Sedimentary diagenesis and pore characteristics for the reservoir evaluation of Domanik formations (Semiluksk and Mendymsk) in the central part of Volga-Ural petroleum province

Abstract

The Upper Devonian Semiluksk (Domanik) and Mendymsk carbonate successions have been identified as the most promising unconventional oil and gas deposits in Russia's Volga-Ural petroleum province. Three lithofacies were identified: limestones, organic matter-rich siliceous carbonate, and dolomitic limestones/dolomite. Their sediments are thought to have accumulated in the relatively deep-sea shelf depositional environment. According to X-ray analysis, calcite is the most common mineral phase in the limestones. The siliceous carbonate rocks' major mineral phases were identified to be quartz, followed by calcite. The rocks have relatively poor reservoir qualities, with porosity ranging from 0.1 to 5% and permeability ranging from 0.01 to 10 mD. Petrographic examination of thin sections reveals four major types of pores: 1. interparticle pores, which are abundant in all of the examined lithofacies; 2. intercrystalline pores formed between dolomite crystals and the very fine components of the siliceous carbonate rocks. 3. vugs as a result of leaching, and 4. fracture as a result of tectonic and/or diagenetic events. Plotting the obtained data from the petrographically examined thin sections on the ternary pore plot diagram resulted in the identification of six pore facies and their related diagenetic patterns. Pore facies 1 depicts the pores that formed during the depositional process. Pore facies 4 displays moldic pores. The vugs are represented by pore facies 6. Pore facies 2 is a mixture between pore facies 1 and pore facies 4. Pore facies 3 is a mixture between pore facies 1 and pore facies 6. Pore facies 5 is a mixture between pore facies 4 and pore facies 6. Comparing the petrographic results and the identified pore facies show that pore facies 6 have touching pores and they played the most important role in improving the reservoir quality. The pore facies 4 which have separate pores have the most influence in the reduction of the reservoir quality. The diagenetic origin secondary pores are the most pores identified in the studied carbonate section. This reflects the strong modification of the pores by the diagenetic overprinting. The massive dissolution that forms the touching vugs, and the dolomitization process are the most diagenetic processes that affect the pore system within the studied rocks.