Arabian Journal of Geosciences

, Volume 7, Issue 4, pp 1541–1557 | Cite as

Parameters controlling the quality of the Hamra Quartzite reservoir, southern Hassi Messaoud, Algeria: insights from a petrographic, geochemical, and provenance study

  • Soumya Benayad
  • Young-Soo Park
  • Rabah Chaouchi
  • Naima Kherfi
Original Paper
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

Petrographic and geochemical analysis of the Hamra Quartzite reservoir in the southern periphery of the Hassi Messaoud field has been undertaken. The aim is to identify the quality of these sandstones as well as their tectonic setting and possible provenance. Petrographic analysis reveals that the studied reservoir is constituted of fine- to coarse-grained sandstones in which quartz forms the principal framework mineral. The main cement phases identified in this reservoir are quartz, illite, and carbonate, precipitated in that order. The principal diagenetic factors controlling the reservoir quality are quartz overgrowths, formation of authigenic clays, and the precipitation of carbonate cement. The Hamra Quartzite reservoir is considered mature from a compositional point of view as it consists predominantly of quartz arenites. Geochemically, these sandstones have a high SiO2 content (93.28–98.79 wt%). The Hamra Quartzite deposits appear to be derived from deeply weathered (under warm–humid climate conditions) granitic–gneissic terrains or recycled sedimentary source areas. A passive margin origin is the most likely tectonic setting for the depositional environment of these arenites. The reservoir quality is strongly influenced by the relationship between the clay content and mineralogy. The combined effect of quartz overgrowth and the plugging of pores by illite have reduced both porosity and permeability. As a result, economically viable oil production in this area will depend most strongly on the combination of matrix and fracture porosity.

Keywords

Hassi Messaoud Hamra Quartzite Geochemistry Petrography Clay mineralogy Diagenesis 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

The authors express their sincere appreciation to the Algerian National Oil Company (Sonatrach) for providing us with field data and samples. This study was a part of KIGAM’s (Korean Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources) project for “Overseas Petroleum Development and Cooperation”, which was supported by Ministry of Knowledge & Economy (MKE), South Korea. The author thanks Dr K. Zellouf and Dr B. Benrabah for sharing their insights in this work. We thank journal reviewers Dr Mohamed Khalifa (university of Malaya, Malaysia), and Dr Abdullah M. Al-Amri (King Saud University, Saudi Arabia) for their comments, from which the paper has greatly benefited. Finally, thanks to the Korea National Institute of International Education (NIIED), for supporting the PhD study of S. Benayad at the University of Science and Technology (UST), South Korea.

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Copyright information

© Saudi Society for Geosciences 2013

Authors and Affiliations

  • Soumya Benayad
    • 1
  • Young-Soo Park
    • 2
  • Rabah Chaouchi
    • 3
  • Naima Kherfi
    • 4
  1. 1.Department of Petroleum Resources TechnologyUniversity of Science and Technology (UST)DaejeonSouth Korea
  2. 2.Petroleum and Marine Research DivisionKorea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM)DaejeonSouth Korea
  3. 3.Faculty of Hydrocarbons and Chemistry (FHC)University M’hamed Bougara Boumerdes (UMBB)BoumerdesAlgeria
  4. 4.Petroleum Engineering DivisionAlgerian National Oil Company (Sonatrach)HydraAlgeria

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