Journal of Petroleum Geology, vol. 23(2), April 2000, pp.

165-192 165

THE GEOLOGY AND HYDROCARBON HABITAT

OF THE SARIR SANDSTONE, SE SIRT BASIN,
LIBYA

G. Ambrose"

The Jurassic - Lower Cretaceous Sarir Sandstone Cformerly known as the Nubian
Sandstone) in the SE Sirt Basin is composed of four members which can be correlated
regionally using a lithostratigraphic framework. These synrift sandstones unconformably
overlie a little known pre-rift succession, and are in turn unconformably overlain by
post-rift marine shales of Late Cretaceous age.
Within the Sarir Sandstone are two sandstone-dominated members, each reflecting a
rapid drop in base level, which are important oil reservoirs in the study area. Between
these sandstones are thick shales of continental origin which define the architecture of
the reservoir units. This four-fold lithostratigraphic subdivision of the Sarir Sandstone
contrasts with previous schemes which generally only recognised three members.
The sandstones below the top-Sarir unconformity host in excess of 20 billion barrels
of oil in-place. The dominant traps are structural (e.g. Sarir Cfield), stratigraphic (e.g.
Messla field), hanging-wall fault plays (e.g. UUI a f i e l d ) and horst-block plays (e.g.
Calansciofield). Three Sarirpetroleum systems are recognised in the SE Sirt Basin. The
most significant relies on post-rift (Upper Cretaceous) shales, which act as both source
and seal. The Variegated Shale Member of the Sarir Sandstone may also provide source
and seal; while a third, conceptual petroleum system requires generation of non-marine
oils from pre-rift (?Triassic) source rocks in the axis of the Sarir Trough.
The intrabasinal Messla High forms a relatively rigid block at the intersection of two
rift trends, around which stress vectors were deflected during deposition of the syn-rij2
Sarir Sandstone. Adjacent troughs accommodated thick, post-rift shale successions
which comprise excellent source rocks. Palaeogene subsidencefacilitated oil generation,
and the Messla High was a focus f o r oil migration. Wrenching on master faults with
associated shale smear has facilitated fault seal and the retention of hydrocarbons. In
the Calanscio area, transpressionalfaulting has resulted in structural inversion with oil
entrapment in "pop-up'' horst blocks. Elsewhere, transtensional faulting has resulted in
numerousfault-dependent traps which, in combination with stratigraphic and truncation
plays, will provide the focus for future exploration.

"Northern Territory Geological Survey, Dept. of Mines and Energy, GPO Box 2901,
Darwin, NT, Australia. <greg.ambrose@dme.nt.gov.au>
166 Sarir Sandstone, SE Sirt Basin, Libya

INTRODUCTION

This paper addresses salient aspects of the geology of the Sarir Sandstone (“Nubian
Sandstone”)in the SE Sirt Basin, Libya (Fig. 1). The relationshipof hydrocarbon habitat
to lithostratigraphy,structure and depositionalfacies is discussed. Recent reviews of the
petroleum geology of the Sarir Sandstonewere given by Ibrahim (199l), El-Hawat et al.
(1996) and Gras and Thusu (1998). Geochemical studies by Robertson Research (198 l),
El Alami (1996), Bender et al. (1996), Ghori and Mohammed (1996) and Bunvood
( 1997)provided excellent insights into the nature of the relevant Sarir Sandstonepetroleum
systems.
This study utilised proprietary data from producing fields where wells and seismic
profiles are concentrated. The interpretation of nearly three hundred wells, including all
available exploration wells and many field development wells, together with hundreds
of kilometres of seismic lines, has permitted a review of Saxir Sandstonestratigraphy and
hydrocarbon habitat. This review was essential on account of the confusion arising from
previous, conflicting stratigraphic studies, which were often derived from relatively
sparse data.
Most of the data used here comes from the area around the Messla High, Hameimat
Trough and Calanscio High (Fig. 2). This area includes some of Libya’s largest oilfields,
including Sarir-C, Messla, Calanscio, Mesrab and Abu Attifel, which, together with
other fields, were studied over a five-year period. In this region, the Sarir Sandstone is
best interpreted in terms of lithostratigraphybecause of the scarcity of palaeontological
data. Thick, synrift sand-shale packages can be correlated regionally and provide an
excellent stratigraphic framework (Ambrose, 1996).
The precise definition and sub-divisionof the Sarir Sandstone (“Nubian Sandstone”),
and the nomenclature used, has varied greatly since the first oil discoveries were made
in the 1960s. Operating companies adopted a variety of names - Nubian Sandstone,
Nubian Formation, Basal Sandstone,Faragh, Calanscio, CoccolithFormations and Sarir
Sandstone - for different parts of the basin. El Hawat et al. (1996) summarised the
“Nubian” nomenclature, and concluded that its use was problematical. In this paper, the
synrift sandstones in the study area are referred to as the Sarir Sandstone,followingusage
by the main operating company - AGOCO - as well as Gras and Thusu (1998). A
reference section for the Sarir Sandstone occurs in Well R3-82 in the Hameimat Trough
(Fig. 3) where a four-fold lithostratigraphic subdivision of the Sandstone can be made;
this subdivision was applied by Ambrose (1996). The tripartite sub-division used in the
older ‘‘Nubian” nomenclature is not applicable due to the flawed correlation of the shale
units within the Sarir Sandstone.The regional correlation of these shale units -the Red
Shale and Variegated Shale Members -is the key to understanding the architecture of
the reservoir sandstones, and is therefore fundamental to future exploration strategies.

STRATIGRAPHY OF THE SE SIRT BASIN

The stratigraphy of the Sirt Basin can be divided into pre-rift, syn-rift and post-rift
megasequences (Gras, 1996) (Fig. 4). The pre-rift megasequence includes igneous and
metamorphic rocks in the Messla High, Palaeozoic sedimentary and volcanic rocks in
the Calanscio area, and a probable Triassic succession in the axis of the Sarir Trough.
Unconformably overlying are the syn-rift siliciclastic sediments of the Middle Jurassic-
Early Cretaceous Sarir Sandstone, which are discussed in detail below. These are bound
above by a regional unconformity representing a phase of tectonic uplift and erosion in
the Early Cenomanian.The overlying post-rift megasequenceis dominatedby transgressive
marine shales (“Tethyan shales”), assigned to the Etel and Rachmat Formations, which
constitute important source rocks and seals.
 G. Ambrose 167
15" 20" 25" 30"

MEDITERRANEAN SEA

30"

I 25"

I A Cyrenaica I
I
L I B Y A I
l-
I
I

_I 20"
Upper Cretaceous-MiddleEocene
rigM tatera1 Stress shear System 1
H A D I
I
~

I
S U D A N

m99-057bwdgn

Fig. 1. Tectonic elements of the Sirt Basin, Libya (modified after Gras, 1996).

STRUCTURE AND TECTONIC ELEMENTS

Repeated phases of rifting in the Sirt Basin resulted in the deposition of a thick Jurassic
- Early Cretaceous syn-rift megasequence, which is overlain by a Late Cretaceous-
Eocene post-rift megasequence (Gumati and Nairn, 1991). The resultant horst-and-
graben regime has a dominant, NNW-SSE orientation (Fig. 1) and forms the northern
"arm" of a triple-point junction that failed to evolve into the spreading stage (Van
Houten, 1983).
The SE Sirt Basin forms the eastern "Sarir" arm of the junction. Here, E-W orientated,
right-lateral divergent wrenching merged with the more northerly structural grain in the
area of the Messla High. East-west oriented half-grabens adjacent to the High (the
Calanscio and Sarir Troughs) formed important depocentres during deposition of the
Sarir Sandstone (Fig. 2). The Messla High remained stable and emergent throughout
168 Sarir Sandstone, SE Sirt Basin, Libya

rifting, as major stress vectors were deflected around this basement structure.The Calanscio
High, however, is mantled by a thick syn-rift sequence, and its present-day structural
configuration results from fault reactivation at the end of the syn-rift phase, and also
during post-rift (Cenomanian) times.
The Messla and Calanscio Highs are bounded by en-e‘chelonnormal faults which were
active during the syn-rift phase and through to the Tertiary-Recent; major thickening of
the Sarir Sandstone occurs in the hanging wall of these faults. Laterally, these faults show
displacement transferred via zones of ductile deformation or relay ramps. Gras (1996)
studied the reactivation of faults bounding the southern margin of the Sarir Trough, and
interpreted the resultant flower structures as evidence for transtension.
Messla High
The northern and southern margins of the Messla High are bound by normal faults
displaying some wrenching. This activity was probably initiated during Hercynian
deformation, and continued episodically to the Early Cretaceous with further reactivation
during the Tertiary-Recent. The eastern margin of the High forms a depositional shelf
and the Sarir Sandstone onlaps basement in the area of the Messla field. On the western
margin, transpressional fault reactivation is common resulting in inversion structures
(e.g. at the 0-80 field).
The Messla High is located at the intersection of two structural trends (NNW-SSE and
E-W: (Figs. 1 and 2), and was a focus for oil migration and entrapment during the
Palaeogene. Adjacent grabens progressively subsided during the Late Cretaceous,
constituting depocentres for thick successions of marine shales which in part have
excellent source potential The spatial configuration, timing of motion and geometry of
the bounding normal faults largely controlled the distribution of mature source rocks and
resulted in the erosion or preservation of reservoir rocks (Sarir Sandstone) on the margins
of the High.
Hameimat Trough
The Hameimat Trough trends NW-SE (Fig. l), covering an area of some 20,000 sq.
km; it is bounded by upthrown basement blocks (Fig. 2). The basin formed as a result
of Jurassic-Early Cretaceous rifting, although fault activity continued into the early Late
Cretaceous. The overlying Cretaceous section and Palaeocene-Eocene sequence were
deposited under conditions of flexural subsidence (Bender et al., 1996).
The syn-rift Sarir Sandstone reaches a thickness of 2,700 m in the main depocentre
(Rossi et al., 1991). Some sediment was derived from circumferential highs, but most
was supplied by drainage systems affecting basement complexes well to the SSW (Fig.
5). The western margin of the trough is bound by a series of en-dchelon NW-trending,
normal faults which were active during Sarir Sandstone deposition. The Sandstone
includes volcanic intervals, and a salt basin formed in the downthrown side of the fault
system during the Cenomanian. Within the basin, Rossi et al. (1991) described a system
of listric normal faults mainly trending ENE.
Sarir Trough
The Sarir Trough is a half-graben related to incipient rifting (Figs 2 and 6), whose
asymmetry is probably attributable to a marked increase in extension rate. Pre-rift, syn-
rift and post-rift megasequences are present. The pre-rift successionhas not been penetrated
by the drill but is about 200-m thick, and is probably Triassic in age (Gras, 1996); fine-
grained lacustrine sediments with source-rock potential may be present in the axis of the
trough. Unconformably overlying are syn-rift Sarir Sandstones, which reach a maximum
thickness of 1,500m. Basal syn-rift strata onlap the basal unconformity denoting rift
initiation, and overlying “hummocky” seismic signatures reflect syn-rift sedimentation
-in this case various channel facies of the Middle Sarir Sandstone Member. Overlying
 G. Ambrose 169

300111interval isopach
Sarir Sandstone

rn99-062bw

Fig. 2. Tectonic elements and oilfields in the study area (located in Fig. 1). Sarir Sandstone
isopachs are shown in the main depocentres.

the syn-rift interval are parallel strata of the Late Cretaceous-Tertiary, post-rift “sag”
facies.
Major normal faults control the northern and southern margins of the Messla High, and
have moderately steep dips sometimes decreasing slightly with depth. Antithetic faults
and drag-reverse drag folding are common. Footwall uplift resulted in peneplanation of
upthrown blocks, while erosion in the hanging wall is denoted by truncation of upper
Sarir Sandstone strata. Faulting was probably initiated in the Late Triassic-Early Jurassic
(possibly originating in the Hercynian), and intensified during the syn-rift phase culminating
in uplift and peneplanation. Minor reactivation occurred in the Cenomanian, but was
more pronounced later in the Tertiary-Recent.
170 Sarir Sandstone, SE Sirt Basin, Libya

Calanscio Trough - Calanscio High

The Calanscio area is a strongly faulted region 60km west of the Sarir Trough (Fig.
2). The Calanscio Trough trends E-W and shows a structural asymmetry somewhat
similar to the Sarir Trough. Its northern margin is defined by E-W trending normal faults,
in the footwall of which is the Calanscio High. A complete Sarir Sandstone succession
occurs along this High, reaching a thickness of 1,000m (Fig. 7). The high comprises
inverted “pop-up” structures related to transpressional fault movements occurring prior
to the Tethyan transgression. Major dip-slip occurred on the normal faults later during
the Cenomanian, with further reactivation during the Tertiary-Recent. Some of the
footwallblocks have undergone extensiveerosion at the level of the top-Sarirunconformity .
In the hanging wall, the total thickness of the Sarir Sandstone is uncertain but is almost
certainly greater than on the High. Well data suggest that the Sarir Sandstone has been
severely eroded on some fault blocks within the basin (e.g. Well ZZZI-59). However, it
is probable that basement in this well has been mispicked, and that a thick Sarir Sandstone
section underlies the current basement “pick” which may be an intra-Sarir volcanic
interval.
Correlations in the post-rift sequence (Upper Cretaceous) across the northern bounding
fault indicate dramatic growth of the hangingwall succession up to about the time of
Tagrifet Formation deposition. A thick salt sequence occurs in the trough at the level of
the lower Etel Formation but this is absent on the High.
About 20km SE of the Calanscio High is a relatively small basin outlier here named
the Rachmat Trough (Fig. 2). This comprises a typical syn-rift half-graben bound on its
northern margin by a normal fault dipping to the SW. The basin probably contains about
900 m of Sarir Sandstone sediments and is structurally isolated from the Calanscio and
Sarir Troughs.

THE SYN-RIFT SARIR SANDSTONE

The Sarir Sandstone is of Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous age (Viterbo, 1964;
Bonnefous, 1972), and is composed mostly of continental siliciclastics deposited in a
variety of environments including braided fluvial, braid plain, deltaic, meandering fluvial,
alluvial fan, fan-delta, aeolian,coastalplain, sabkha and lagoonal-lacustrine.The Sandstone
is divisible into four lithostratigraphic members which can be correlated regionally (Figs.
3 and 4). Two major shale units (the Red Shale and Variegated Shale Members) relate
to ponding or flooding of drainage systems, and the consequent deposition of silts and
muds. These members are unconformably and erosively overlain by sandstone units (the
Middle Sarir Sandstone and Upper Sarir Sandstone Members), deposited during a fall
in base level. The scarcity of palaeontological data generally precludes dating of individual
members, with the exception of the Variegated Shale Member which is of Aptian-Albian
age (Viterbo, 1964; Thusu et al., 1988). The top of the Sarir Sandstone is truncated by
a major unconformity at the base of the overlying post-rift megasequence which is
dominated by Upper Cretaceous (“Tethyan”) marine shales.
In the following section, the four members of the Sarir Sandstone are discussed in turn
from the base up. The lowermost member is sub-divided into the Lower Sarir Sandstone
and the overlying Red Shale. This is overlain by the Middle Sarir Sandstone, above which
lies the Variegated Shale. At the top of the succession is the Upper Sarir Sandstone.
The Lower Sarir Sandstone
This basal member unconformably overlies the pre-rift basement. In general, it is
composed of coarse-grained quartz arenites and conglomerates deposited in proximal
alluvial fan and braid plain environments, and is genetically related to, and interfingers
with, the Red Shale. The unit corresponds to the basal sandstone unit of the lower Nubian
 G. Ambrose 171

WELL R3-82 (HameimatTrough)

r
GR LLD
SARIR SANDSTONE

Upper Sarlr Sandstone Dwxkbnal Environment

IAGOONAL
Va- Shak
650m
7 REGRESSNESHOREFACE
SANDS ATTHETOP

Yiddk Sarlr

-
ALLUVIAL RUWAL

Lanr Sarlr Sandstone

BRAID P U N

TD. 4708m
m99-0550

Fig. 3. Well R3-82, Hameimat Trough (location in Fig. 2): gross lithology, and gamma-ray
(GR) and deep laterolog (LLD) profdes for the interval 3,310-4,780m. The Sarir Sandstone is
divided lithostratigraphicallyinto four members (see text for details).

Sandstone of Ibrahim (1991), and to the basal portion of the Lower Sandstone Member
of El-Hawat et al. (1996) as previously described in Well C280-65in the Surir-C field.
Here, upward-coarsening alluvial cycles are common and the sediments’ immaturity is
indicated by the occurrence of angular to subrounded quartz grains, feldspar and lithic
fragments which were swept off the adjacent metamorphic basement. In the Messla field
on the eastern margin of the Messla High, the unit consists of conglomeratic sub-
greywacke and basement-derived fan-conglomerates. Further into the basin, thick sand
intervals lie beneath the Red Shale (e.g. Well R3-82)and comprise more mature sandstones
deposited in braid-plain settings (Fig. 3). On the northern margin of the Messla High in
the vicinity of the 2-80pool (Fig. 2), coarse conglomeratic sediments have been shed off
faulted basement and are present in a fan-shaped wedge. The succession grades basinward
into more mature, fluvial and braid plain facies.
The Lower Sarir Sandstone records the earliest movements on the main master faults
and is an important tectonic indicator. Similar conglomerate facies occur on the southern
margin of the Messla High in Well W I -65 reflecting a period of fault activity coincident
with that in the 2-80pool area.
172 Sarir Sandstone, SE Sirt Basin, Libya

SARlR TROUGHCALANSCIO TROUGI HAMEMATTROUGH

M. EOCENE M. EOCENE

HAGFA SHALE
$ THAIIER I
HAGFA SHALE

SlRT SH.

RACHMAT FORMATION

ETEL FORMATION

M Y

EB

m99-049bw:

Fig. 4. Stratigraphiccolumn for the SE Sirt Basin, in particular the Sarir, Calanscio and
Hameimat Troughs.

The Red Shale

The Red Shaleis composed of silty mudstones which are mainly brickred or occasionally
mottled green, and contain thin beds of sandstone and anhydrite. These sediments were
deposited in a playa-sabkha environment with episodic influx of coarse-grained sediments
in marginal areas. The Red Shale has a gradational lower contact with the Lower Sarir
Sandstone, and in places onlaps directly onto basement (e.g. in the Messla field area).
In the area of the Sarir-C field, the Red Shale passes laterally into a thick succession of
coarse-grained alluvial and fanglomerate deposits.
The Red Shale is a significant regional stratigraphic marker and defines the geometry
of the overlying and underlying sandstone reservoir units; this was overlooked in recent
publications by Gras and Thusu (1998) and El-Hawat et al. (1996). Previous correlations
from the basement highs into the major troughs are therefore flawed, and sandstone
geometry has been misinterpreted. In general, the Red Shale thickens slightly across
faults but does not show significant growth into the major troughs.
 G. Ambrose 173

LEGEND

@ Basement
Alluvial Fan I
Fan Delta
Fluvial Transport
A Direction
, =-+ Direction of
Marine Incursion

1 10 20 3040km

m99-046bi

Fig. 5. Middle Sarir Sandstone Member palaeogeography and drainage patterns (see text for
details of sedimentary fades).

The Middle Sarir Sandstone Member

This member unconformably overlies the Red Shale, and is approximately equivalent
to the Middle Sandstone Member of El-Hawat et al. (1996) and the Lower Nubian
Sandstone Member of Ibrahim (199 1). Unlike the Red Shale, it thickens rapidly into local
depocentres in response to local rift faulting. Its contact with the Red Shale is erosive and
reflects a sharp fall in base level.
In the Sarir Trough, the Middle Sarir Sandstone relates to a fluvial system with largely
axial through-drainage from the south (Fig. 5 ) . Little detritus appears to have been shed
from adjacent fault blocks, although locally-derived fan-delta sediments occur in the
Messla field area. Fluvial sandstones were deposited in the channels of major rivers
flowing longitudinally along the rift axis (Fig. S), and the dominant bed-forms are
transverse and longitudinal bars deposited in braided channels. The Sarir Trough was
also the site of aeolian sedimentation, which can be interpreted, for example, on the
dipmeter log at the W I - 6 5 Well (Fig. 9) located on the SE margin of the Messla High.
174 Sarir Sandstone, SE Sirt Basin, Libya

N SARIR TROUGH S
MESSLA
HIGH JJ1-65 KK1-65 U1-65 Y 1-65
TWT
in
MIOCENE seconds
OLIGOCENE
LATE EOCENE

1
-

EARLY-MID EOCENE 1.o

PALEOCENE

2.0

10 km

Fig. 6. North-south section across the Sarir Trough (modified after Gras and Thusu, 1998).
Note major thickening of the Sarir Sandstone across the Messla High bounding fault,
whereas the Late Cretaceous interval shows little structural growth across this fault.

The Middle Sarir Sandstone is more than 500-m thick in the Hameimat Trough with
common upward-fining and upward-coarsening cycles. In the Messla field, upward-
coarsening sandstonesreflect fan delta and other alluvial facies which built NEward into
the Hameimat Trough (Fig. 5). Middle Sarir Sandstone reservoirs are the most important
in the SE Sirt Basin and are dominant in the giant Messla and Sarir-C fields.
The Variegated Shale Member
Also known as the Middle Variegated Shale,Middle Nubian Shale and the Varicoloured
Shale, this member is thickest in the Calanscioarea (Fig. 7) and in the Hameimat Trough,
where it is up to 500-m thick. Palaeontological evidenceindicates an Aptian-Albian age.
Lithologically, the Shale is composed of mottled red-green lacustrine mudstones with
occasionalbeds of sandstone,pyroclastics and volcanicrocks. Thin, organic-richintervals
have been recorded in the Hameimat and Calanscio Troughs and also to the west of the
Messla High in Well GGGl-59 (Robertson Research, 1981). The contact between the
Variegated Shale and the underlying Middle Sarir Sandstone is gradational. A decrease
in hydraulic energy, from braided fluvial to meandering fluvial systems,is often recorded
in the uppermost portions of the Sandstone, reflecting a gradual rise in base level and a
change from fluvial to lacustrine conditions.
The Variegated Shale is either truncated or pinches-out on the margins of the Messla
High (Fig. 10). Regional log correlations indicate the shale can be correlated to the
 - Om

- 150m

- 300m
a

0 50km
- Interpreted logs: LHS(GR), RHS(Sonic)

Fig. 7. West-east structural section across the Calanscio High to the western margin of the Messla High. Faulting has variably eroded the e,

Sarir Sandstone along the High. I]

VI
176 Sarir Sandstone, SE Sirt Basin, Libya

MESSLA HIGH

A-

rn99-058bw

Fig. 8. Depositional model for the Middle Sarir Sandstone Member (modified from Leeder
and Gawthorpe, 1987).

eastern margin of the Sarir area (Sarir-C, C-North and L-fields) where it is reduced in
thickness. The Shale thickens dramatically to the NE of Sarir-C into the Hameimat
Trough, where it is an important source rock. To the west, in the Sarir Trough, the shale
thins dramatically and becomes very silty, but it thickens in the Calanscio area where it
may have source rock potential.
Miscorrelations of the Variegated Shale
The shale is a particularly useful marker on the eastern margins of the Sarir fields
where it intervenes between the Middle Sarir and Upper Sarir Sandstone reservoirs. It
is usually absent as a result of erosion on up-thrown fault blocks as in Well C280-65(Fig.
lo), where the Red Shale has undergone a facies change to coarse-grained alluvial
sediments. The absence of these shale markers has resulted in miscorrelations with the
stratigraphic successions in the Hameimat Trough (El-Hawat et al., 1996). In particular,
it can be shown that the Middle Sarir Sandstone is not the lateral equivalent of the
Variegated Shale. Also in the Sarir-C area, the Variegated Shale is not the lateral
equivalent of the “marginal marine association” of El-Hawat et al. (1996), which these
authors recognised at a much lower stratigraphic level. In addition, Gras and Thusu
(1998) mistakenly suggested that the Variegated Shale may be the lateral equivalent of
the Red Shale in the Messla area. Again, detailed log correlations show this is not the
 G. Ambrose 177

WELL VV1-65
-iR 2c 0 10 Dipmeter Cyberdip
A
2800m
Middle Sarir
Sandstone
KB
depth
(m)

S
A
R !825m

I
R

foresets
S dipping N.E.
A
N
D consistent red
and
S blue dip patterns
T !850m
0
N
E
petrological data
is supportive.
(rounded -
frosted grains
etc.)

!875m

l\PI I IT1 I I I Flllllilllillilliillllllililllllilll Red Shale

0 10

m99-051bws

Fig. 9. Sarir Sandstone Well W I - 6 5 , southern margin of the Messla High (see Fig. 2 for
location). The reservoir hosts the W - 6 5oil pool. Note aeolian signature on dipmeter.
178 Sarir Sandstone, SE Sirt Basin, Libya

WEST EAST
A A'
CALANSCIO AREA SARIR-C Field HAMEIMATTROUGH

m99-065bw

Fig. 10. Stratigraphic cross-section A-A': Calanscio -Surir-C- Hameimat Trough (see profile
location in Fig. 2). The section illustrates the regional relationships between the Sarir
Sandstone Members.
 G. Ambrose

SCHEMATIC SECTION
MESSLA HIGH

- HAMEIMAT TROUGH
179

N.E.

USS Truncation Play

I
1

m99-054bn

Fig. 11. Schematic section from Sarir Trough - Messla High - Hameimat Trough showing
the hydrocarbon habitat of the Sarir Sandstone. Mode of entrapment and regional structural
relationships are depicted.

case, and the stratigraphic relationship is clearly demonstrated in Well R3-82 (Fig. 3)
where both shale members are present. These miscorrelations from the Hameimat Trough
to the Surir-Messlu area have obscured the regional geometry of the main oil reservoir
units, the Middle and Upper Sarir Sandstone Members. Thus, an important truncation
play, where Upper Sarir Sandstone Member reservoirs subcrop Tethyan shales, has been
overlooked to the NE of the Messla field (see below).
The Upper Sarir Sandstone Member
This member, also referred to as the Upper Sandstone Member or Upper Nubian
Sandstone, consists of marginal marine facies which lie unconformably on the Variegated
Shale (Rossi et ul., 1991) (Fig. 3). Both upward-coarsening and upward-fining cycles
occur and glauconite is occasionally present. The sandstones are important reservoirs in
fields such as Abu Attifel and Culunscio, but sand-to-shale ratios are low in the Surir-C
area, restricting deliverability.
The substantial thickness of the Upper Sarir Sandstone on the Calanscio High reflects
structural inversion during major block faulting and uplift associated with the top-Sarir
unconformity (Fig. 7). In the Hameimat Trough coarsening-up cyclicity suggests
sedimentation and progradation of distal (braided) alluvial plain deposits in response to
uplift of the source area (El-Hawat et ul. 1996). In the Sarir area the main facies are
meandering fluvial, deltaic coastal plain and tidal flat-marsh. The sequence is generally
absent on the margins of the Messla High where it has been truncated by erosion,
providing a subcrop play on the eastern margin of the high, which could be sealed and
sourced by the overlying “Tethyan Shales” (Fig. 11).
180 Sarir Sandstone, SE Sirt Basin, Libya

Fig. 12. Sarir Sandstone, Well HH9-80, Messla field The Middle Sanr Sandstone is dominant
here and also in the Sarir C-main, C-north and Lfields to the south.

UPPER CRETACEOUS-TERTIARY (POST-RIFT)

Regional deposition of the Sarir Sandstone culminated in marine sedimentation
terminated by a phase of block faulting, uplift and erosion. In the Surir-Messla area, the
resulting top-Sarir unconformity is marked by a weathering profile and regolith, heavily
indurated with anhydrite at the top. This is clearly demonstrated in core and on logs (Fig.
12) where the regolith corresponds to sonich-esistivity “spikes”.
Movement on basin-bounding faults continued into the Cenomanian, and salt basins
developed in the early Late Cretaceous in both the Hameimat and Calanscio Troughs
(Fig. 4). Elsewhere, where the salt is missing, the Tethyan transgression is marked by
interbedded shales and glauconitic siltstones with minor beds of very fine-grained
glauconitic sandstones and calcilutites (Etel and Rachmat Formation). These shales,
particularly those in the Etel Formation, are important source rocks and also provide
regional seal.
The overlying Tagrifet Limestone comprises argillaceous limestones and shales, and
also has source potential in some areas. The Sirt Shale overlies the Tagrifet Limestone
 G. Ambrose 181

and is composed mainly of dark grey shales of excellent source rock characteristics
which make up the most important source interval in the SE Sirt Basin. Marine shales
were deposited continuously in the Sirt Basin from the Late Cretaceous through to the
Early Palaeocene. By the Middle Palaeocene, the supply of terrigenous clastics waned
and deposition of carbonates was initiated.

HYDROCARBON HABITAT AND PETROLEUM SYSTEMS

At the level of the top-Sarir unconformity, the Sarir Sandstone hosts in excess of 20
billion barrels of oil-in-place. The field size distribution includes two “giant” fields
(Messlu and Surir-C) accompanied by a number of large accumulations (Culunscio, Abu-
Attifel and Mesrub fields) and attendant smaller fields of less than 500 MM brls in-place.
The “Tethyan” shales are the key to source and seal in many cases. The basal Upper
Cretaceous shales (Etel Formation) and the Variegated Shale form ubiquitous seals.
Where there has been little erosion at the top-Sarir unconformity, the uppermost reservoirs
are those in the Upper Sarir Sandstone Member, and these usually record variable
productivity. Where block faulting and erosion have removed this and the underlying
Variegated Shale Member, the massive fluvial sandstones of the Middle Sarir Sandstone
Member, which have high sand-to-shale ratios, form the main reservoir. This is the case
on higher fault blocks in the Surir-Cfield (Fig. lo), and Middle Sarir sandstones are also
dominant in the Messlu field. In both Surir-Cand Messlu fields, Middle Sarir sandstone
reservoirs are dominant in terms of both oil-in-place and productivity; Upper Sarir
sandstone reservoirs are important on the Calanscio High and in the Hameimat Trough.
These oil accumulations incorporate thick oil columns (hundreds of feet) facilitated by
the basal Upper Cretaceous seal. Most fields, with the exception of Surir-C, are filled to
spill. The only gas accumulations occur in the Calanscio area where gas has been
generated in the Calanscio Trough. The only well in this trough, Well ZZZI-59, penetrated
a thick Cenomanian section, including a basal salt sequence and exceptionally thick Etel
and Rachmat Formation shale sequences. Rapid early post-rift subsidence occurred both
here and in the Hameimat Trough which are important Tethyan source kitchens, but
similar age movements did not occur on the faults bounding the Sarir Trough. This is a
possible reason why the Tethyan sequence is immature in the Sarir Trough. It may be that
the Cenomanian-Turonian faulting and associated sediment loading was a precurser to
the final generative loading event in the Palaeogene. The Variegated Shale may also
constitute a viable source rock at Well ZZZl-59. It is interpreted that source rocks initially
expelled oil and later entered the gas “window” with the gas displacing previously-
generated oil up-dip in a west-to-east direction along the Calanscio High (Fig. 7).

Petroleum systems
There are three petroleum systems relevant to the Sarir Sandstone reservoirs in the SE
Sirt Basin: a Sarir Sandstone - Upper Cretaceous shale system; a Sarir Sandstone -
Variegated Shale system; and a Sarir Sandstone - pre-rift sequence system:

The Sarir Sandstone --Upper Cretaceous Shale Petroleum System

The Sirt Shale (Campanian) is the most important source rock in the study area
volumetrically, with TOC contents ranging from 2-5% (Ghori and Mohammed, 1996).
The shales include Types 1 and 2 kerogen, and the mixture of marine algal and terrestrial
organic matter indicates deposition in an intra-shelf basinal setting (Gras and Thusu,
1996). The Sirt Shale is an important source rock in the Hameimat, Calanscio and Kalash
Troughs but is probably immature in the Sarir and Rachmat Troughs. On the basis of
182 Sarir Sandstone, SE Sirt Basin, Libya

Fig. 13. Postulated migration pathway for oil sourced from Upper Cretaceous (Tethyan)
shales. These are the most important source rocks volumetrically and also provide a regional
top seal to the Sarir Sandstone.

carbon-isotopebased oil-sourcerock correlations,Burwood ( 1997)identified Sirt Shale-

sourced oils at the Messla, Surir-Land Surir-C fields. Proposed migration pathways are
outlined in Fig. 13, and extend 60-80 km from the Hameimat Trough to charge the Surir-
C field.
The source potential of shales in the Etel and Rachmat Formations (Cenomanian-
Turonian) has probably been underestimated in the past. However, El-Alami (1996)
suggested that Etel Formation shales are an important source in the Hameimat Trough,
and have played a significant role in the generation of waxy crude oil at the Abu Attifel
field. Measured TOC contents range from0.6% to 6.5%, and the organic matter is mainly
amorphous and marine algal material. The shales were interpreted to have been deposited
 G. Ambrose 183

KALASH TROUGH

LEGEND

Basement High

a Oil Field

a Source Area
(Variegated Shale)

Q Source Area
(Triassic)

1 Migration Pathway

I 10 20 30 40kn
I I

m99-048bw

Fig. 14. Pre-Upper Cretaceous source areas and associated migration pathways. The
:ontribution of these non-marine source rocks is uncertain, and they are less important than
the Upper Cretaceous shales.

in a hypersaline tidal-flat setting, although their extent is not well understood. In addition,
there is some confusion about their importance compared to intra-Sarir source rocks,
since both units have generated high wax oils (Gras and Thusu, 1996).
The Sarir Sandstone - Variegated Shale Petroleum System
The lacustrine Variegated Shale Member has been described as a viable source rock,
with varying amounts of evidence, by Ibrahim (1991), Bender et al. (1996), Ghori and
Mohammed (1996), Burwood (1997) and Gras and Thusu (1998). According to Ghori
and Mohammed (1996), TOC contents range up to 9% and the kerogen is oil-prone. El-
184 Sarir Sandstone, SE Sirt Basin, Libya

WELL UU1-65
0 GR1 200 0 10 DLL 100

€ E L Fm

SARIR SANDSTONE
Upper Sarlr Sandstom
(fane)

Middle Sarlr Sandstom

Braided flwlal)

Fig. 15. Sarir Sandstone, Well UUI-65, southern margin of the Messla High. Fan-delta lithic
arenites of the Upper Sarir Sandstone are productive. The cleaner sandstones of the Middle
Sarir Sandstone Member are cemented by bitumen which forms a tar mat.

Alami (1996) proposed that the Variegated Shale is one of the main source rocks in the
Hameimat Trough but lacks the necessary richness to have generated major oil reserves.
Robertson Research (1981) reported thin shales rich in algal kerogen in Wells GGG 1 -
59 and R4-82 within a sequence which often appears relatively lean. On balance, it is
probable these source rocks have made some contribution to waxy crude deposits in the
SW Sirt Basin, and potential source “kitchens” and migration pathways are outlined in
Fig.14.
The recognition of the Variegated Shale on the eastern portions of the Surir-C, C-
North and L fields indicates that adjacent depocentres to the east (Fig. 14) may have
contributedto the waxy oils found in these fields. Conversely, the much less waxy crudes
at Messla field may lack input from the Variegated Shale source rock, due to its subcrop
well to the east of the field (Fig. 11).
-
The Sarir Sandstone pre-rift (Triassic) Petroleum System
The third petroleum system relates to pre-rift (?Triassic-Palaeozoic) source rocks.
Possible Triassic intervals have been recognised on seismic profiles in the Sarir Trough
and may also occur in the axes of the Hameimat and Calanscio Troughs (Fig. 14). The
only penetration of possible Palaeozoic source rocks occurs in Well 5AI-59, but this
 G. Ambrose 185

"199-045bw

Fig. 16. Burial history curve for the Hameimat Trough (after Bender et al., 1996). The trough
is the main source kitchen in the area.

sequence has received little attention. Triassic source rocks are recognised to the north
in the Nufooru-Amul area where Middle Triassic lacustrine shales contain kerogen Types
2 and 3. These are believed to have, in part, sourced the giant Nufooru-Augilu field
although there is complex mixed-system charging in this area (Gras and Thusu, 1998).
R. Burwood (pers. comm.) has provided key evidence of non-marine sourced oil in the
UUI-65 field on the southern margin of the Messla High. The oil from the nearby J J I -
65 oil pool also has non-marine characteristics (Robertson Research, 1981) consistent
with a pre-Upper Cretaceous source. An Upper Cretaceous origin can be ruled out,
because the post-rift sequence is marine and is probably not mature in the adjacent Sarir
Trough. Also, the non-marine Variegated Shale is absent in this area, whereas ?Triassic
sediments subcrop the Sarir Sandstone and provide a logical source. It is suggested that
this source, in conjunction with the Sirt Shale, could have partly charged the Sarir-C
field, as Sanford (1970), Robertson Research (1981) and Burwood (1997) recognised
hybrid mixing of oils in this field and in Surir-C North. Tar mats occur in all three fields
(UUI -65,Surir-C and Surir-C North), possibly relating to a mixibility reaction between
the oils. Another interpretation is that the tar preferentially developed in fault blocks
which were structurally depressed following initial oil migration; lighter fractions could
have migrated updip while heavier components (rich in asphaltenes) remained behind.
Tar often occurs in massive, thickly bedded sandstones such as those in the Middle Sarir
member in the UUI-65 field (Fig. 15).
MIGRATION AND ENTRAPMENT
Basin modelling was undertaken for the Hameimat Trough by Ghori and Mohammed
(1996) and Bender et ul. (1996). Bender et ul. (1996) suggested that the Sirt Shale entered
186 Sarir Sandstone, SE Sirt Basin, Libya

the oil window in the deeper parts of the Hameimat Trough (4-5000m) at about 40 Ma
(Fig. 16).The tectonic model adopted assumed early uniform extensionalrifting, succeeded
by strong flexural subsidence during the post-rift phase.
On the western margin of the Hameimat Trough, faulting has juxtaposed the source
intervals described above against Sarir Sandstonereservoirs.Thus a favourableframework
was established to feed the drainage system to the southern part of the basin via Sarir
reservoirs charged across fault lines and also via relay ramps. The model adopted by
Robertson Research (1981) required expulsion and migration southwards along the
eastern margin of the Messla High (Fig. 13). The fields along this migration pathway
(including Messla) were sequentially filled to spill. The conclusion of Bender et al.
(1996) that Messla oils are more mature than those of Sarir-C supports this model. The
last structure on the migration pathway, Sarir-C, is not filled to spill but is by far the
largest field in the area, with oils contributed from both the Sarir Trough (?Triassic
source) and Hameimat Trough (Upper Cretaceous source). However, the Variegated
Shale can be traced to the Surir-C area and may have also contributed to the oil charge,
resulting in the relatively high waxiness.
Trap types vary from structural (Sarir-C)to stratigraphic(Messla),in addition to both
hanging wall and footwallfault traps (UUI -65, W I -65)and horst-blockplays (Calanscio).
Trapping mechanisms were described by Ibrahim (199l),Ambrose (1996) and Gras and
Thusu (1998). The fields’ distribution mirrors the main structural trends, i.e. NNW-SSE
and E-W.
In the study area, hydrocarbon accumulations only occur within the Sarir Sandstone
and not at higher stratigraphic levels, with the exception of the Gialo area to the north.
This is probably due to the lack of maturity in potential Tertiary source intervals (at least
in the Sarir Trough), combined with the overall sealing characteristics of many of the
major faults. The degree of wrenching on many of the faults here is higher than in the
Gialo area, and Upper Cretaceous shales are commonly juxtaposed resulting in shale
smear. Together with fault cataclasis, this may have inhibited the migration of oil into
stratigraphically higher reservoirs.
The mode of oil entrapment on the margins of the Messla High varies with structural
style. On the southern margin of the High, three discovery Wells (JJI-65, UUI-65and
Wl-65)are hangingwall fault traps with separate oil-water contacts and the potential
resources along this trend are up to 1billion barrels in-place (Fig. 17).The reservoir units
are braided fluvial, fan-delta and aeolian sandstones in the Middle and Upper Sarir
Sandstones.In UUI-65(Fig. 15), Upper SarirSandstonescomprisepoorly-sorted,immature
lithic arenites deposited by fan-deltas building out from the Messla High. These reservoirs
unconformably overlie braided channel deposits of the Middle Sarir SandstoneMember,
which in this well are non-productive due to development of a tar mat. In general, these
hangingwall plays rely on both vertical and lateral fault seal. There is cross-fault seal
against basement rocks of the Messla High, and vertical seal is facilitated where the Late
Cretaceous shales arejuxtaposed across the fault plane. Wrenching has probably resulted
in the formation of impermeable fault gouge with attendant cementation by minerals
such as calcite, silica and anydrite. Smaller faults, often below the limit of seismic
resolution, may also form a lateral seal. This is beneficial when traps are created, but a
liability if the faults disrupt hydrocarbon migration routes or fragment a pre-existing
accumulation into severalindependentcompartments. Some faults may allow cross-flow
on a geological time scale but may act as effective barriers during the production life of
a field. Along the southernmargin of the Messla High, fault blocks are linked via a system
of relay ramps which act as migration pathways from the source kitchen to the south.
The relatively unfaulted, gently ramped eastern margin of the Messla High hosts the giant
Messla field. Here, entrapmentrelates to stratigraphiconlap of the Middle Sarir Sandstones
onto the gently-dippingbasement surface. The field was described in detail by Clifford
et al. (1980) and Kosec and Gherryo (1996).
 WEST EAST
(Ma88la Flald)
002-65 001-65 UU1-65 JJl-65 w1-65 HH11-65
h A a a a a
TOPTAGRIFET
RACHMAT FM
ETEL FM
TOP SARlR SS

MSS
RS
LSS

BASEMENT

om

150m
a
300m
rnJJ."OMW
Logs used: GR(LHS), LLD(RHS)

TETHYAN SHALE SEQUENCE

Upper Sarir Sandstone

Variegated Shale VV1-65

EAST
Middle Sarir Sandstone w y JJ1-65/ 7 : 1 1 - 6 5
002-65
RedShale
001-65
Lower Sarir Sandstone
0 10 20km
BASEMENT I I

Fig. 17. West to east stratigraphic cross-section,southern margin of the Messla High. The oils at Wells JJZ-65 and UUl-65 have non-
marine characteristics, while those at WZ-65 and HZZ-65 (Messla field) are more typical of a marine Sirt Shale source. 4
188 Sarir Sandstone, SE Sirt Basin, Libya

The structural history of the northern margin of the Messla High is outlined in Fig. 18.
The dominant Sarir Sandstone play relates to hanging-wall traps (e.g. the EE-80 and Z-
80 pools), and the fields show compartmentalisation due to faulting. Robertson Research
(1981) identified an Upper Cretaceous source for these oils.
The western margin of the Messla High displays a complex pattern of faulting, which
is dominated by the regional E-W “grain” and by structural inversion related to
transpressional faulting. Volcanic intervals are present in the Sarir Sandstone here,
resulting in abnormally high contents of illite, kaolinite and sometimes smectite (up to
30-50%).Two Sarir Sandstone oil pools occur in this area; the ‘0-80’ pool comprises
an inverted horst block, while the ‘T-80’pool is a simple structural culmination. Reservoir
quality in both accumulations is inhibited by high clay contents. Robertson Research
(198 1) suggested that the ‘0-80’ field may have been sourced from the Variegated Shale,
which was found to be of good source-rock quality to the west in Well GGGl-59. It was
suggested that an anoxic facies rich in freshwater algae could have been the source of
these high wax oils.
CONCLUSIONS
A pervasive sequence of Jurassic -Lower Cretaceous synrift sandstones and shales
blankets the SE Sirt Basin. The sequence onlaps major basement highs and thickens into
a number of half grabens. The name Sarir Sandstone is here adopted for this sequence
in line with usage by the main operator -AGOCO -as well as recent publications, and
it is recommended that the older (“Nubian sandstone”) nomenclature should be abandoned
in this area.
In the study area, the Sarir Sandstone is composed of four lithostratigraphically-
defined members. Regional correlation of the two shale members -the Red Shale and
the Variegated Shale- defines the architecture of the intervening sandstone reservoir
units. The resultant stratigraphic framework has both field-scale and regional integrity.
Importantimplications of this revised stratigraphic frameworkrelate both to new exploration
and also field appraisal opportunities. For example, a truncation play east of Messla field
involvesthe Variegated Shalecharging truncated Upper Sarir SandstoneMember reservoirs.
Also, new exploration opportunities, particularly hangingwall fault plays, should arise
in the Calanscio area, where contributions from the Variegated Shale and the post-rift
(Cenomanian) shales have probably been underestimated in the past. In the Sarir field,
the drilling of uplifted, eroded fault blocks targeting Middle Sarir Sandstone Member
reservoirshas proved successful. The importanceof discriminatingbetween these reservoirs
and those in the less productive Upper Sarir Sandstone Member is now fundamental to
field development and appraisal strategy.
Three petroleum systems involving the Sarir Sandstones are recognised in the study
area. The Upper Cretaceous “Tethyan” shale system is dominant, and has been widely
discussed with particular emphasis on source rocks assigned to the Sirt Shale. Source
rocks in the Etel, Rachmat and Tagrifet Formations are mature for hydrocarbon generation
in the Hameimat, Kalash and Calanscio Troughs but are probably immature in the Sarir
and Rachmat Troughs. Migration routes of 60-8Okm are required to charge the Messla-
Sarir field area. The Sarir Sandstone provides the main carrier bed, with conduits across
faults and via relay ramps providing the migration pathways.
The second petroleum system relates to the intra-Sarir, Variegated Shale source/seal.
This system is important in the Hameimat Trough and also to the west of the Messla High
and in the Calanscio Trough. In the Sarir Trough, the recognition of a pre-Sarir (?Triassic)
petroleum system has important implications, and distinctive non-marine oils in U U l -
65 and JJI -65belong to this system. A mixed Tethyan-Triassic-Variegated Shale source
is proposed for the Surir-C main and Surir-C north fields, and this mixing may have been
responsible for the development of tar mats in these fields.
 G. Ambrose 189

N S

STAGE 1 ( ? Early Jurassic )

STAGE 2 ( ? Early Jurassic )

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . .. ... ... ... ... .

. .. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. . .. . .. ... .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .

STAGE 3 ( ? Mid Jurassic )

i Middle Eocene

Upper Cretaceous
I "SS, @"

STAGE 5 ( Eocene )
USS = Upper Sarir Sandstone
VS =Variegated Shale
MSS = Middle Sarir Sandstone
RS = Red Shale
LSS = Lower Sarir Sandstone

Fig. 18. Depositional evolution of the Sarir Sandstone, northern margin of the Messla High.
Assigned ages are approximate.
190 Sarir Sandstone, SE Sirt Basin, Libya

The Messla High was a focus for oil migration during the Palaeogene. Transtensional
fault movements on the northern and southern margins of the high resulted in cataclasis
and shale smear, which led to entrapment of oil in hanging-wall traps. The gently ramped
eastern margin hosts the giant, stratigraphicMessla field. Faults bounding the Calanscio
High were mainly transtensional duringJurassic-Early Cretaceous rifting. Transpressional
fault movements dominated in the Cenomanian-Turonian with reactivation occumng in
the Tertiary-Recent.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author wishes to thank the management of the Arabian Gulf Oil Company for
encouraging this project during 1992-1997. Fareg Said (former Chairman), Ahmed
Asbali (Manager, Exploration Department), Abdullah Mansouri (Geological Manager,
Exploration Department) and Younis Faituri (Geophysical Manager, Exploration
Department) deserve particular thanks. Among my colleagues, I wish to thank R. Gras,
H. Stelzer (SchlumbergerGeoQuest), D. Huffman, Dr. B. Thusu,D. Donnelly (AGOCO),
J. Burgess (NTDME) and G. Peasley (Gulf Canada) for helpful discussions during the
project. The paper benefited from constructiveJournal reviews by R. Stoneley (Editorial
Board), M. L. Keeley (Editorid Board) and J. Blevin (AGSO). The support of the
Director of the Northern Temtory Geological Survey, Dr. R. Gee, and the fine efforts
of its drafting department are greatly appreciated.

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