Stratigraphy, Lithofacies, and Reservoir Distribution, Tengiz Field, Kazakhstan

Weber, L. James; Francis, Brent P.; Harris, P.M.; Clark, M. H.

doi:10.2110/pec.03.78.0351

Cited by 40 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Cook et al, 1972), prograding basinward. A similar origin for slope breccias has been suggested for coeval greenhouse platform facies in the Dolomites (Harris, 1994;Maurer, 2000), as well as for the icehouse Carboniferous platforms of western Kazakhstan (Tengiz oil field, Weber et al, 2003). However, Blendinger (2001) proposes translational sliding and diagenetic modifications of automicrite slopes as the controlling factors producing the steep slopes of Ladianian platforms in the Dolomites.…”

Section: Depositional Architecturesupporting

confidence: 55%

“…Volcanoclastic sandstones (Wengen Formation) interfinger with resedimented dark bedded limestone (Perledo-Varenna or Pratotondo Limestone). The high-relief, flat-topped carbonate platform of the Esino Limestone shares several architectural similarities with other well-studied platforms in the geological record, such as the Carboniferous platforms of Spain (e.g., Della Porta et al 2003,2004 and Kazakhstan (Weber et al, 2003) or the partly coeval platforms of the Dolomites (e.g., 1999Marangon et al, 2011). Despite morphological similarities, sedimentological data indicate major differences between the Esino Limestone and the coeval platforms of the Dolomites and the similar Carboniferous platforms.…”

Section: Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 79%

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Forward modelling of carbonate platforms: Sedimentological and diagenetic constraints from an application to a flat-topped greenhouse platform (Triassic, Southern Alps, Italy)

Berra

Lanfranchi

Smart³

et al. 2016

Marine and Petroleum Geology

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•We propose a quantitative analysis of a carbonate platform using 3d numerical models.• Parameter definition is critical to produce realistic 3d numerical models.• Modelling parameters were defined by architectural and sedimentological studies. •The obtained model has been tested by comparison with outcrop and laboratory data.• 3d numerical models may help to parameterise petrophysical properties of geobodies.Key words: carbonate platform, forward modelling, Triassic, facies analysis, diagenesis 2 AbstractQuantitative analysis of depositional systems using numerical models can provide insights into the interaction of sedimentological and diagenetic processes, difficult to interpret from observation of the geological products alone. Numerical models can highlight the interactions between controlling parameters, and generate best estimate simulations of case studies from the geological record. Different data sources (e.g., outcrop data, uniformitarian constraints, paleogeography) need to be considered in the process of defining the parameters required to produce models that honour individual case studies. We present a best-estimate forward model of a high-relief Triassic carbonate platform (Southern Alps, Italy) generated using CARB3D+, a 3D process-based forward modelling package able to simulate sedimentary facies, geometries and early diagenesis of isolated carbonate platforms. The parameters used for the presented forward model have been deduced by the study of architectural, sedimentological and diagenetic features of the platform, and by data from modern and ancient analogues. Sensitivity analysis is used to tune values of the parameters within ranges defined from field, laboratory and uniformitarian constraints. Critical evaluation of the model allowed 1) verification of the validity of the used parameters; 2) evaluation of the interaction between controlling parameters; 3) development of a numerical model that can be used for quantitative elaborations. Furthermore, the process of generating the numerical model required a detailed interpretation of field and laboratory data, crucial to define the required input parameters. Modelling the studied carbonate platform also enabled evaluation of the effects of the interaction between productivity, environmental energy and creation of accommodation space, promoting the understanding of their role on the architecture of carbonate systems. Forward modelling also allows the integration of data from conventional data sets with data from presentday observations and seismic geometries, promoting a transition from a qualitative to a semiquantitative/quantitative sedimentological approach. Forward models can further be used to parameterise petrophysical properties of complex geobodies, with potential application for the management of georesources.

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Section: Depositional Architecturesupporting

confidence: 55%

Section: Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 79%

Forward modelling of carbonate platforms: Sedimentological and diagenetic constraints from an application to a flat-topped greenhouse platform (Triassic, Southern Alps, Italy)

Berra

Lanfranchi

Smart³

et al. 2016

Marine and Petroleum Geology

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“…It has been suggested that reservoir quality might be better in the slope facies of the northern isolated platforms (Van Hulten, 2012;Hoornveld, 2013) in analogue with the Dinantian carbonate build-ups from the Caspian Sea (Weber et al, 2003;Kenter et al, 2005. However, the slope facies encountered in this study does not show significantly better reservoir properties.…”

Section: Reservoir Quality and Karstcontrasting

confidence: 52%

“…Backstepping has been observed in various foredeep basin settings (Drzewiecki & Simó, 2002;Blanchon, 2011) and microbial carbonates (Whalen et al, 2002). This phenomenon has also been recognised in other Dinantian carbonate systems around the globe (Weber et al, 2003;Harris et al, 2008;Kombrink, 2008). In the Dutch subsurface Jaarsma et al (2013) found indications for reef-edge rims in regional seismic lines.…”

Section: Geometries Of Dinantian Carbonatesmentioning

confidence: 72%

Seismic stratigraphy of Dinantian carbonates in the southern Netherlands and northern Belgium

Reijmer

Veen²,

Jaarsma

et al. 2017

Netherlands Journal of Geosciences

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Due to their potential as a petroleum or geothermal system, the Dinantian carbonates of the Netherlands have recently attracted renewed interest because of the identified presence of excellent reservoir properties. This notion contrasts with the general assumption that these carbonates are tight. Therefore, in order to give the current knowledge state, this paper re-examines the sparse publicly available well and seismic data and literature to assess the distribution and reservoir properties of the Dinantian carbonates.Dinantian carbonate deposition occurred throughout the study area (southern onshore and offshore of the Netherlands and northern Belgium), which is situated on the northern margin of the London-Brabant Massif, progressively onlapping the latter structure. This study confirms the presence of three carbonate facies types in the study area: a Tournaisian low-gradient carbonate ramp system, succeeded by a succession in which the carbonate ramp system evolved to a rimmed shelf setting. Subsidence of the northern margin of the London-Brabant Massif resulted in a landward shift of the shallow-marine facies belts, while the formation of normal faults resulted in a 'staircase'-shaped shallow-water platform-slope-basin profile, associated with large-scale resedimentation processes. After deposition, the limestone deposits were frequently exhumed and reburied. A first period of regional exhumation occurred at the end of the Dinantian, which seems to be associated with porosity-enhancing meteoric karstification, possibly limited to the palaeo-shelf edge. The most intense alterations seem to be present as a deep leached horizon below the Cretaceous unconformity at the top of the Dinantian sequences. In addition, clear evidence for hydrothermal fluid migration is found locally, enhancing reservoir properties at some places while occluding porosity at others. The timing of these phases of hydrothermal fluid circulation is poorly understood.Whereas in the United Kingdom hydrocarbons have been produced from karstified Dinantian carbonates, this petroleum play has received little attention in the Netherlands. This paper shows that, also for the Netherlands, a karstic reservoir probably existed before the start of hydrocarbon generation from the onlapping basal Namurian shales. The hydrocarbon prospectivity of these sediments, however, is primarily controlled by the presence of both a karst-related reservoir and migration routes from a decent-quality source rock. Two geothermal projects producing from this reservoir in the southern onshore Netherlands have shown the potential of the Dinantian carbonates for ultra-deep geothermal projects. To conclude, the findings presented herein are relevant for studies of the hydrocarbon prospectivity and studies of the geothermal potential of Dinantian carbonates in the Dutch on-and offshore.

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“…Although the reservoir geometry and fluid-dynamic properties are sufficiently known from a few papers (Weber et al, 2003;Collins et al, 2006), little information is available on the time and space evolution of the pore pressure. The oil was highly overpressured at 830 bar (83 MPa) when the field was first tapped and, in 2007, the pressure decreased to approximately 550 bar (55 MPa) in the central platform and to 620-750 bar (62-75 MPa) in the remaining portions.…”

Section: Case Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

Efficient global optimization of reservoir geomechanical parameters based on synthetic aperture radar-derived ground displacements

et al. 2016

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When large volumes of fluids are removed from or injected into underground formations for, e.g., hydrocarbon and water production, CO 2 storage, gas storage, and geothermal energy exploitation, monitoring of surface deformations coupled to numerical modeling improves our understanding of reservoir behavior. The ability to accurately simulate surface displacements, however, is often impaired by limited information on reservoir geometry, waterdrive strength, and fluid-geomechanical parameters characterizing the geologic formations of interest. We have investigated the ability of efficient global optimization (EGO) to reduce the parameter uncertainties usually affecting geomechanical modeling. EGO is used to identify the parameter set that minimizes the difference in land displacements obtained from synthetic aperture radar (SAR)-derived measurements and 3D geomechanical modeling. We have tested the approach on the Tengiz giant oil field, Kazakhstan, where large uncertainties affect our knowledge of geomechanical parameters and pore pressure evolution. SqueeSAR on ENVISAT and RADARSAT-1 images acquired between 2004 and 2007 provided a set of high-precision, high-areal-density subsidence measurements of the test site. Based on the available information, a 3D geomechanical model of the reservoir has been developed using the elastoplastic finite-element code GEPS3D. Our results indicated that EGO efficiently identifies the global optimum in the parameter space, yielding a significant reduction in the difference between modeled and measured land subsidence. The match between simulated and SAR-measured horizontal displacements was developed as validation of the EGO calibration, which thus proved an effective and rather inexpensive method for the simultaneous management of several uncertainties and the reliable quantification of the rock properties.

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Stratigraphy, Lithofacies, and Reservoir Distribution, Tengiz Field, Kazakhstan

Cited by 40 publications

References 9 publications

Forward modelling of carbonate platforms: Sedimentological and diagenetic constraints from an application to a flat-topped greenhouse platform (Triassic, Southern Alps, Italy)

Forward modelling of carbonate platforms: Sedimentological and diagenetic constraints from an application to a flat-topped greenhouse platform (Triassic, Southern Alps, Italy)

Seismic stratigraphy of Dinantian carbonates in the southern Netherlands and northern Belgium

Efficient global optimization of reservoir geomechanical parameters based on synthetic aperture radar-derived ground displacements

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