Active fault participation in the diagenetic modification of sandstone reservoir properties

Conference · Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States)

OSTI ID:5895591

Burley, S D ^[1]; Walsh, J; Watterson, J ^[2]

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1. Clastic Diagenesis Group, Manchester (United Kingdom)
2. Fault Analysis Group, Liverpool (United Kingdom)

In sedimentary basins undergoing regional strain, faults have a potential for influencing subsurface fluid flow by providing some of the driving energy for fluid movement. Variable displacement on faults in the slip direction results in systematic volume changes in the surrounding sedimentary rocks. Compressed and dilated volumes are distributed according to position relative to the fault. Intermittent seismic slip produces rapid pressure changes and high hydraulic gradients capable of causing movement of large fluid volumes or of maintaining pressure differentials if pore fluid migration is obstructed. As a result of the hydraulic gradients generated by individual faults, subsurface fluids may either be transferred between formations juxtaposed across the fault or vertically transported along the fault. Faults may thus provide the means of mixing of subsurface fluids, and are potentially zones of intense diagenetic modification. An appreciation of fault-influenced diagenetic modification is particularly pertinent to an understanding of the heterogeneity of sandstone reservoirs where pore water and hydrocarbon migration from source to reservoir rocks are an integral part of the hydrocarbon accumulation process. Mineralogical and fabric modifications to rock components may result in either significant enhancement of porosity or extensive cementation and compaction that overprints regional burial diagenetic assemblages. Inactive or cemented faults may behave as hydrocarbon seals. The potential contribution of faults to sandstone reservoir heterogeneity should always be considered in models of burial diagenesis and hydrocarbon migration.

• OSTI ID: 5895591
• Report Number(s): CONF-910978-; CODEN: AABUD
• Journal Information: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Vol. 75:8; Conference: International conference and exhibition of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG): the way ahead-hydrocarbons for the 1990s, London (United Kingdom), 29 Sep - 3 Oct 1991; ISSN 0149-1423
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RESERVOIR ROCK
DIAGENESIS
FLUID FLOW
GEOLOGIC FAULTS
GEOLOGIC TRAPS
MINERALOGY
POROSITY
SANDSTONES
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
SOURCE ROCKS
STRESS ANALYSIS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
MASS TRANSFER
MINERAL RESOURCES
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration