Structural studies of fractures and Mechanical stratigraphy of Cretaceous sediments, In the Isfahan region

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, University of Isfahan

2 MS.c student of Tectonics, Department of Geology, University of Isfahan

3 Associated Professor, University of Isfahan

4 M.Sc. Student of Tectonics, Department of Geology, University of Isfahan

Abstract

Relative changes in sea level and sedimentary facies are affected on lithology, thickness, porosity, diagenesis and ending surface of the sediments layers significantly, that all of them are controller factors in the fracture patterns. In this research, the relation between the fractures density and spacing with parameters such as the lithology and thickness of the Cretaceous sedimentary units in two regions of Dizlu and Kolah Ghazi of Isfahan, have been studied. Identification fracture systems using satellite images, combination of the stratigraphic studies with mechanical and geometrical analysis of the joints through the linear method (using the field data perception and provided images of the study area) and statistical analysis of the fractures are the most important issues that to them has been done and discussed in this study. The results show, respectively, Dizlu and Kolah Ghazi area have five and six fracture sets and the change in spacing or density of the fractures can be affected by, thickness of sedimentary layers and type of lithology. The mechanical stratigraphy study and evaluation of the fracture properties in different sedimentary rocks, can be achieved to predictive the fracture patterns within different sedimentary units. Consequently, the knowledge and information about the storage and flow of the fluids within the sedimentary rocks in different regions improved.
 

 

.

 

Reference
Adams, L. A., 2006. Sequence and mechanical stratigraphy: An integrated reservoir characterization of the Weber sandstone, western Colorado. Ph.D Thesis University of Texas, El Paso, United States, Texas.
Al Kharusi, L. M., 2009. Correlation between high resolution Sequence Stratigraphy and Mechanical Stratigraphy for enhanced Fracture Characteristic Prediction, Ph.D Thesis University of Miami, Florida.
Barbier, M., Hamon, Y., Callot, J. P., Floquet, M., Daniel, J. M., 2012. Sedimentary and diagenetic controls on the multiscale fracturing pattern of a carbonate reservoir: The Madison Formation (Sheep Mountain, Wyoming, USA). Marine and Petroleum Geology 29, 50-67.
Cooke, M. L., Underwood, C. A., 2001. Fracture termination and step over at bedding interfaces due to frictional slip and interface opening. Journal of structural geology 23, 223-238.
Corbett, K., Friedman, M., Spang, J., 1987. Fracture development and Mechanical Stratigraphy of Austin Chalk, Texas. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin 71, 17-28.
Di Naccio, D., Boncio, P., Cirilli, S., Casaglia, F., Morettini, E., Lavecchia, G., Brozzetti, F., 2005. Role of mechanical stratigraphy on fracture development in carbonate reservoirs: Insights from outcropping shallow water carbonates in the Umbria-Marche Apennines, Italy. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 148, 98-115.
Ellis, M. A., Laubach, S. E., Eichhubl, P., Olson, J. E., Hargrove, P., 2012. Fracture development and diagenesis of Torridon Group Applecross Formation, near An Teallach, NW Scotland: Millennia of brittle deformation resilience. Journal of the Geological Society 169, 297-310.
Engelder, T., Gross, M., Pinkerton, P., 1997. An Analysis of joint development in thick sandstone beds of the Elk Basin Anticline, Fractured Reservoirs, Characterization and Modeling, Montana-Wyoming. Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists 1977 Guidebook, Denver, Colorado.
Fabbri, O., Gaviglio, P., Gamond, J. F., 2001. Diachronous development of master joints of different orientations in different lithological units within the same forearc basin deposits, Kyushu, Japan. Journal of Structural Geology 23, 239-246.
Gale, J. F. W., Laubach, S. E., Marrett, R. A., Olson, J. E., Holder, J., Reed, R. M., 2004. Predicting and characterizing fractures in dolostone reservoirs: using the link between diagenesis and fracturing. In: Braithwaite, C.J.R., Rizzi, G., Darke, G. (Eds.), The Geometry and Petrogenesis of Dolomite Hydrocarbon Reservoirs. Geological Society of London, Special Publication 235, 177-192.
Gross, M. R., 1993. The origin and spacing of cross joints: example from the Monterey Formation, Santa Barbara coastline. California. Journal of Structural Geology 5, 737-751.
Gross, M. R., 1995. Fracture partitioning: Failure mode as a function of lithology of the Monterey Formation of coastal California. Geological Society of America Bulletin 107, 779-792.
Gross, M. R., Fisher, M. P., Engelder, T., Greenfield, R. J., 1995. Factors controlling joint spacing in interbedded sedimentary rocks: integrating numerical models with field observations from the Monterey Formation, USA, In: Ameen, M. S., (ed.) Fractography, fracture topography as a tool in fracture mechanics and stress analysis. Geological Society, London, Special Publications 92, 215-233.
Gross, M. R., 2003. Mechanical stratigraphy: the brittle perspective. GSA Abstracts with Programs 36, 641.
Hatzor, Y. H., Palchik, V., 1997. The influence of grain size and porosity on crack Initiation stress and critical flaw length in dolomites. International Journal of Rock Mechanics 34, 805-816.
Huang, Q., Angelier, J., 1989. Fracture spacing and its relation to bed thickness. Geological Magazine 126, 355-362.
Hugman, R. H. H., Friedman, M., 1979. Effects of texture and composition on mechanical behavior of experimentally deformed carbonate rocks. American Association of Petroleum GeologistsBulletin 63, 1478-1489.
Ji, S., Saruwatari, K., 1998. A revised model for die relationship between joint spacing and layer thickness. Journal of structural geology 20, 1495-1508.
Ji, S., Zhu, Z., Wang, Z., 1998. Relationship between joint spacing and bed thickness in sedimentary rocks: effects of interbed slip. Geological Magazine 135, 637-635.
Laubach, S. E., 2003. Practical approaches to identifying sealed and open fractures. American Association of Petroleum GeologistsBulletin 87, 561-579.
Laubach, S. E., Olson, J. E., Gross, M. R., 2009. Mechanical and fracture stratigraphy. American Association of Petroleum GeologistsBulletin 93, 1413-1426.
Laubach, S. E., Eichhubl, P., Hilgers, C., Lander, R. H., 2010. Structural diagenesis. Journal of Structural Geology 32, 1866-1872.
Lorenz, J. C., Farrell, H. E., Hanks, C. L., Rizer, W. D., Sonnenfeld, M. D., 1997. Characteristics of Natural Fractures in Carbonate Strata, Carbonate Seismology. Geophysical Developments 6, 179-203.
Morettini, E., Thompson, A., Eberli, G., Rawnsley, K., Roeterdink, R., Asyee, W., Christman, P., Cortis, A., Foster, K., Hitchings, V., Kolkman, W., Van Konijnenburg, J. H., 2005. Combining high-resolution sequence stratigraphy and mechanical stratigraphy for improved reservoir characterization in the Fahud field of Oman. GeoArabia 10, 17-44.
Narr, W., Lerche, I., 1984. A Method for Estimating Subsurface Fracture density in Core. American Association of Petroleum GeologistsBulletin 68, 637-648.
Narr, W., Suppe, J., 1991. Joint spacing in sedimentary rocks. Journal of Structural Geology 13, 1037-1048.
Nelson, R. A., 1985. Geologic analysis of naturally fractures reservoirs. Gulf Publishing, Houston.
Nelson, R. A., 2001. Geological analysis of naturally fractured reservoirs 2nd edn. Gulf Professional Publishing, Houston.
Olson, J. E., Laubach, S. E., Lander, R. H., 2009. Natural fracture characterization in tight gas sandstones: Integrating mechanics and diagenesis. American Association of Petroleum GeologistsBulletin 93, 1535-1549.
Ortega, O. J., Marrett, R., Laubach, S. E., 2006. A scale- independent approach to fracture intensity and average fracture spacing. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin 90, 193-208.
Price, N. J., 1996. Fault and joint development in brittle and semi- brittle rock. Pergamon Press, Oxford, England.
Seyed- Emami, K., Brants, A., Bozorgnia, F., 1971. Stratigraphy of the Cretaceous rocks southeast of Esfahan, Theran, Iran. Geological Survey of Iran Report 20, 5-27.
Shackleton, R. J., Cooke, M. L., Sussman, A. J., 2005. Evidence for temporally changing mechanical stratigraphy and effects on joint-network architecture. Geology 33, 101-104.
Shaocheng, J., Zheming, Z., Zichao, W., 1998. Relationship between joint spacing and bed thickness in sedimentary rocks: effects of interbed slip. Geology and Magnetic 135, 637-655.
Strijker, G., Bertotti, G., M. Luthi, S., 2012. Multi-scale Fracture Network Analysis from an Outcrop Analogue: a Case Study from the Cambro-Ordvician Clastic Succession in Petra, Jordan. Marine and Petroleum Geology 38, 104-116.
Underwood, C. A., 1999. Stratigraphic controls on vertical fracture patterns within the Silurian dolomite of Door County, Wisconsin and implications for groundwater flow. M.Sc. Dissertation, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Wisconsin.
Underwood, C. A., Cooke, M. L., Simo, J. A., Muldoon, M. A., 2003. Stratigraphic controls on vertical fracture patterns in Silurian dolomite, northeastern Wisconsin. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin 87, 121-142.
Wennberg, O. P., Svana, T., Azizzadeh, M., Aqrawi, A. M. M., Brockbank, P., Lyslo, K. B., Ogilvie, S., 2006. Fracture intensity vs. mechanical stratigraphy in platform top carbonates: the Aquitanian of the Asmari Formation, Khaviz Anticline, Zagros, SW Iran. Petroleum Geoscience 12, 235-245.
Wu, H., Pollard, D. D., 1995. An experimental study of the relationship between joint spacing and layer thickness. Journal of structural geology 17, 887-905.
Yale, D. P., Jamieson, W. H. Jr., 1994. Static and Dynamic Properties of Carbonates. Rock Mechanics, P.P. Nelson and S.E. Laubach (eds.), Balkema, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 463-472.
Yazdi, M., Bahrami, A., Vega, F. J., 2009. Albian decapod crustacean from Southeast Isfahan, Central Iran- Kolah- Qazi area. Bulletin of the Mizunami Fossil Museum 35, 71-77.
Zahm, C. K., Hennings, P. H., 2009. Complex fracture development related to stratigraphic architecture: Challenges for structural deformation prediction, Tensleep Sandstone at the Alcova anticline, Wyoming. American Association of Petroleum GeologistsBulletin 93, 1427-1446.