A constante intercalação entre rochas siliciclásticas, carbonáticas e hibridas gerou complexos reservatórios de petróleo na seção albiana (Grupo Barra Nova) da plataforma de Regência, porção emersa da bacia do Espírito Santo. O principal objetivo do trabalho é compreender o ambiente deposicional da sucessão sedimentar mista carbonática-siliciclástica albiana do Grupo Barra Nova nesta área e os fatores que condicionam a qualidade dos seus reservatórios. As rochas que compõe a sucessão estudada foram caracterizadas como rochas siliciclásticas, compostas por mais de 2/3 de grãos siliciclásticos, rochas carbonáticas, compostas por mais de 2/3 de grãos aloquímicos, e rochas hibridas, que possuem entre 1/3 e 2/3 de grãos siliciclásticos, sendo o restante de aloquímicos. Os grãos siliciclásticos são angulosos, mal a moderadamente selecionados, ricos em feldspatos, granadas e pesados, derivados de depósitos de primeiro ciclo, indicando transporte e deposição rápidos. Os grãos carbonáticos se encontram retrabalhados, apresentando abrasão dos envelopes dos oncolitos. A presença constante de grãos carbonáticos, inclusive nas rochas siliciclásticas, indica que as fábricas carbonáticas de água rasa eram permanentemente atuantes durante toda a deposição da sucessão analisada. Fatores como a re-deposição dos grãos carbonáticos, a intercalação caótica entre rochas carbonáticas, siliciclásticas e híbridas além do domínio de rochas maciças indicam que a deposição ocorreu principalmente por fluxos gravitacionais. Apesar da alta frequência de intercalação, foi possível reconhecer sequencias através da correlação entre as fácies e os perfis elétricos. Sequencias de 4ª ordem foram definidas pelo empilhamento de siliciclásticos finos, gradando a siliciclásticos grossos, a arenitos híbridos, culminando em carbonatos no topo. Mudanças climáticas e a variação relativa do nível do mar (influenciado pela tectônica salífera) controlaram o domínio de depósitos carbonáticos ou siliciclásticos. Durante períodos secos e de mar alto, havia aumento da fábrica carbonática enquanto períodos úmidos e de nível de mar baixo o aporte de siliciclásticos era preponderante. / The constant intercalation between siliciclastic, carbonatic and hybrid rocks generated complex petroleum reservoirs in Albian section (Barra Nova Group) of Regencia platform, onshore portion of Espirito Santo Basin. The main purpose of this work is to understand the depositional environment of Albian Barra Nova Group mixed carbonate-siliciclastic sedimentary sequence and the main factors that control the quality of the reservoirs. The rocks that constitute the succession were characterized as siliciclastic rocks, composed of more of 2/3 of siliciclastic grains, carbonate rocks, composed of more of 2/3 of carbonate allochem grains, and hybrid rocks, composed of between 1/3 and 2/3 of siliciclastic, being the remaining carbonate grains. Siliciclastic grains are angular, badly to moderately sorted, rich in feldspars, garnets and other heavy minerals, derived from first-cycle deposits through fast transport and deposition. Carbonate grains are reworked, commonly showing abrasion of the envelopes of oncolites. The constant presence of carbonate grains, even in the siliciclastic rocks, shows that the shallow water carbonate factory was permanently in activity during the whole deposition of the succession. The re-deposition of carbonate grains, the chaotic interbedding between carbonate, siliciclastic and hybrid rocks, and the dominance of massive rocks indicate that gravity flows were responsible for the transportation of the sediments. Although for the high frequency of intercalation, depositional sequences were identified through the correlation between facies analysis and well logs. 4th order sequences were defined, beginning with fine siliciclastic, grading to coarse siliciclastic to the top, followed by hybrid arenites, and culminating in carbonates at the top. Climatic changes and eustatic variation (induced by salt tectonics) controlled the sedimentation of siliciclastics and carbonates. During dry periods with high sea level the domine were of carbonatic sedimentation while wet periods with low sea level the supply of siliciclastic were abundant.

O estudo de arenitos, calcarenitos e arenitos híbridos do Cretáceo Inferior (Neo-Aptiano ao Meso-Albiano) da Bacia de Jequitinhonha, margem leste Brasileira, compreendendo depósitos continentais fluvio-deltaicos a lacustres da fase rifte, e fluvio-deltaicos costeiros e de plataforma mista siliciclástico-carbonática da fase transicional a drifte, demonstra que a distribuição das alterações diagenéticas e correspondente evolução da qualidade de reservatório podem ser preditas dentro de um contexto de estratigrafia de seqüências. Dados de poços (descrições de testemunhos e perfis elétricos), descrição petrográfica de laminas delgadas, e análises petrofísicas de porosidade e permeabilidade, foram integrados de modo a identificar e avaliar os aspectos genéticos dos parâmetros que controlam os padrões diagenéticos, e, por conseguinte, a qualidade de reservatório dos intervalos estudados. Os resultados desse estudo são relevantes para a exploração de bacias de margem passiva do tipo Atlântico. Foi demonstrada a influëncia de fatores deposicionais (i.e fácies sedimentares) e composição detrítica original (i.e. proveniência) na evolução diagenética, permitindo estimar e predizer a distribuição da qualidade e heterogeneidade de reservatório dos intervalos estudados. A integração dos dados e posterior avaliação da qualidade de reservatório desenvolvida nesse estudo foi baseada no conceito de petrofácies de reservatório, o qual consiste no agrupamento de amostras com base nos principais atributos responsáveis pela qualidade de reservatório, tais como composição primária, estruturas deposicionais, granulometria, seleção, alterações diagenéticas mais influentes na redução ou preservação da porosidade e permeabilidade originais, tipos e distribuição de poros, etc.. Essa dissertação demonstra que o conceito de petrofácies de reservatório que permite o reconhecimento sistemático dos atributos petrográficos que controlam as características (i.e. assinaturas) petrofísicas e geofísicas, bem como a redução dos riscos exploratórios. / A study of the fluvial, deltaic, and shallow-marine siliciclastic sandstones, calcarenites and hybrid arenites of Lower Cretaceous (Late Aptian to Early Albian) rift to early drift phase from the Jequitinhonha Basin, eastern Brazilian margin, reveals that the distribution of diagenetic alterations and of related reservoir quality evolution can be constrained within a sequence stratigraphic framework. Description of cores, wireline logs, thin sections, and petrophysical porosity and permeability analyses were integrated in order to unravel the genetic aspects that controlled the complex patterns of diagenesis of these rocks, and hence their reservoir quality evolution. The results of this study are relevant to the exploration of rift and an early drift phase of Atlantic-type passive margin basins, and demonstrate the influence of depositional factors such as sedimentary facies and detrital composition (provenance) on diagenetic and reservoir evolution, with application to the prediction of reservoir quality and heterogeneity during exploration. The data integration and reservoir quality assessment performed in this paper was accomplished using the concept of reservoir petrofacies, defined by the combination of the main attributes affecting the quality of petroleum reservoirs (such as depositional structures, textures, composition, diagenetic processes and products, pore types and distribution, etc.). This paper demonstrate that the reservoir petrofacies concept is a tool for the systematic recognition of the petrographic attributes that control the petrophysical and geophysical properties, as well as the practical use of this approach in reducing exploration risks.

A constante intercalação entre rochas siliciclásticas, carbonáticas e hibridas gerou complexos reservatórios de petróleo na seção albiana (Grupo Barra Nova) da plataforma de Regência, porção emersa da bacia do Espírito Santo. O principal objetivo do trabalho é compreender o ambiente deposicional da sucessão sedimentar mista carbonática-siliciclástica albiana do Grupo Barra Nova nesta área e os fatores que condicionam a qualidade dos seus reservatórios. As rochas que compõe a sucessão estudada foram caracterizadas como rochas siliciclásticas, compostas por mais de 2/3 de grãos siliciclásticos, rochas carbonáticas, compostas por mais de 2/3 de grãos aloquímicos, e rochas hibridas, que possuem entre 1/3 e 2/3 de grãos siliciclásticos, sendo o restante de aloquímicos. Os grãos siliciclásticos são angulosos, mal a moderadamente selecionados, ricos em feldspatos, granadas e pesados, derivados de depósitos de primeiro ciclo, indicando transporte e deposição rápidos. Os grãos carbonáticos se encontram retrabalhados, apresentando abrasão dos envelopes dos oncolitos. A presença constante de grãos carbonáticos, inclusive nas rochas siliciclásticas, indica que as fábricas carbonáticas de água rasa eram permanentemente atuantes durante toda a deposição da sucessão analisada. Fatores como a re-deposição dos grãos carbonáticos, a intercalação caótica entre rochas carbonáticas, siliciclásticas e híbridas além do domínio de rochas maciças indicam que a deposição ocorreu principalmente por fluxos gravitacionais. Apesar da alta frequência de intercalação, foi possível reconhecer sequencias através da correlação entre as fácies e os perfis elétricos. Sequencias de 4ª ordem foram definidas pelo empilhamento de siliciclásticos finos, gradando a siliciclásticos grossos, a arenitos híbridos, culminando em carbonatos no topo. Mudanças climáticas e a variação relativa do nível do mar (influenciado pela tectônica salífera) controlaram o domínio de depósitos carbonáticos ou siliciclásticos. Durante períodos secos e de mar alto, havia aumento da fábrica carbonática enquanto períodos úmidos e de nível de mar baixo o aporte de siliciclásticos era preponderante. / The constant intercalation between siliciclastic, carbonatic and hybrid rocks generated complex petroleum reservoirs in Albian section (Barra Nova Group) of Regencia platform, onshore portion of Espirito Santo Basin. The main purpose of this work is to understand the depositional environment of Albian Barra Nova Group mixed carbonate-siliciclastic sedimentary sequence and the main factors that control the quality of the reservoirs. The rocks that constitute the succession were characterized as siliciclastic rocks, composed of more of 2/3 of siliciclastic grains, carbonate rocks, composed of more of 2/3 of carbonate allochem grains, and hybrid rocks, composed of between 1/3 and 2/3 of siliciclastic, being the remaining carbonate grains. Siliciclastic grains are angular, badly to moderately sorted, rich in feldspars, garnets and other heavy minerals, derived from first-cycle deposits through fast transport and deposition. Carbonate grains are reworked, commonly showing abrasion of the envelopes of oncolites. The constant presence of carbonate grains, even in the siliciclastic rocks, shows that the shallow water carbonate factory was permanently in activity during the whole deposition of the succession. The re-deposition of carbonate grains, the chaotic interbedding between carbonate, siliciclastic and hybrid rocks, and the dominance of massive rocks indicate that gravity flows were responsible for the transportation of the sediments. Although for the high frequency of intercalation, depositional sequences were identified through the correlation between facies analysis and well logs. 4th order sequences were defined, beginning with fine siliciclastic, grading to coarse siliciclastic to the top, followed by hybrid arenites, and culminating in carbonates at the top. Climatic changes and eustatic variation (induced by salt tectonics) controlled the sedimentation of siliciclastics and carbonates. During dry periods with high sea level the domine were of carbonatic sedimentation while wet periods with low sea level the supply of siliciclastic were abundant.

Uma série de pesquisas realizadas em depósitos de sistemas fluviais, desenvolvidos anterior e concomitantemente à colonização dos continentes por vegetação, são aqui apresentadas com o intuito de investigar as principais características deposicionais destes sistemas, particularmente suas assembléias de fácies e elementos arquitetônicos preservados. Esta pesquisa busca, desta maneira, propor modelos deposicionais para sucessões fluviais pré-vegetação e contribuir para o avanço do conhecimento sobre as mudanças seculares em padrões de sedimentação, principalmente em relação à evolução dos rios através do tempo geológico. Estudos sedimentológicos foram realizados em depósitos fluviais da Formação Applecross do Grupo Torridon (Toniano, Escócia), Formação Guarda Velha do Grupo Guaritas (Cambriano, Brasil) e no Old Red Sandstone do Midland Valley (Siluriano-Carbonífero, Escócia). Foram empregadas análises de associações de fácies e arquitetura deposicional por meio de estudos de alto detalhe em afloramentos, combinadas a análises de paleocorrentes, de proveniência, e de estruturas de deformação sinsedimentar. Depósitos de canais fluviais meandrantes pré-vegetação com espessos depósitos de planícies de inundação ricos em sedimentos de granulação fina são pela primeira vez descritos em detalhe nos estudos aqui apresentados sobre depósitos da Formação Applecross. Diversas estruturas de deformação sinsedimentar encontradas na unidade acima referida são analisadas, revelando que seus estilos podem ser relacionados a diferentes regiões de uma planície fluvial. Nos depósitos da Formação Guarda Velha, é registrada a inter-relação entre dois sistemas fluviais coevos, cuja arquitetura deposicional contrastante resultou da diferente localização destes sistemas em relação à estrutura da bacia, assim como de diferentes áreas de captação. São relatados os efeitos de distintos controles deposicionais, como ambiente tectônico e regimes hidráulicos, sobre a arquitetura deposicional preservada em sistemas fluviais pré-vegetação. Esses dados demonstram que o estilo entrelaçado-em-lençol, apontado como o estilo pré-vegetação predominante, engloba na verdade uma variedade de diferentes estilos fluviais. Estudos em depósitos do Siluriano ao Carbonífero do Old Red Sandstone revelam o crescente impacto da vegetação sobre depósitos fluviais, particularmente o aumento exponencial de formação de paleosolos, além de mostrar semelhanças entre alguns destes sistemas com os sistemas pré-silurianos. A integração desses estudos revela que sistemas fluviais pré-vegetação são relativamente mais complexos do que previsto pelos modelos atualmente disponíveis. Importantemente, sugere que a escassez de sedimentos de granulção fina, preservados em depósitos fluviais pré-silurianos, está mais relacionada à baixa competência destes sistemas em preservar tais sedimentos do que à sua suposta ausência em ambientes pré-vegetação. Foi também desenvolvida uma metodologia específica para o uso de estruturas de deformação em sedimentos inconsolidados como ferramentas na reconstrução de paleoambientes, através das relações entre diferentes estilos deformacionais e ambientes deposicionais, possibilitando a indicação de regimes hidráulicos em depósitos fluviais e a informação indireta de taxas de atividades tectônicas em bacias. A integração de dados de sedimentologia com estudos específicos de deformação sinsedimentar é uma ferramenta útil na reconstrução paleoambiental de sistemas fluviais. / A series of studies were undertaken on fluvial systems deposits which developed prior to land-plant colonization, in order to investigate the main depositional characteristics of those systems, particularly their main facies assemblages and preserved depositional architecture. Main objectives are the proposal of depositional models for pre-vegetation fluvial systems, and the understanding of main secular changes in sedimentation processes and its influence on the evolution of rivers through geological times. Sedimentologic studies were undertaken in fluvial deposits from the Applecoss Formation of the Torridon Group (Tonian, NW Scotland), the Guarda Velha Formation (Cambrian, southern Brazil), and the Old Red Sandstone in the Midland Valley (Silurian-Carboniferous, NE Scotland). Highly-detailed sedimentary facies and depositional architecture analyses in outcrop scale were integrated with palaeocurrent and provenance studies, and soft-sediment deformation analysis. Pre-vegetation meandering channel deposits with relatively thick, fine-grained floodplain deposits from the Applecross Formation and here described for the first time. Analyses on sinsedimentary deformation structures preserved in the Applecross Formation reveal different styles which can be related to different parts of the fluvial plain. Studies on the Guarda Velha Formation revealed the inter-relationship between two coeval fluvial systems with markedly contrasting preserved depositional architecture, which developed as a result of the different location of the systems in relation to basin structure and different caption areas. The effects of different depositional controls on preserved pre-vegetation fluvial system architecture, such as tectonic environment and hydraulic regime, are recorded and interpreted. The present data demonstrate that the sheet-braided style, which is regarded as the prevailing fluvial style before the Silurian, in fact encompasses a varied number of different pre-vegetation fluvial styles. Studies on the Silurian to Early Carboniferous Old Red Sandstones in the Midland Valley of Scotland reveal the progressive impact of land plants on fluvial sedimentation, particularly the exponential increasing rates of soil production. Integration of the here presented data reveal that pre-vegetation fluvial styles. Studies on the Silurian to Early Carboniferous Old Red Sandstone in the Midland Valley of Scotland reveal the progressive impact of land plants on fluvial sedimentation, particularly the exponential increasing rates of soil production. Integration of the here presented data reveal that pre-vegetation fluvial systems are relatively more complex than previously described in the literature. Importantly, it suggests that the paucity of fine-grained sediments in pre-Silurian fluvial deposits is most likely related to various preservation issues than to the lack of such sediments. A particular methodology for the use of soft-sediment deformation structures as palaeoenvironmental tool was developed, allowing the interpretation of hydraulic regimes in fluvial deposits, indication of the basin\'s tectonic activity, and the relationship between different deformation styles and distinct depositional environments. The combined analyses of soft-sediment deformation structures and sedimentologic data is a powerful tool with which fluvial systems palaeoenvironmental can be reconstructed.

Au cours du Précambrien et du Paléozoïque, la zone Zagros faisait partie de la plate-forme Arabe. La succession Paléozoïque du Zagros s’étend du Cambrien au Permien. La zone d'étude se situe entre le Lurestan et le Fars au sud et le Golfe Persique. Au Paléozoïque, dans le secteur du Zagros, la série stratigraphique comprend quatre séquences de second ordre (ou cycles tectonostratigraphiques) séparées par d’importantes discordances. L’eustatisme est le principal facteur déterminant les changements d’espace d’accommodation, même si localement dans l'Ouest du Haut Zagros, le rôle de la tectonique régionale et des mouvements diapririques est important. Le premier cycle (Ordovicien) est composé des Fomrations Seyahou (Floien-Katien) et Dargaz (Hirnantien). Il enregistre une évolution depuis des milieux profonds à peu profonds de plate-forme siliciclastique. La Formation Seyahou est découpée en sept séquences de troisième ordre et la Formation Dargaz correspondant à des dépôts glaciogènes comprends deux séquences de troisième ordre. Le deuxième cycle (Silurien inférieur) correspond à la Formation Sarchahan. Il est caractérisé des environnements marins peu profonds à profonds comprenant des marnes riches en matière organique. Il est composé par deux séquences de dépôt de troisième ordre. Localement à Kuh e Gahkum, la base de cette Formation enregistre des dépôts peu profonds de transition continental-marin dont la présence est attribuée à la mise en place d’un diapir dans le secteur. Le troisième cycle (Dévonien) correspond à la Formation Zakeen. Les dépôts évoluent depuis des environnements continentaux à marins. La fin du Dévonien est marqué par des environnements marins carbonatés dans le sud de la région du Fars et dans le Golfe Persique. Il est divisé en trois séquence de troisième ordre. L’absence de la Formation Zakeen à Kuh e Surmeh et Kuh e Siah, et sa présence dans les régions voisines (Naura, West Agar, etc ...), suggèrent une activité diapirique, expliquant l’érosion locale des séries sédimentaires. Le dernier cycle de la succession pré-khuff dans la zone d'étude correspond à la Formation Faraghan du Permien inférieur. Il surmonte une discontinuité attribué au jeu de l'orogenèse Hercynienne et est déposé dans toute la région du Zagros et dans le Golfe Persique. La Formation Faraghan correspond à des environnements de plaine côtière à marins et est divisé en trois séquences de troisième ordre.La succession du Paléozoïque est marquée par plusieurs discordances majeures. Elles résultent de: (i) variations majeures du niveau marin en lien avec des variations glacioeustatiques comme pour le cas de la glaciation Hirnantien à la fin de l’Ordovicien et celle du Carbonifère; (ii) Un soulèvement du Moyen-Orient à la fin du Silurien associé aux mouvements épeirogéniques et à une baisse importante du niveau de la mer; et (iii) l'orogenèse Hercynienne allant de la fin du Dévonien à Carbonifère. Localement, les discordances peuvent aussi s’expliquer par le jeu de remontée diapirique induisant une érosion locale, comme c’est le cas dans les secteurs de Kuh e Surmeh et de Kuh e Gakhum pour des periodes de temps différentes. / During the Precambrian and trough the Palaeozoic, the Zagros area was part of the Arabian platform (Beydon, 1993). The Palaeozoic succession of the Zagros extends from Cambrian to well-developed Permian deposits. The study area ranges from the Lurestan to Southern Fars onshore and to the Persian Gulf offshore wells. From Ordovician to Early Permian Palaeozoic succession of the Zagros area comprises four second-order tectonostratigraphic depositional cycles separated by major unconformities. Eustatic sea-level variation is the main controlling factor for accommodation space changes, whereas in West High Zagros and Kuh e Gahkum, the role of regional and salt tectonic activities may be also important. The first cycle (Ordovician) is composed of the Seyahou (Floian-Katian) and Dargaz (Hirnantian) Formations. They are characterized by deep- to shallow-water (offshore to shoreface) siliciclastic deposits. The Seyahou Formation contains seven 3rd-order depositional sequences. The glaciogenic Dargaz Formation consists of one 3rd- order sequence. The second cycle (Early Silurian) corresponds to the Sarchahan Formation is composed of two 3rd-order depositional sequences. They are characterized by deep-marine offshore to upper offshore environments. Locally in Kuh e Gahkum the base of the Formation presented continental fan delta deposits due to the salt tectonic activity.The third cycle (Devonian) corresponds to the Zakeen Formation and divided in three 3rd-order depositional sequences. It started with the deposition of continental to near-shore marine clastic deposits. In Late Devonian, it evolved to carbonate marine deposits in the south of Fars area and the Persian Gulf. The lack of Zakeen Formation in Kuh e Surmeh and Kuh e Siah, and is presence in neighboring areas (Naura, Aghar, etc…), suggests structural salt plug activities (Jahani, 2008). This megasequence is capped by a major unconformity related to the Hercynian orogeny.The last deepening-upward cycle of the Pre-khuff succession in the study area is the Early Permian Faraghan Formation. It capped the Hercynian orogeny and deposited throughout the Zagros area from Lurestan (west) to Bandar Abbas (East) areas as well as in Persian Gulf. The Faraghan Formation divided into three 3rd-order depositional sequences and deposited in coastal plain to shallow-marin near-shore environment. Basinward, in the deeper part (e.g. Kuh e Faraghan), they are replaced by marine upper offshore deposits. The Palaeozoic succession is marked by several major unconformities associated with hiatus. They resulted from: (i) major sea level drops at the end of the Ordovician related to the Hirnantian glaciation (Ghavidel Syooki et al., 2011) and of during the Carboniferous related to the southern Hemisphere glaciation (Golonka, 2000); (ii) An uplift of the Middle East area at the end of the Silurian associated with epeirogenic movements (Ala et al., 1980; Berberian and King, 1981; Al-Sharhan and Nairn, 1997) and a major sea level drop at the end of Silurian (Al-Husseini, 1991,1992; Sharland et al., 2001; Konert et al., 2001; Haq and Al-Qahtani, 2005); and (iii) impact of the Hercynian orogeny spanning from the Late Devonian up to the Carboniferous (Al-Hosseini, 1992; Sharland et al., 2001; Konert et al., 2001, Faqira et al., 2009).

The present work examines the taxonomy and function of potters’ marks applied to pottery in the Amman-Zarqa region during the last phase of the Early Bronze Age, the so-called EB IV ca. 2350/2300–2000 BC. The study is anchored in a small data set gathered from 12 archaeological sites, in which 24 different mark types have been identified. These mark types - together with their associated vessel classes, circumstances of deposition, and geographical distribution - comprise the background against which previous suggestions regarding potters’ marks are evaluated. Evidence from ethno-archaeological sources concerning traditional potters’ rationales for marking vessels today is also included as part of the interpretive framework. The mode and scale of production is discussed on the basis of the ceramic evidence, the size and character of settlements located within the region, and the socio-economic setting of the EB IV period in general.

No description available.

No description available.

The Sulaiy Formation, which is the oldest unit in the Lower Cretaceous succession, is conformably overlain by the Yamama Formation and it is a challenge to identify the precise age of the two formations using foraminifera and other microfossil assemblages. In the eastern side of Saudi Arabia, the Sulaiy Formation and the base of Yamama Formation are poorly studied. The main objectives of this study is to enhance the understanding of the Sulaiy Formation sequence stratigraphical correlation, regional lateral variations and palaeoenvironmental investigation. Lithological and semi-quantitative micropalaeontological analysis of 1277 thin sections taken from core samples from nine cored wells providing a geographically representative distribution from the Saudi Arabian Gulf. These cores intersected the base of the Yamama Formation and the Sulaiy Formation in the total thickness of cored wells of 843.23 meters (2766.5 feet). On the evidence provided by the foraminifera, the Sulaiy Formation is considered to represent the Berriasian to the lowermost Valanginian. The investigation of the micropalaeontology has provided considerable insights into the biocomponents of Sulaiy and the base of Yamama formations in order to identify their biofacies. These microfossils include rotalid foraminifera, miliolid foraminifera, agglutinated foraminifera, calcareous algae, calcispheres, stromatoporoids, sponge spicules, problematica (e.g. Lithocodium aggregatum), molluscs, corals, echinoderms and ostracods. Systematics of planktic and benthic foraminifera is accomplished using the foraminiferal classification by Loeblich and Tappan (1988) as the main source. The assemblage contains foraminifera that recorded for the first time in the Sulaiy Formation. Other microfossils were identified and recorded to help in the identification of the sedimentary environments. The investigation of the micropalaeontology and the lithofacies analysis have provided evidence the identification of the various lithofacies. About twenty four microfacies were identified on the basis of their bio−component and non-skeletal grains. The lithofacies and the bio−component results have provided the evidence of the sedimentary palaeoenvironmental model namely the Arabian Rimmed Carbonate Platform. This palaeoenvironmental depositional model is characterised by two different platform regimes. They are the Platform Interior and the Platform Exterior each of which have unique sedimentary lithofacies zones that produce different types of lithofacies. Each lithofacies is characterised by special depositional conditions and palaeobathymetry that interact with sea level changes and the accommodation space. The important palaeoenvironments are intertidal, restricted lagoon (subtidal), open marine, deeper open marine, inner shoal, shoal and platform margin. Generating, and testing, a depositional model as a part of formulating a sequence stratigraphical interpretation of a region is a key to understanding its geological development and – ultimately – reservoir potential. The micropalaeontology and sedimentology of the Sulaiy Formation in the subsurface have indicated a succession of clearly defined shallowing−upwards depositional cycles. These typically commence with a deep marine biofacies with wackestones and packstones, capped with a mudstone-wackestone maximum flooding zone and an upper unit of packstone to grainstones containing shallow marine biofacies. The upper part of the Sulaiy Formation is highstand-dominated with common grainstones that host the Lower Ratawi reservoir which is capped by karst that defines the sequence boundary. This karst is identified by its abundant moldic porosity that enhanced the the reservoir quality by increasing its porosities into greater values. Integration of the sedimentology and micropalaeontology has yielded a succession of shoaling−upwards depositional cycles, considered to be 4th order sequences, that are superimposed on a large scale 3rd order system tract shallowing−upwards, highstand-associated sequence of the Sulaiy Formation. The Lower Ratawi Reservoir is located within the latest high-stand portion of a third-order Sulaiy Formation sequence. The reservoir consists of a succession of several sequences, each of which is sub-divided into a lower transgressive systems tract separated from the upper highstand systems tract by a maximum flooding surface (MFS/Z). The last of these depositional cycles terminates in beds of porous and permeable ooid, or ooidal-peloidal, grainstone. The reservoir is sealed by the finer-grained sediments of the Yamama Formation.

科学研究費補助金 研究種目:一般研究(C) 課題番号:03640640 研究代表者:水谷 伸治郎 研究期間:1991-1992年度