The role of diagenesis and depositional facies on pore system evolution in a Triassic outcrop analogue (SE Spain)

This study aims at unravelling the diagenetic history and its effect on the pore system evolution of the Triassic redbeds exposed in SE Spain (TIBEM¹), an outcrop analogue of the TAGI (Trias Argilo-Gréseux Inférieur) reservoir (Berkine-Ghadames Basin, Algeria). Similar climatic, base level and tectonic conditions of aforementioned alluvial formations developed analogue fluvial facies stacking patterns. Furthermore, interplay of similar detrital composition and depositional facies in both formations resulted in analogue early diagenetic features. Petrographic observations indicate lithic subarkosic (floodplain facies) and subarkosic (braidplain facies) compositions which are considered suitable frameworks for potential reservoir rocks. Primary porosity is mainly reduced during early diagenesis through moderate mechanical compaction and formation of K-feldspar overgrowth, gypsum, dolomite and phyllosilicate cements. Early mesodiagenesis is testified by low chemical compaction and quartz cementation. Telodiagenetic calcite filling fractures and K-feldspar dissolution determined the final configuration of analysed sandstones. Mercury injection-capillary pressure technique reveals overbank deposits in the floodplain as the least suitable potential reservoirs because of their lowest open porosity (OP < 16%), permeability (k < 5 mD) and small dimensions. On the other hand, braidplain deposits show the highest values of such properties (OP up to 31.6% and k > 95 mD) and greater thickness and lateral continuity, so being considered the best potential reservoir. The accurate estimation of TIBEM microscale attributes can provide important input for appraisal and enhanced oil recovery performance in TAGI and in others reservoirs consisting on similar fluvial sandy facies.     

Middle Triassic (Anisian-Ladinian) Tejra red beds and Late Triassic (Carnian) carbonate sedimentary records of southern Tunisia,Saharan Platform: Biostratigraphy,sedimentology and implication on regional stratigraphic correlations

The “red beds” of the Triassic succession outcropping at Tejra-Medenine (southern Tunisia, Saharan Platform) have yielded rich fossil assemblages of both freshwater and brackish-marine invertebrates and vertebrates. The new discovered fauna indicates an Anisian-Lower Ladinian age for the Tejra section. Its lowermost part is considered as equivalent of Ouled Chebbi Formation, while the medium and upper parts are considered as equivalent of the Kirchaou Formation. Both sedimentological characteristics and fossil assemblages indicate the increasing marine influences within the middle part of the section and the migration of brackish and freshwater fauna into the lacustrine/playa environment at the top. The marine fauna-rich interval of the Tejra section correlates well with the well-known Myophoria-rich carbonate stratigraphic marker confirming the Middle Triassic (Ladinian) major transgression well recorded eastward in the Tunisian Jeffara basin and in Libya. The use of this Ladinian stratigraphic event in addition to the Carnian carbonate transgressive events of the Jeffara escarpment outcrops was of great help for regional lithostratigraphic correlations between the Triassic outcropping series and those currently buried in Ghadames and Berkine basins. The age of the sandstones of “Trias Argilo-Gréseux Inférieur” (TAGI) which forms the main oil and gas reservoir in the Saharan domain is attributed to the Anisian-Carnian and considered as coeval of Ouled Chebbi and Kirchaou Formations of the Dahar escarpment. An updated synthetic stratigraphic chart is proposed for the Triassic of Saharan Platform domain on the basis of the compilation of the new obtained results and the subsurface data taken from published literature.     

Regional geology and petroleum systems of the Illizi–Berkine area of the Algerian Saharan Platform: An overview

The Berkine and Illizi basins are Palaeozoic–Mesozoic intraplate depressions that preserve an over 7000 m thick sedimentary rock record and contain world-class petroleum systems with over 39 BBOE EUR hydrocarbon reserves. Regional seismic transects and a wealth of well data are used to review the tectonostratigraphic evolution of the area. The Gondwana (Palaeozoic) and Tethys (Mesozoic) supercycles make up the bulk of the Phanerozoic succession. These 1st order cycles record extensional basin formation, followed by a protracted period of overall net subsidence, and conclude with basin inversion and regional uplift during the Hercynian and Alpine orogenies respectively. Structural styles were dictated by transpressional or transtensional reactivation of mostly NNE oriented basement structural grain of Late Proterozoic–Ea.Cambrian (Pan-African) age and vertical movement of long wavelength regional highs and lows. Local tectonism is considered to be the far-field effect of plate-tectonic processes that affected the North African plate-boundaries, such as the Caledonian and Hercynian Orogenies, the opening of the Tethys and Atlantic oceans, and the Alpine Orogeny. These were accompanied by localised thermal mantle processes.