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Diagenetic Evolution and Reservoir Quality of Sandstones in the North Alpine Foreland Basin: A Microscale Approach*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 September 2015

Doris Gross ,
Marie-Louise Grundtner ,
David Misch ,
Martin Riedl ,
Reinhard F. Sachsenhofer  and
Lorenz Scheucher
Doris Gross*
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Geosciences and Geophysics, Montanuniversitaet Leoben, A-8700 Leoben, Austria
Marie-Louise Grundtner
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Geosciences and Geophysics, Montanuniversitaet Leoben, A-8700 Leoben, Austria
David Misch
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Geosciences and Geophysics, Montanuniversitaet Leoben, A-8700 Leoben, Austria
Martin Riedl
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Geosciences and Geophysics, Montanuniversitaet Leoben, A-8700 Leoben, Austria
Reinhard F. Sachsenhofer
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Geosciences and Geophysics, Montanuniversitaet Leoben, A-8700 Leoben, Austria
Lorenz Scheucher
Affiliation:
Rohoel-Aufsuchungs AG, Schwarzenbergplatz 16, A-1015 Wien, Austria
*
*Corresponding author. doris.gross@unileoben.ac.at
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Abstract

Siliciclastic reservoir rocks of the North Alpine Foreland Basin were studied focusing on investigations of pore fillings. Conventional oil and gas production requires certain thresholds of porosity and permeability. These parameters are controlled by the size and shape of grains and diagenetic processes like compaction, dissolution, and precipitation of mineral phases. In an attempt to estimate the impact of these factors, conventional microscopy, high resolution scanning electron microscopy, and wavelength dispersive element mapping were applied. Rock types were established accordingly, considering Poro/Perm data. Reservoir properties in shallow marine Cenomanian sandstones are mainly controlled by the degree of diagenetic calcite precipitation, Turonian rocks are characterized by reduced permeability, even for weakly cemented layers, due to higher matrix content as a result of lower depositional energy. Eocene subarkoses tend to be coarse-grained with minor matrix content as a result of their fluvio-deltaic and coastal deposition. Reservoir quality is therefore controlled by diagenetic clay and minor calcite cementation.Although Eocene rocks are often matrix free, occasionally a clay mineral matrix may be present and influence cementation of pores during early diagenesis. Oligo-/Miocene deep marine rocks exhibit excellent quality in cases when early cement is dissolved and not replaced by secondary calcite, mainly bound to the gas–water contact within hydrocarbon reservoirs.

Keywords

Mesozoic reservoir sandstonesCenozoic reservoir sandstonescarbonate cementclay mineral cementreservoir qualityNorth Alpine Foreland BasinUpper Austria
Type
EMAS Special Issue
Information
Microscopy and Microanalysis , Volume 21 , Issue 5 , October 2015 , pp. 1123 - 1137
Copyright
© Microscopy Society of America 2015 

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Footnotes

*

This article is intended for the Special Issue from the EMAS 2014 Workshop on Electron Probe Microanalysis of Materials Today - Rare and Noble Elements: from Ore Deposits to High-tech Materials.

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