Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Deep hydrothermal activity in hydrocarbon reservoirs, South Kuwait

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Arabian Journal of Geosciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Fluid inclusion (FI) data provide insights into the origin of hot fluids in Cretaceous and Jurassic reservoirs in south Kuwait. FI data for Cretaceous reservoirs show anomalously high temperatures exceeding 200 °C compared to samples from the Jurassic. In addition, formation water chemical geothermometry data also show anomalous water-rock equilibration temperatures. The preservation of high temperatures indicates rapid migration from depth through deep-seated fault systems. This implies that very hot fluids probably migrated up-fault from near basement to the Cretaceous section. This approach helps to understand the role of hydrothermal activity associated with basement faults in south Kuwait.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bodnar R (1990) Petroleum migration in the Miocene Monterey Formation, California, USA: constraints from fluid-inclusion studies. Mineral Mag 54:295–304

  • Bodnar R (1993) Revised equation and table for determining the freezing point depression of H2O-NaCl solutions. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 57:683–684

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bonev IK, Garcia-Ruiz JM, Atanassova R, Otalora F, Petrussenko S (2005) Genesis of filamentary pyrite associated with calcite crystals. Eur J Mineral 17:905–913

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bou-Rabee F (2000) Seismotectonics and earthquake activity of Kuwait. J Seismol 4:133–141

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Breesch L, Swennen R, Dewever B, Roure F, Vincent B (2011) Diagenesis and fluid system evolution in the northern Oman Mountains, United Arab Emirates: implications for petroleum exploration. GeoArabia 16:111–148

    Google Scholar 

  • Broomhall R, Allan J (1987) Regional caprock-destroying dolomite on the Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous Arabian shelf. SPE Form Eval 2:435–441

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cantrell D, Swart P, Hagerty R (2004) Genesis and characterization of dolomite, Arab-D reservoir, Ghawar field, Saudi Arabia. GeoArabia 9:11–36

    Google Scholar 

  • Carman GJ (1996) Structural elements of onshore Kuwait. GeoArabia 1:239–266

    Google Scholar 

  • Corley A, Rao NS, Singh SK, AL Ajmi N (2006) Episodic growth history of onshore Kuwait. Paper presented at the GEO 2006 Middle East Geosciences Conference and Exhibition, Manama, Bahrain, March 27–29

  • Davies GR, Smith LB Jr (2006) Structurally controlled hydrothermal dolomite reservoir facies: an overview. AAPG Bull 90:1641–1690

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davisson ML, Criss RE (1996) Na Ca Cl relations in basinal fluids. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 60:2743–2752

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Edgell H (1991) Proterozoic salt basins of the Persian Gulf area and their role in hydrocarbon generation. Precambrian Res 54:1–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fournier R, Truesdell A (1973) An empirical Na-K-Ca geothermometer for natural waters. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 37:1255–1275

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • George SC et al (1997) Geochemical comparison of oil-bearing fluid inclusions and produced oil from the Toro sandstone. Papua New Guinea Organic Geochemistry 26:155–173

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • George SC, Volk H, Ahmed M (2007) Geochemical analysis techniques and geological applications of oil-bearing fluid inclusions, with some Australian case studies. J Pet Sci Eng 57:119–138

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Giggenbach WF (1988) Geothermal solute equilibria. Derivation of Na-K-Mg-Ca geoindicators. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 52:2749–2765

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goff JC (2005) Origin and potential of unconventional Jurassic oil reservoirs on the Northern Arabian Plate. In: SPE Middle East Oil and Gas Show and Conference. Soc Pet Eng

  • Goldstein RH, Reynolds TJ (1994) Systematics of fluid inclusions in diagenetic minerals: SEPM Short Course 31 Society for Sedimentary. Geology 199

  • Hollis C (2011) Diagenetic controls on reservoir properties of carbonate successions within the Albian–Turonian of the Arabian Plate. Pet Geosci 17:223–241

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Katz DA, Eberli GP, Swart PK, Smith LB Jr (2006) Tectonic-hydrothermal brecciation associated with calcite precipitation and permeability destruction in Mississippian carbonate reservoirs, Montana and Wyoming. AAPG Bull 90:1803–1841

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaufman R, Kabir C, Abdul-Rahman B, Quttainah R, Dashti H, Pederson J, Moon M (2000) Characterizing the Greater Burgan field with geochemical and other field data. SPE Reserv Eval Eng 3:118–126

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lonnee J, Machel HG (2006) Pervasive dolomitization with subsequent hydrothermal alteration in the Clarke Lake gas field, Middle Devonian Slave Point Formation, British Columbia, Canada. AAPG Bull 90:1739–1761

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luczaj JA, Harrison WB III, Williams NS (2006) Fractured hydrothermal dolomite reservoirs in the Devonian Dundee formation of the central Michigan Basin. AAPG Bull 90:1787–1801

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lundberg J, Ford DC, Hill CA (2000) A preliminary U-Pb date on cave spar, Big Canyon, Guadalupe Mountains, New Mexico, USA. Journal of Cave and Karst studies 62:144–146

    Google Scholar 

  • MacDonald A, Spooner E (1981) Calibration of a Linkam TH 600 programmable heating-cooling stage for microthermometric examination of fluid inclusions. Econ Geol 76:1248–1258

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Milton D (1967) Geology of the Arabian peninsula Kuwait: US Geological Survey, Professional Paper

  • Nagy S, Molnar F (2006) The hydrothermal mineral paragenesis of the Ferenc-Hegy Cave (Buda Hills, Hungary) Acta Mineralogica-Petrographica 81

  • Neilson JE (1996) Petrographic and geochemical analysis of fractures and fracture cements in the Najmah and Sargelu formations (Jurassic), Kuwait. British Petroleum, UK

    Google Scholar 

  • Parnell J (2010) Potential of palaeofluid analysis for understanding oil charge history. Geofluids 10:73–82

    Google Scholar 

  • Scotchman IC, Carr AD, Parnell J (2006) Hydrocarbon generation modelling in a multiple rifted and volcanic basin: a case study in the Foinaven Sub-basin, Faroe-Shetland Basin, UK Atlantic margin. Scott J Geol 42:1–19

  • Sharp I et al (2010) Stratigraphic architecture and fracture-controlled dolomitization of the cretaceous Khami and Bangestan groups: an outcrop case study, Zagros Mountains, Iran Geological Society, London. Special Publications 329:343–396

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shepherd TJ, Rankin AH, Alderton D (1985) A practical guide to fluid inclusion studies

  • Wierzbicki R, Dravis JJ, Al-Aasm I, Harland N (2006) Burial dolomitization and dissolution of upper Jurassic Abenaki platform carbonates, Deep Panuke reservoir, Nova Scotia, Canada. AAPG Bull 90:1843–1861

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Mohammed D. Al-Ajmi Manager of Exploration Group at KOC for his support and encouragement. We would also like to thank Deddy Djanawir from Exploration Studies Team in KOC for generating seismic lines and structural maps. Thanks is due to Timothy Diggs from Aramco Services Company for final revision. Finally, we thank Technical Review Committee at KOC and Ministry of Oil in Kuwait for their review, approval and endorsement this paper.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kuwait Oil Company, Ahmadi, Kuwait

    Mubarak Matlak Al-Hajeri

  2. University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK

    John Parnell & Stephen Bowden

  3. National University of Ireland, Galway, Republic of Ireland

    Alessandro Costanzo & Martin Feely

Authors
  1. Mubarak Matlak Al-Hajeri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. John Parnell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Stephen Bowden
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Alessandro Costanzo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Martin Feely
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mubarak Matlak Al-Hajeri.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Al-Hajeri, M.M., Parnell, J., Bowden, S. et al. Deep hydrothermal activity in hydrocarbon reservoirs, South Kuwait. Arab J Geosci 10, 41 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-016-2807-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-016-2807-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation