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Ichnology As a Tool in Carbonate Reservoir Characterization, Khuff Formation Gulf Petrolink, Bahrain

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Ichnology As a Tool in Carbonate Reservoir Characterization, Khuff Formation Gulf Petrolink, Bahrain GeoArabia, v. 14, no. 3, 2009, p. 17-38 Ichnology as a tool in carbonate reservoir characterization, Khuff Formation Gulf PetroLink, Bahrain Ichnology as a tool in carbonate reservoir characterization: A case study from the Permian – Triassic Khuff Formation in the Middle East Dirk Knaust ABSTRACT In the Upper Permian to Lower Triassic Khuff Formation in the Arabian Gulf, a vast shallow-marine carbonate platform developed broad facies belts with little significant changes in the lithofacies. However, trace fossil assemblages and ichnofabrics, in combination with sedimentological observations, serve in subdividing this platform and in distinguishing sub-environments. From proximal to distal, these are sabkha and salina, tidal flat, restricted lagoon, open lagoon, platform margin, shoreface/inner ramp, slope/outer ramp and basin/deeper intra-shelf. In this way, changes in relative sea level can be better reconstructed and guide the sequence stratigraphic interpretation. Meter- scale shallowing-upward cycles dominate the succession and, in addition to conventional methods, bioturbation, trace fossil assemblages and tiering patterns aid in interpreting subtidal, lower and upper intertidal and supratidal portions of these peritidal cycles. Bioturbation (and cryptobioturbation) have an impact on the primary reservoir quality before diagenetic processes overprint the deposits. For instance, deposit-feeders (such as vermiform organisms) introduce a certain amount of mud and decrease porosity and permeability considerably, whereas others like the Zoophycos-producers fill their dwellings with ooid grains and turn a mudstone from a barrier to a flow unit. This novel study demonstrates the value of ichnological information in carbonate reservoir characterization and the significance of trace fossil analysis in facies interpretation, reservoir zonation and the impact of bioturbation on the reservoir quality. INTRODUCTION The study of trace fossils, ichnology, has been proven a valuable method in the reconstruction of paleoenvironments (e.g. Curran, 1985; Pemberton, 1992; Bromley, 1996; Pemberton et al., 2001; McIlroy, 2004; Miller, 2007; Bromley et al., 2007; MacEachern, 2007). The early concept of ichnofacies zonation has been continuously refined and the constituent ichnocoenoses were widely used in distinguishing sub-environments (McIlroy, 2008). Given the need in the oil and gas industry for improved reservoir characterization, the ichnofabric concept has been developed over the last 20 years in close association between academics and industry (Bromley and Ekdale, 1986; Bockelie, 1991). Ichnofabric analysis serves in solving problems when trace fossils and their tiering patterns are available in cored wells (Taylor and Goldring, 1993; Taylor et al., 2003; Goldring et al., 2005; Knaust, 2009b). Key stratigraphic surfaces become obvious when employing ichnology and can be used in sequence stratigraphic analysis (Taylor et al., 2003; MacEachern et al., 2007). Certain ichnotaxa are even useable for biostratigraphy, backed by the progress achieved in ichnotaxonomy (Seilacher, 2007). Recent advances in ichnology show the immense impact of infaunal organisms in generating biogenically enhanced porosity and permeability, with implications for hydrocarbon and aquifer reservoirs (Pemberton and Gingras, 2005; Gingras et al., 2007; Pemberton et al., 2008; Cunningham et al., 2008). In the oil and gas industry, trace fossil analysis covers three key reservoir characterization aspects: (1) Facies interpretation by utilizing the ecological information of trace fossils and ichnocoenoses; (2) Reservoir zonation by identifying sequence boundaries and flooding surfaces for correlation; (3) Reservoir quality and connectivity, which is directly effected by bioturbation. 17 Downloaded from http://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/geoarabia/article-pdf/14/3/17/4567211/knaust_17-38.pdf by guest on 23 September 2021 Knaust Age Saudi Abu Sea-Level Sequence Bahrain Qatar Oman Iran Iraq (Ma) Arabia Dhabi Aghar/ Sudair Dashtak Beduh Top Khuff K1 iassic HST Khuff-A Induan KS1 D1 Mirga Lower K0 K1 K1 Kangan Tr MFS-1 K2 Mir TST H Khuff-B Upper ig D2 251 h SB1 - HST f s K2 K2 t f a MFS-2 KS2 Khuff-B Lower K3 n TST K3 Upper d SB2 K1 st S HST 1 - Khuf K3 e MFS-3 Upper q KS3 Khuff-C Upper K3 Lower D3 Upper order u TST Upper e SB3 n Chia Zairi c Dalan nd e HST Upper Khuf 2 - Formation S Khuff-C Middle K4 e Lopingian t uchiapingian) order KS4 K2 K4 K4 MFS-4 f tarian Upper Permian Khuff-C Lower Ta TST D4 TS4 Khuff-D Anhydrite Middle Anhydrite Anhydrite SB4 HST K5 Middle Khuf Nar Satina (Capitanian-W MFS-5 K5 Khuff-D Upper Member Anhydrite K5 Deh Ram Group TST D5 SB5 HST Khuff-D K6 f t MFS-6 KS6 K6 e TST Middle D6 S SB6 e c K3 n Khuff-D ordian) HST e f u KS7 Lower q Lower Kazanian (W e Lower Guadalupian S Lower Khuf Chia Zairi K7 e Dalan Middle Permian iv MFS-7 K7 Formation s s e PKU PKU r g Red Beds s n Lower Khuf a Non- Non- r Ufmian T TST Deposition Deposition D7 (Roadian) PKU Unayzah Haushi Unayzah Gharif Faraghan Ga'ara Kungurian Cisuralian Lower Permian Figure 1: Chronostratigraphy and sequence stratigraphy of the Khuff Formation in the Arabian Gulf region (from Alsharhan, 2006). The red bar indicates the section of the studied core. Ichnological studies have typically played only a minor role in the sedimentological analysis of carbonate reservoirs (e.g. Goldring et al., 2005; Pemberton and Gingras, 2005), although the study of ichnofabrics has long been used in siliciclastic deposits (Taylor and Goldring, 1993; McIlroy, 2004), proving to be a valuable tool for the characterization and prediction of reservoir quality, the recognition of potential flow barriers and prediction of lateral depositional trends. Using one of the most important reservoirs in the Middle East, the Middle Permian to Lower Triassic Khuff Formation, as a case study, this paper will demonstrate the feasibility and value in the application of ichnological concepts and methods in shallow-marine carbonate systems. This is the first comprehensive ichnological study carried out and published on the Khuff Formation. The results show that ichnology also has much to contribute in the understanding of carbonate reservoirs, e.g. in their zonation, heterogeneity evaluation and prediction of flow units. STUDY AREA The Middle Permian to Lower Triassic Khuff Formation is extensively distributed in outcrops and in the subsurface in the region around the Gulf and contains important gas reserves in the Middle East (e.g. the Ghawar field in Saudi Arabia, the North field in Qatar and the South Pars field in Iran). The carbonates of the Upper Khuff Formation in Abu Dhabi are separated by the Middle Anhydrite from the Middle Permian Lower Khuff Formation, and are equivalent to the K1 to K4 reservoir intervals in Qatar and Oman, the Khuff-A to Khuff-C units in Saudi Arabia, and the Kangan Formation and the Upper Dalan Member in Iran (Figure 1). Stratigraphically, the entire Khuff Formation forms a second-order, transgressive-regressive sequence (Sharland et al., 2001; Strohmenger et al., 2002), built by third-order sequences, which are controlled by major sea-level changes (Sharland et al., 2001, 2004). In large parts of the Gulf, the KS4 through KS1 sequences are recognized and correspond to the K4 to K1 reservoir intervals (Insalaco et al., 18 Downloaded from http://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/geoarabia/article-pdf/14/3/17/4567211/knaust_17-38.pdf by guest on 23 September 2021 Ichnology as a tool in carbonate reservoir characterization, Khuff Formation 40°N 45°Coral-algal 50° 55° 60° reefs Deep-marine argillaceous Evaporitic limestones N carbonates and 0 500 siliciclastics km 30° 30°E Evaporitic carbonate Radiolarite shelf Lower slope debris apron Arabian Gulf Cephlopod limestone Ghawar 25° 25° Slope deposits Arabian Coral-algal Shield reefs Shallow shelf Shallow break carbonate shelf 20° 20° Siliciclastics Arabian Sea Mixed carbonates Red Sea and siliciclastics 45° 50° 55° 60° Figure 2: Paleogeographic map and depositional environments of the Khuff platform in the Arabian (Persian) Gulf area (after Al-Jallal, 1995). Green and red areas indicate oil and gas fields, respectively. 2006). During the Late Permian and Early Triassic, Arabia was situated in a low latitude position in the southern hemisphere (Figure 2). In the subsurface, the succession reaches a thickness of up to 970 m (Alsharhan, 2006) and mainly consists of limestones, dolomites and anhydrites. At a large scale, the depositional environment was a rimmed carbonate platform with an extensive inner platform in the south, which was separated from a more open-marine intra-shelf low in the north by a broad belt of grainy shoals (Al-Jallal, 1995; Dasgupta et al., 2002; Insalaco et al., 2006; Figure 2). MateRIAL AND METHODS Core material from a 445 m section through the Middle Permian to Lower Triassic Khuff Formation in three exploration wells was available for this study (well cores with a total length of 1,100 m), of which the cored part in one well is most complete and therefore is regarded as a key well. A comprehensive sedimentological, diagenetic and geochemical study (unpublished material; Svana et al., 2007; Garland et al., 2008, Eliassen et al., 2008; Ehrenberg et al., 2008) leads to a good understanding of the depositional environment and diagenetic history. Concurrent with this, an ichnological analysis was carried out on the medial cut of the core and by employing high-resolution core images from its counterpart. Numerous intervals are covered by thin sections, which partly reveal bioturbation patterns and discrete trace fossils. 19 Downloaded from http://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/geoarabia/article-pdf/14/3/17/4567211/knaust_17-38.pdf by guest on 23 September 2021 Knaust Degree of Bioturbation The degree of bioturbation is an important attribute in ichnological analysis. It indicates the amount of endobenthic colonization versus deposition rate, shows hiatuses in the sedimentation, and its dependence from available nutrients and oxygen.
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