Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Application of formation water geochemistry to assess seal integrity of the Gotnia Formation, Kuwait

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

Abstract

A very large database of formation water geochemistry has been acquired for the Kuwait petroleum system. This database makes it possible to explore the geological history of Kuwait’s formation and ground waters in a way that is not possible by other means. Working at this regional scale spatial and formational variation in groundwater chemistry in Kuwait identifies lithostratigraphy and physical barriers to flow that can be explored in the context of Kuwait’s geological history. Cretaceous oil reservoirs in north Kuwait have formation water saturated with Na (>50%) that is anomalously abnormal in salinity for its depth. The most likely subsurface source of such saline water is the Upper Jurassic Gotnia Formation which comprises beds of evaporite halite, and/or pre-Gotnia formations of deeper reservoirs. To reach their current location, both parts of the Gotnia and Hith formations must have been breached. To date, this is the only evidence to show that the sealing capacity of the Gotnia Formation has been overcome, implying that the formation, and therefore units beneath, are capable of sourcing fluids to younger and shallower reservoirs. Given the ubiquity of samples of formation water in many other regions, applying formation water geochemistry to other petroleum systems would appear a good method for evaluating basin models and understanding of fluid migration in mature petroleum provenances.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abdullah F, Connan J (2002) Geochemical study of some Cretaceous rocks from Kuwait: comparison with oils from Cretaceous and Jurassic reservoirs. Org Geochem 33:125–148

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Awadi E, Mukhopadhyay A, Al-Senafy MN (1998) Geology and hydrogeology of the Dammam Formation in Kuwait. Hydrogeol J 6:302–314

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Hajeri, M., Chenet, P., Al-Khamiss, A., Bhattacharya, S., Pernelle, M., Bianchi, N., 2006. Regional Overpressure Modeling in Onshore Kuwait: Impacts on Pressure Prediction before Drilling and Petroleum System Behaviour (abstract), GEO 2006 Middle East Conference and Exhibition, Bahrain

  • Al-Hajeri MM, Buza J, Al-Saeed M, Osman K, Al-Rashaid M (2007) Geochemical evaluation of Tayarat’s prospectivity in Burgan Field (abstract), International Meeting of Organic Geochemistry, Torquay, UK

  • Ali M (1995) Gotnia salt and its structural implications in Kuwait. Middle East petroleum geosciences: GEO 94:133–143

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Khamis A, Bhattacharya S, Al-Hajeri M, Rao NS, Chenet P, Bianchi N, Prinzhofer A (2006) Petroleum systems in Onshore Kuwait: from Paleozoic Deep Targets to Cretaceous, GEO 2006 Middle East Conference and Exhibition, Bahrain

  • Al-Langawi AJ (1989) Burial dolomitization of the Shuaiba Formation (Lower Cretaceous) in Kuwait, Geology Department. Kuwait University, Kuwait

  • Al-Ruwaih FM (1995) Chemistry of groundwater in the Dammam aquifer, Kuwait. Hydrogeol J 3:42–55

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Sharhan AS, Nairn AEM (1997) Sedimentary basins and petroleum geology of the Middle East. Elsevier, p 942

  • Azim SA, Al-Anzi S, Hassan YA, James SJ, Mandal D, Al-Ajmi H (2006) Identification, Origin and Distribution of Tarmats in Upper Zubair Sand Reservoir, Raudhatain Field, North Kuwait, Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference. Society of Petroleum Engineers SPE-101303-MS

  • Azim SA, Al-Otaibi B, Al-Qattan S, Al-Saad BA (2011) Structural and Stratigraphic Control on the Trapping Mechanism in Stacked Cretaceous Reservoirs of North Kuwait, SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition. Society of Petroleum Engineers SPE-145835-MS

  • Beydoun Z (1988) The Middle East: Regional Geology and Petroleum Resources Scientific Press. Beaconsfield, UK, p 292

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

    Article  Google Scholar 

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

    Google Scholar 

  • Carpenter AB (1978) Origin and chemical evolution of brines in sedimentary basins, SPE Annual Fall Technical Conference and Exhibition. Society of Petroleum Engineers SPE-7504-MS

  • Chenet P, Bianchi N, Pernelle M, Prinzhofer A, Lorant F, Bhattacharya SK, Al-Khamiss A, Al-Hajeri M (20060 Oil and Gas Fingerprinting in Onshore Kuwait: Implications for the Petroleum System (abstract), GEO 2006 Middle East Conference and Exhibition, Bahrain

  • Collins A (2001) A regional thermal modelling study of Kuwait, Kuwait Oil Company internal report.Robertson Research International Limited, Llandudno, North Wales, United Kingdom

  • Corley A, Rao NS, Singh SK, AL-Ajmi N (2006) Episodic growth history of onshore Kuwait (abstract), GEO 2006 Middle East Geosciences Conference and Exhibition, Manama, Bahrain

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

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Derks JF, Al-Saeed M, Al-Quattan M, Al-Hajeri M, Fuchs T, Kauerauf A, and Swientek O (2009) Ranking of possible processes leading to heavy oil zones by basin and petroleum systems modeling – a Kuwait case study, American Association of Petroleum Geologists, International Conference and Exhibition, Rio de Janerio, Brazil

  • De Sitter L (1947) Diagenesis of oil-field brines. AAPG Bull 31:2030–2040

    Google Scholar 

  • Edwards PG (2006) High resolution biostratigraphy of Cenozoic to upper Paleozoic sequences from four wells, onshore Kuwait, Kuwait oil company internal report. Robertson Research International Limited, Llandudno, UK

    Google Scholar 

  • Feng C, Mao Z, Yang H, Fui J, Shi Y, Cheng Y, Zhang H, Niu L, Ashraf MA (2016) Origin of formation water salinity variation and its geological significance in Chang 9 Stratum, Jiyuan Oilfield. Sains Malaysiana 45:9–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Fox JE, Ahlbrandt TS (20020 Petroleum geology and total petroleum systems of the Widyan Basin and interior platform of Saudi Arabia and Iraq. U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 2202–E

  • Ghoniem S (19870 Variable Salinity Aquifer and Its Effect on Reservoir Performance. Middle East Oil Show. Society of Petroleum Engineers SPE-15715-MS

  • Ghoniem SA, Al-Zanki FH (1987) Water salinity of first Eocene Reservoir: unique behavior and influence on reservoir engineering calculations. J Pet Technol 39:1,119–111,126

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hunt JM (1990) Generation and migration of petroleum from abnormally pressured fluid compartments (1). AAPG Bull 74:1–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Kamen-Kaye M (1970) Geology and productivity of Persian Gulf synclinorium. AAPG Bull 54:2371–2394

    Google Scholar 

  • Mildren S, Hillis R, Kaldi J (2002) Calibrating predictions of fault seal reactivation in the Timor Sea. APPEA journal 42:187–202

    Google Scholar 

  • Mukhopadhyay A, Al-Sulaimi J, Al-Awadi E, Al-Ruwaih F (1996) An overview of the Tertiary geology and hydrogeology of the northern part of the Arabian Gulf region with special reference to Kuwait. Earth Sci Rev 40:259–295

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murray K, Wade P (1996) Checking anion-cation charge balance of water quality analyses: limitations of the traditional method for non-potable waters. Water SA, vol. 22(1):27–32

  • Murris RJ (1981) Middle East--stratigraphic evolution and oil habitat: ABSTRACT. AAPG Bull 65:1358–1358

    Google Scholar 

  • Omar S, Al-Yaqubi A, Senay Y (1981) Geology and groundwater hydrology of the State of Kuwait. Journal of the Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Studies 1:5–67

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmer C (1911) The geochemical interpretation of water analyses. U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 479

  • Rogers GS (1917) Chemical relations of the oil-field waters in San Joaquin Valley, California (preliminary report). Bulletin

  • Russell WL (1933) Subsurface concentration of chloride brines. AAPG Bull 17:1213–1228

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharland PR, Archer R, Casey DM, Davies RB, Hall SH, Heward AP, Horbury A, Simmons MD 2001. Arabian Plate Sequence Stratigraphy. GeoArabia, Special Publication 2, Bahrain

  • SNEA (1983) Regional hydrodynamic framework of the geological formations in the State of Kuwait, Kuwait oil company internal report. Société Nationale Elf Aquitaine, Paris, France

    Google Scholar 

  • Sulin VA (1946) Waters of petroleum formations in the system of nature waters [publication in Russian]. Gostoptekhizdat, Moscow, USSR

    Google Scholar 

  • Tóth J (1978) Gravity-induced cross-formational flow of formation fluids, red earth region, Alberta, Canada: Analysis, patterns, and evolution. Water Resour Res 14:805–843

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tóth J (1979) Patterns of dynamic pressure increment of formation-fluid flow in large drainage basins, exemplified by the Red Earth region, Alberta, Canada. Bull Can Petrol Geol 27:63–86

    Google Scholar 

  • White DE (1963) Saline waters of sedimentary rocks. AAPG Bull 47:2077–2077

    Google Scholar 

  • Yousif S, Nouman G (1995) Geological model of the Jurassic section in the State of Kuwait. Middle East Oil Show

Download references

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Mohammed D. Al–Ajmi Manager of Exploration Group in KOC for his support and encouragement. Critical comments by Dr. Mohammed Al-Mahmoud, Dr. Hanneke Verweij and Dr. John Armstrong-Altrin helped to improve the manuscript. We would also like to thank Raju T. Arasu from Exploration Group for generating seismic lines. Finally, we thank Technical Review Committee at KOC and Ministry of Oil in Kuwait for their review, approval and endorsement of this paper.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Exploration Studies Team, Exploration Group, Kuwait Oil Company, Al Ahmadi, Kuwait

    Mubarak Matlak Al-Hajeri

  2. Geology and Petroleum Geology Department, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK

    Stephen A. Bowden

Authors
  1. Mubarak Matlak Al-Hajeri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Stephen A. Bowden
    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., Bowden, S.A. Application of formation water geochemistry to assess seal integrity of the Gotnia Formation, Kuwait. Arab J Geosci 10, 56 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-017-2842-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-017-2842-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation