Volcanic settings and their reservoir potential: An outcrop analog study on the Miocene Tepoztlán Formation, Central Mexico

Abstract

The reservoir potential of volcanic and associated sedimentary rocks is less documented in regard to groundwater resources, and oil and gas storage compared to siliciclastic and carbonate systems. Outcrop analogue studies within a volcanic setting enable to identify values followed by tuffs, conglomerates, sandstones and tuffaceous breccias. On the contrary, the highest permeabilities can be found in the conglomerates, followed by tuffs, tuffaceous breccias, sandstones and lavas. The knowledge of these petrophysical rock properties provides important information on the reservoir potential of volcanic settings to be integrated to 3D subsurface models.

Compaction and gas loss in welded pyroclastic deposits as revealed by porosity, permeability, and electrical conductivity measurements of the Shevlin Park Tuff

“…Furthermore, the degree of welding, vis-à-vis the porosity and permeability of an ignimbrite, exerts strong control on the oil and gas reservoir potential (cf. Lenhardt and Götz, 2011). Finally, many geothermal systems are hosted in volcanic rocks (e.g., Hadi et al, 2005).…”

“…Furthermore, prediction of the spatial and temporal patterns of porosity and permeability may aid in hazard analysis, as permeability reduction has been cited as a possible mechanism for pressure accumulation preceding secondary explosions within pyroclastic deposits (e.g., Torres et al, 1996;Keating, 2005), and as an important control on the style of the secondary explosion (Moyer and Swanson, 1987). Finally, the porosity and permeability of ignimbrites exert major controls on fl uid fl ow through ignimbrite host rocks, including groundwater fl ow, geothermal fl uid migration, or oil/gas storage (Lenhardt and Götz, 2011;Sruoga et al, 2004).…”

Impact of volcanism on the sedimentary record of the Neuquén rift basin, Argentina: towards a cause and effect model

“…However, they do not consider how the construction of volcanic edifices that form a continuum with sedimentary scenarios, as well as variations in the style, volume and frequency of volcanism, affect the high‐resolution architecture of the rift basins. Although, the high potential for hydrocarbon exploration in volcanic and associated sedimentary rocks in marine and continental basin infills has recently been asserted (e.g., Hinterwimmer, ; Sruoga et al ., ; Lenhardt & Götz, ; Caineng et al ., ), and reservoir rocks in volcano‐sedimentary successions have been reported in several sedimentary basins worldwide (Mathisen & McPherson, ; Pángaro et al ., ; Sruoga et al ., ; Feng, ; Legarreta et al ., ; Pángaro et al ., ), the difficulty in establishing predictable facies models (Németh & Martin, ) and the large variation in the petrophysical properties of volcanic and volcaniclastic successions (Mathisen & McPherson, ; Sruoga et al ., ) have contributed to the lack of information on the relationship between volcanism and sedimentation with regard to basin studies, in particular in extensional basins.…”

Pore System Quantification and Characterization in Volcanic Rocks: A Case Study From the Lower Cretaceous Serra Geral Group, Paraná Basin, Southern Brazil

“…Recent discoveries of hydrocarbon-producing volcanic reservoirs have increased interest in pore systems in volcanic rocks. Effective volcanic reservoirs have been reported from Argentina (Sruoga et al, 2004), China (Wang et al, 2015) and Mexico (Lenhardt and Gotz, 2011), as well as from around the Pacific Rim and eastern Asia (Zou et al, 2013). Volcanic reservoir rocks are complex and can be classified on the basis of their genetic features into various types (Zou et al, 2013).…”