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ASSESSING RESERVOIR QUALITY
Through regional correlations and seismic
data (Figure 3), the locations of deep-water,
coarse-grained siliciclastic lowstand fans have
been identified. By combining this with the
insights deduced from the PDEM, paleoclimate
simulations, and sediment flux predictions,
assessments of reservoir quality were made.
To assess the potential reservoir quality of
the deep-water, coarse-grained siliciclastics
deposited during lowstands in the northern
Arabian Gulf, it was essential that we understood
the mineralogy of the surrounding hinterland.
The composition of hinterland acts as a proxy
for the quartz content of the derived reservoirs.
Hinterland compositional data for the late
Valanginian highlights the areas that were quartz-
rich and the areas that comprised more mafic and
intermediate rocks, from which unstable mineral
assemblages are derived.
By determining the relationship between
hinterland mineralogy and the sediments
deposited in basins, the reservoir quality of the
siliciclastic lowstand fans in the northern Arabian
Gulf can be high-graded. The quartz-rich nature
of the sediments shed into the northern Arabian
Gulf is verified by the dominance of quartz (over
80 %) found in the Zubair Formation at the
Rumaila Field (Wells et al., 2017). This dominance
of quartz is the result of erosion from the quartz-
rich Precambrian basement and Paleozoic
sediments at the Arabian Shield.
By integrating the Neftex Source to Sink data
from ESM with geological data in a source-
to-sink regional context, it was found that the
siliciclastic lowstand fans in the southern portion
of the northern Arabian Gulf are likely to have
better reservoir quality than those in the north.
The siliciclastic lowstand fans in the north are
supplied by sediment that originates from a
mixed mineralogy hinterland (Figure 5). Therefore,
reservoir quality in the far north of the northern
Arabian Gulf is a risk that requires further
consideration.
Hinterland Compositional Data
(Mean basin color based
upon hinterland data
~quartz content proxy)
Medium High
High
Medium
Low
Medium Low
Figure 5> The late Valanginian Neftex® Palinspastic Gross
Depositional Environment map, superimposed on the
age-equivalent drainage catchment basins, and hinterland
mineralogy for the Arabian Plate. The location of the Rumaila
Field (star) is shown, and pie charts at the river mouths
indicate the mineralogy of siliciclastic lowstand fans. The
orange arrows highlight the main transport directions of
sediments deposited in the northern Arabian Gulf. Quartz-rich
sediments were derived from the Precambrian basement
and Paleozoic sediments of the Arabian Shield, while the
hinterland signature of the northern Arabian Plate was mixed.
The authors would like to thank Mike Simmons, Roger Davies,
Thomas Jewell and Jo Collins for sharing insight into their work
on Mesozoic siliciclastic systems of the Middle East. Thanks
also to Graeme Nicoll and Rachel Hopper for assistance in
drafting figures for this article.
AUTHORS
Chris Gravestock — Senior Geoscientist, Regional
Petroleum Geoscience, Halliburton Landmark
Chris joined the company in 2012, and began his
career working on North Africa. Since then, he
has held a number of roles within a variety of teams, including
Earth System Science. In 2017, Chris began working on the
Late Jurassic–Cretaceous stratigraphy of the Middle East,
delivering regional, exploration-focused insights into southern
Arabia. Chris holds an M.Sci degree in Geology from the
University of Southampton.
Benjamin Gréselle — Product Owner of Earth
Systems Science, Halliburton Landmark
Benjamin is responsible for the development
and strategy of Neftex ® global-scale products.
These provide a global context for the prediction of
primary petroleum system elements, built on Earth system
modeling, including topography, drainage, source-to-sink,
and paleoclimate. Benjamin joined Neftex as a regional
geologist. Previously, he carried out research for Statoil on
carbonate field analogues in Mexico. Benjamin holds a PhD
and post-doctorate in carbonate sedimentology and sequence
stratigraphy from the Université de Lyon in France.
DISCLAIMER
This article is a synthesis based upon published data and information, and
derived knowledge created within Halliburton. Unless explicitly stated
otherwise, no proprietary client data has been used in its preparation.
If client data has been used, permission will have been obtained and
is acknowledged. Reproduction of any copyrighted image is with the
permission of the copyright holder and is acknowledged. The opinions
found in the articles may not necessarily reflect the views and/or opinions of
Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. and its affiliates including but not limited to
Landmark Graphics Corporation.
CONCLUSION
Regional datasets that are integrated with ESM
have confirmed the potential for deep-water,
coarse-grained siliciclastic lowstands in the
northern Arabian Gulf. These lowstands are
located close to major siliciclastic input points
that followed pre-existing, long-lived basement
lineaments, such as Wadi al Buteen.
REFERENCES
Azzam, I.N. 1995. Sequence stratigraphy of Middle Cretaceous
siliciclastic sandstone (Tuwayil Formation) in west Abu Dhabi:
a model approach to oil exploration. In M.I. Al-Husseini
(Eds.), Geo’94. The Middle East Petroleum Geosciences.
Volume 1. Selected Middle East Papers from the Middle East
Geoscience Conference, April 25-27, 1994, Bahrain, p. 155-165.
(MEBIB13758).
300 km
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Davies, R.B., M.D. Simmons, T.O. Jewell and J. Collins
2019. Regional Controls on Siliciclastic Input into Mesozoic
Depositional Systems of the Arabian Plate. In H. R. AlAnzi, R.
A. Rahmani, R. J. Steel, and O. M. Soliman (Eds.), Siliciclastic
reservoirs of the Arabian plate. AAPG Special Publication no.
116, p. 103-109. (XURBB_630127).
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Ray, D.C., F.S.P. van Buchem, G. Baines, A. Davies, B. Greselle,
M.D. Simmons and C. Robson 2019. The magnitude and cause of
short-term eustatic Cretaceous sea-level change: A synthesis.
Earth-Science Reviews, v. 197, p. 1-20. (XURBB_641687).
Stefanie Clayton
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Contact Kathleen David Weeks
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Sharland, P.R., R. Archer, D.M. Casey, R.B. Davies, S. Hall, A.
Heward, A. Horbury and M.D. Simmons 2001. Arabian Plate
Sequence Stratigraphy. GeoArabia Special Publication no. 2,
Gulf PetroLink, 1-387 p. (MEBIB20358).
Wells, M., Morton A. and Frei D. 2017. Provenance of Lower
Cretaceous clastic reservoirs in the Middle East. Journal of the
Geological Society (Formerly Quarterly Journal of the Geological
Society), v. 174, no. 3, p. 1-14. (XURBB_627869).
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