Morphometry of micrite particles in cretaceous microporous limestones of the Middle East: Influence on reservoir properties

Perière, Matthieu Deville de; Durlet, Christophe; Vennin, Emmanuelle; Lambert, Laurent; Bourillot, Raphaël; Caline, Bruno; Poli, Emmanuelle

doi:10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2011.05.002

Cited by 117 publications

(67 citation statements)

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“…Fabricius 2003;Fabricius and Borre 2007). Similarly, a decrease of about 30% microporosity (from about 35% in the initial micritic sediment) is attributed to pressure-solution processes in clay-rich micritic shallow carbonate lithologies (petrophysical class D) in contrast to a decrease of about 15 or 20% in ''micritic carbonates'' of classes C and F respectively, linked to early diagenetic processes documented in Middle Eastern carbonates (Deville de Periere et al 2011). Also, Moshier (1989) showed that zones of intense stylolitization are often linked to decreased microporosity in Lower Cretaceous micritic limestones in the Middle East.…”

Section: J S Rmentioning

confidence: 97%

Diagenetic Implications of Stylolitization In Pelagic Carbonates, Canterbury Basin, Offshore New Zealand

Vandeginste¹,

John²

2013

Journal of Sedimentary Research

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Stylolites are irregular discontinuity surfaces that are thought to result from localized stress-induced dissolution during burial or tectonic compression. The genesis of stylolites and the controls on stylolitization are still debated, and the interplay between stylolitization, generation of carbonate-rich fluids, diagenetic fluid flow within fractures and matrix, cementation, and porosity modifications is complex. All of these processes have important diagenetic effects potentially altering the intrinsic properties of the host rock, with implications for hydrocarbon exploration and water resources in aquifers. We investigate the process of stylolitization by a macroscopic, petrographic, and geochemical study of pressure-solution features in Eocene to early Oligocene limestones in cores from the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Hole 317-U1352C (Canterbury Basin). The results indicate correlations among stylolite amplitude, stylolite density, and siliciclastic content of the host rock. These relationships are interpreted to suggest that siliciclastic content in carbonate rocks increases heterogeneity, which in turn impacts stylolite nucleation. Moreover, the geochemical data support that clay along the stylolite is not authigenic, but a relict from impurities in the limestone host rock. The statistical approach of stylolite spacing used in this study, which is different than previous studies, reinforces the model of random occurrence of stylolites in (carbonate) lithologic units.This study shows that local stresses in tectonically passive areas may allow the formation of rare oblique stylolites with peaks perpendicular to the stylolite plane. Estimation of the amount of limestone dissolved during stylolitization (minimum 7% to 12% of the depositional limestone) and the volume of sparite in the host rock (up to 1.6% of the compacted limestone) suggests that the pressure-solution fluids cemented the micropores, reducing porosity to about 10% (from a common porosity of about 40% in mechanically compacted chalk). This study thus highlights the importance of microporosity as a sink for burial cements, an observation difficult to make in thin-section. Analysis of stylolite infills at Site U1352 shows no evidence that the stylolites acted as conduits for diagenetic fluids, unless if the fluid was host-rock buffered and thus its chemistry indistinguishable from that of the host rock.The link between siliciclastic content in carbonate rocks and the spacing and amplitude of stylolites improves understanding of burial compaction processes. Predicting the morphology and spacing of stylolites in the subsurface can be used to identify baffles to cross-stylolite fluid flow or cementation (of microporosity) influencing heterogeneity of petrophysical properties in (subsurface reservoir) host rocks.

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Section: J S Rmentioning

confidence: 97%

Diagenetic Implications of Stylolitization In Pelagic Carbonates, Canterbury Basin, Offshore New Zealand

Vandeginste¹,

John²

2013

Journal of Sedimentary Research

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“…Both carbonate samples display a matrix of micrite (abbreviation for microcrystalline calcite) with a typical grain size of 1-4 µm (Moshier, 1989), but the texture of these micrites is different between the two samples. Following the classification of micrite microtexture proposed by Lambert et al (2006) and Deville de Periere et al (2011), the micrite in sample Carb-A is mainly a "tight micrite", spatially varying from anhedral compact to fused, with grains typically 1-2 µm in diameter; micrite in sample Carb-B is a "porous micrite", varying from rounded to subrounded, with anhedral to subhedral, rounded grains, typically 2-4 µm in diameter. Besides a micrite matrix, sample Carb-A exhibits vuggy-like pores either rounded, up to about 60 µm, or more elongated, up to 300 µm in length.…”

Section: Carbonate Samplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Digital carbonate rock physics

et al. 2016

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Abstract. Modern estimation of rock properties combines imaging with advanced numerical simulations, an approach known as digital rock physics (DRP). In this paper we suggest a specific segmentation procedure of X-ray microcomputed tomography data with two different resolutions in the µm range for two sets of carbonate rock samples. These carbonates were already characterized in detail in a previous laboratory study which we complement with nanoindentation experiments (for local elastic properties). In a first step a non-local mean filter is applied to the raw image data. We then apply different thresholds to identify pores and solid phases. Because of a non-neglectable amount of unresolved microporosity (micritic phase) we also define intermediate threshold values for distinct phases. Based on this segmentation we determine porosity-dependent values for effective P -and S-wave velocities as well as for the intrinsic permeability. For effective velocities we confirm an observed twophase trend reported in another study using a different carbonate data set. As an upscaling approach we use this twophase trend as an effective medium approach to estimate the porosity-dependent elastic properties of the micritic phase for the low-resolution images. The porosity measured in the laboratory is then used to predict the effective rock properties from the observed trends for a comparison with experimental data. The two-phase trend can be regarded as an upper bound for elastic properties; the use of the two-phase trend for low-resolution images led to a good estimate for a lower bound of effective elastic properties. Anisotropy is observed for some of the considered subvolumes, but seems to be insignificant for the analysed rocks at the DRP scale. Because of the complexity of carbonates we suggest using DRP as a complementary tool for rock characterization in addition to classical experimental methods.

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“…7,8A). According to the classification of Deville de Periere et al (2011), these micrite crystals are rounded, anhedral to subhedral with punctic to partially coalescent contacts. In contrast, several millimeters from telogenetic tension gashes, larger (3 to 4 mm) euhedral crystals are associated with smaller rounded ones (Fig.…”

Section: Hpfsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although Steinen (1978) argued that aggradation of micrites is efficient mainly during burial, Richard et al (2007) interpreted the microporosity of the late Barremian and middle Aptian Urgonian Limestone of the Jura and Bas Dauphiné platform as the result of preservation of initial porosity and inhibition of mesogenetic compaction due to aggradational processes and Ostwald ripening in the meteoric phreatic lens during late eogenesis. Several authors have proposed that early meteoric diagenesis below surfaces of subaerial exposure is the main factor controlling the appearance of porous micrites on a shallow carbonate platform (Deville de Periere et al 2011;Volery et al 2010). However, such a scenario is difficult to consider for microporous muds deposited in deep offshore environments such as the Cenomanian and Maastrichtian ''Scaglia'' limestones of southeast Italy (Hairabian et al 2013) or the Late Cretaceous carbonate turbidites of the Mid-Pacific Mountains (Ferry and Schaaf 1981).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Origin of Micropores In Late Jurassic (Oxfordian) Micrites of the Eastern Paris Basin, France

Carpentier

Ferry

Lécuyer

et al. 2015

Journal of Sedimentary Research

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Porous micritic facies, either primary chalks or resulting from secondary destructive micritization, can constitute important hydrocarbon or water reservoirs. Characterization of reservoir properties and the understanding of factors which controlled the distribution of porosity are of primary interest to evaluate the prospective reserves. Middle and late Oxfordian limestones of the eastern Paris Basin show several horizons with porosities higher than 20%. The porosity is mainly microporous and located either within secondary micritized grains or in the micritic matrix. Using SEM, cathodoluminescence, as well as confocal microscopy, stable oxygen and carbon isotope ratios, and petrophysical measurements, a scenario for the evolution of the micropores is proposed. Lime mudstones to packstones constitute the majority of the high-porosity facies (HPFs). Inner lagoonal deposits are more micritized and thus more porous than grainstones, and facies rich in leiolitic oncoids and echinoid clasts are less impacted by micritization. Micritization was responsible for an increase of the intragranular porosity in most grain types. During both eogenesis and shallow burial, mineralogical stabilization dissolved aragonitic particles and allowed precipitation of calcite rhombs. This process was probably enhanced below surfaces of subaerial exposure. During burial, Ostwald ripening allowed the growth of larger micrite crystals at the expense of smaller ones during early Berriasian and late Aptian recharges of deep aquifers when the northern margin of the basin was exposed. Overgrowths on micrite crystals were more important in intervals strongly affected by chemical compaction, which favored oversaturation of waters with respect to calcite. In low-porosity horizons (LPFs), the dense micritic texture of oncoids and the monocrystalline architecture of echinoid clasts prevented an intense micritization, while the strong chemical compaction enhanced poronecrosis. Telogenetic fracturing created new fluid pathways that favored inputs of meteoric fluid in porous micrite and allowed the continuation of Ostwald ripening during Cenozoic times. As a whole, mesogenetic inputs of waters undersaturated with respect to calcite in deep aquifers during exposure of basin margins are a more efficient process than early subaerial exposure for enhancing aggrading neomorphism and appearance of microporous micrites. Initial mineralogical heterogeneities also impact the intensity of chemical compaction and thus the stratigraphical distribution of microporous limestones.

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Morphometry of micrite particles in cretaceous microporous limestones of the Middle East: Influence on reservoir properties

Cited by 117 publications

References 73 publications

Diagenetic Implications of Stylolitization In Pelagic Carbonates, Canterbury Basin, Offshore New Zealand

Diagenetic Implications of Stylolitization In Pelagic Carbonates, Canterbury Basin, Offshore New Zealand

Digital carbonate rock physics

Origin of Micropores In Late Jurassic (Oxfordian) Micrites of the Eastern Paris Basin, France

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