Paleoclimatic controls on sedimentation, diagnesis, and reservior quality: Lessons from Miocene carbonates

Journal Article · Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1994 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States)

OSTI ID:7120188

Sun, S Q ^[1]; Esteban, M ^[2]

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1. MASERA International, London (United Kingdom)
2. Moli d'en Moix, Palma de Mallorca (Spain)

Miocene carbonates worldwide were deposited in a wide range of paleogeographic and tectonic settings and form important reservoirs in several regions. The reservoir quality of these carbonates appears to have been primarily controlled by the prevailing paleoclimate, which exerted a major control of both the depositional patterns and diagenetic pathways. Two end members are discussed here: (1) humid, oceanic tropical-subtropical settings, and (2) arid, land-locked temperate-subtropical settings. In humid, oceanic tropical-subtropical settings (e.g., Miocene of Southeast Asia), a warming trend paralleled by generally rising sea level allowed thick coral reefs and skeletal banks to develop, most of which are seismically resolvable. These carbonates typically represent several stages or cycles of development (largely third-order) separated by discontinuities in platform growth with episodic subaerial exposure. Development of economic reservoirs is mainly related to relative sea level falls and associated meteoric diagenesis. Trends and patterns of reservoir distribution can be predicted within a sequence stratigraphic framework. Basal transgressive carbonates are mostly tight because of their relatively fine-grained textures, intense compaction, and isolation from meteoric water influence. Best reservoir quality is commonly developed beneath subaerial unconformities in highstand buildups where effect of meteoric water leaching and karstification are most intense. 80 refs., 18 figs., 1 tab.

• OSTI ID: 7120188
• Journal Information: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Vol. 78:4; ISSN 0149-1423
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
CARBONATE ROCKS
RESERVOIR ROCK
MIOCENE EPOCH
RESERVOIR FLUIDS
DISTRIBUTION
CLIMATIC CHANGE
SEDIMENTATION
SEDIMENTS
DIAGENESIS
ARID LANDS
CLIMATES
METEORIC WATER
PALEOCLIMATOLOGY
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
STRATIGRAPHY
TROPICAL REGIONS
CENOZOIC ERA
FLUIDS
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGY
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MINERAL RESOURCES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PALEONTOLOGY
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
TERTIARY PERIOD
WATER
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration