Prediction of reservoir properties from processes and architecture in deep-water clastic systems A thesis submitted to The University of Manchester for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Science and Engineering 2019 Daniel Bell School of Natural Sciences Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ....................................................................................................... 2 LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................. 8 LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................. 13 ABSTRACT............................................................................................................................. 14 DECLARATION ................................................................................................................... 15 COPYRIGHT STATEMENT .............................................................................................. 18 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................. 19 CHAPTER 1: .......................................................................................................... RATIONALE 21 1.1 CHAPTER 3: HOW DOES DEPOSITIONAL RESERVOIR QUALITY VARY SPATIALLY IN SUBMARINE LOBES AND CHANNEL-FILLS? ............................................................................... 22 1.2 CHAPTER 4: HOW DO BED-SCALE BARRIERS AFFECT SANDSTONE CONNECTIVITY? ... 22 1.3 CHAPTER 5: WHICH HETEROGENEITIES MATTER TO FLOW IN SUBMARINE LOBES, AND HOW ARE THEY DISTRIBUTED? .................................................................................................. 24 1.4 CHAPTER 6: HOW ARE FACIES AND ARCHITECTURE ORGANISED IN THREE DIMENSIONS IN SUBMARINE CHANNEL-FILLS, AND HOW MIGHT THIS AFFECT RESERVOIR PREDICTION? ................................................................................................................................ 25 1.5 CHAPTER 7: DO CONTEMPORANEOUS LOBE DEPOSITS IN A BASIN EXHIBIT THE SAME ARCHITECTURES AND STACKING PATTERNS? .......................................................................... 26 CHAPTER 2: ............... DEEP-WATER DEPOSITIONAL SYSTEMS: PROCESSES, PRODUCTS, AND IMPLICATIONS ..................................................................... 28 2.1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 28 2.2 FLOW PROCESSES .................................................................................................................. 29 Turbulent flows ............................................................................................................................ 29 Debris flows ................................................................................................................................. 32 Transitional flows ........................................................................................................................ 33 2.3 PROCESS CONTROLS ON RESERVOIR QUALITY .................................................................. 35 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 35 High-density turbidites (HDTs) .................................................................................................. 37 Low-density turbidites (LDTs) .................................................................................................... 38 Hybrid beds ................................................................................................................................. 38 Mudstones ................................................................................................................................... 39 Detrital clays: Hero, and villain? ................................................................................................. 40 2 2.4 COMPONENTS OF DEEP-WATER DEPOSITIONAL SYSTEMS .............................................. 43 Submarine channels ..................................................................................................................... 43 Channel-lobe transition zones ....................................................................................................... 49 Submarine lobes ........................................................................................................................... 50 2.5 BED-SCALE CONTROLS ON RESERVOIR QUALITY DISTRIBUTION ................................... 56 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 56 Modelling architectural elements ................................................................................................... 57 Bed-scale barriers ......................................................................................................................... 58 CHAPTER 3: ............ SPATIAL VARIABILITY IN DEPOSITIONAL RESERVOIR QUALITY OF DEEP-WATER CHANNEL-FILL AND LOBE DEPOSITS ........ 61 3.1 ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................... 61 3.2 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 62 3.3 GEOLOGICAL SETTING ......................................................................................................... 64 3.4 METHODS ............................................................................................................................... 65 3.5 FACIES ..................................................................................................................................... 67 3.6 ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENT INTERPRETATIONS ............................................................... 73 Figure 3.5: Architectural panels of Lobe 1 of the Upper Broto system ........................................... 74 Gerbe architectural element ........................................................................................................... 75 Broto architectural element ........................................................................................................... 75 3.7 RESULTS .................................................................................................................................. 76 Composition ................................................................................................................................ 76 Gerbe channel-fill element ............................................................................................................. 83 Lobe 1 ........................................................................................................................................ 85 3.8 DISCUSSION ............................................................................................................................ 89 Spatial variation in depositional reservoir quality .......................................................................... 89 Implications of detrital matrix distribution ................................................................................... 95 3.9 CONCLUSIONS ........................................................................................................................ 96 CHAPTER 4: ............. THE EFFECT OF BED-SCALE HETEROGENEITIES ON VERTICAL PERMEABILITY IN CLASTIC SANDSTONES .............................. 98 4.1 ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................... 98 4.2 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 98 4.3 METHODS ............................................................................................................................. 100 4.4 RESULTS ................................................................................................................................ 101 Siltstone-drape test ..................................................................................................................... 101 3 Mudstone-clast test ..................................................................................................................... 104 4.5 DISCUSSION .......................................................................................................................... 105 Effect of siltstone barriers on bed-scale connectivity....................................................................... 105 Effect of mudstone-clasts on bed-scale connectivity ........................................................................ 106 Implications for modelling ........................................................................................................... 108 4.6 CONCLUSIONS ...................................................................................................................... 110 CHAPTER 5: .. BED-SCALE MODELLING OF DEEP-WATER LOBES: WHICH HETEROGENEITIES MATTER TO FLOW? ..................................................... 111 5.1 ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................