐D reservoir, Ghawar field, Saudi Arabia

Lü

Cantrell

2016

Sedimentology

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It has long been recognized that the Arab-D reservoir in Ghawar field has been significantly dolomitized and that the distribution of dolomites is highly heterogeneous across this reservoir. Previous studies indicated that dolomite occurs with either a stratigraphic or non-stratigraphic distribution; when mapped, dolomite tends to form several parallel linear trends across the field. Although stratigraphic dolomite was suggested to be formed early from highly evaporated pore fluids sourced from overlying evaporite deposits, non-stratigraphic dolomite was thought to be generated primarily from hydrothermal fluids sourced from below. This study focuses primarily on these non-stratigraphic dolomites, and proposes that: (i) these dolomites initially formed via seepage reflux, but were reinforced by late stage hydrothermal dolomitization; and (ii) reflux is also responsible for the formation of parallel, linear trends of dolomite. The reflux model hypothesizes that an evaporative lagoon (which is the source of dolomitizing fluids) formed during the falling stage systems tract of a depositional sequence, and that with continuing sea-level fall this lagoon migrated progressively towards deeper parts of an intrashelf basin adjacent to the Ghawar field, leaving behind lines of dolomite bodies along a series of temporary coastlines. Two-dimensional reactive transport models have been built to test this hypothesis, and have resulted in a predicted pattern of dolomite bodies that agrees with both the observed vertical distribution of non-stratigraphic dolomite, as well as the mapped lateral distribution of the dolomite trends. In addition, the major ion compositions of Late Jurassic seawater are calculated based on fluid inclusion data in the literature. Using Jurassic seawater in current models leads to the absence of anhydrite cements and less potential of over-dolomitization than using modern seawater.

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Section: Geological Settingsupporting

confidence: 53%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Reactive transport modelling of reflux dolomitization in the Arab‐D reservoir, Ghawar field, Saudi Arabia

Lü

Cantrell

2016

Sedimentology

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“…Murris 1980;Gr€ otsch et al 2003;Morad et al 2012). The textures of limestones and dolostones have been investigated in details to comprehend proxies behind the formation of good reservoirs, following the approach of Lindsay et al (2006). These authors, who studied the Arab D reservoir properties in the Ghawar field in Saudi Arabia, subdivided the Arab D carbonates into seven limestone and four dolostone reservoir rock types, based on five main petrographic parameters (i.e.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These members reflect cyclic deposition in a progressively shallowing marginal marine shelf to sabkha environment of a wide ramp. Arab C and D Members include the main reservoirs of the Arab Formation (Cantrell & Hagerty 2003;Lindsay et al 2006), which are overlain by progressively increasing evaporitic lithologies (Arab A and B Members) culminating in the overlying Hith Formation, which is known as a regional evaporitic seal (Alsharhahn 1989).…”

Section: Lithofacies Of the Arab D And Arab C Membersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantification of diagenesis impact on the reservoir properties of the Jurassic Arab D and C members (Offshore, U.A.E.)

et al. 2013

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An increasing need exists to quantify the impact of diagenesis on complex and heterogeneous geological reservoirs and to predict the related field‐scale porosity‐permeability distribution. Development of approaches to quantify diagenetic events is an important step towards the construction of integrated numerical reservoir models predicting the impact of successive diagenetic events on petrophysical properties at various scales. This article describes two distinct approaches, which allow capturing, quantifying and explaining reservoir heterogeneities of the Jurassic Arab Formation (offshore oilfield in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.) at the field and plug scale. Based on a classical diagenesis study, whereby the major diagenetic phases were characterized, distribution patterns were highlighted to further explain reservoir heterogeneities through a set of 2D interpolation diagenesis maps across the field. The best reservoir properties are encountered in the central‐northern (grainstones with syntaxial calcite overgrowth cement – typical of Arab D) and south‐western (dolostones – typical of Arab C) parts of the oilfield. Following another independent approach at the scale of the plug, quantification of rock components and description of the pore space connectivity and geometry are obtained by 2D and 3D image analyses, μ‐CT and pore network modelling. This latter approach resulted in a better understanding of the effect of anhydrite dissolution on the pore structure of the investigated dolostone. The overall, presented workflow provides valuable constraints for assessing reservoir heterogeneities in statistical field‐scale models.

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Pore to Core Scale Characterization of Hydraulic Flow Units Using Petrophysical and Digital Rock Analyses

Chandra,

Tallec,

Finkbeiner

et al. 2023

Energy Tech

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This article illustrates an integrated method for characterizing hydraulic flow units in subsurface reservoirs using multiscale images and petrophysical data analysis from well cores. This method is applied to 35 meters of cores drilled from a Late Jurassic Upper Jubayla Formation outcrop in Saudi Arabia, which is analogous to the lower section of the Arab‐D reservoir. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) imagery, thin‐section petrography, and X‐ray computed tomography (CT) images of whole cores and core plugs are used to visualize and characterize these carbonate rocks across multiple length scales. Core plug porosity and permeability data are used for petrophysical characterization and deriving hydraulic flow units (HFU). The multimodal pore types associated with the HFUs and their connectivity using thin section and SEM image analysis, combined with mercury injection porosimetry are used. Whole‐core CT textures and heterogeneity logs are correlated with HFU and digital image analysis of core plugs. Whole‐core CT data prove to be a highly valuable tool for bridging the scale gap between well data and reservoir models. This methodology can be applied to datasets from a large number of wells, especially when combined with machine learning tools, allowing improved characterization of complex carbonate reservoirs.

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Ghawar Arab-D Reservoir: Widespread porosity in shoaling-upward carbonate cycles, Saudi Arabia

Cited by 20 publications

References 0 publications

Reactive transport modelling of reflux dolomitization in the Arab‐D reservoir, Ghawar field, Saudi Arabia

Reactive transport modelling of reflux dolomitization in the Arab‐D reservoir, Ghawar field, Saudi Arabia

Quantification of diagenesis impact on the reservoir properties of the Jurassic Arab D and C members (Offshore, U.A.E.)

Pore to Core Scale Characterization of Hydraulic Flow Units Using Petrophysical and Digital Rock Analyses

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