Stratigraphic Architecture of the Acacus Formation within the Cherouq

Concession, Southern Tunisia

Ken Abdulah1, Terry Axtmann1, Ed Caamano1, Ursula Rehfeld-Kiefer2, Ross McCabe3

and Nick Miles4

1 Pioneer Natural Resources UK Ltd., 62 Goldsworth Road, Woking, GU21 6LQ, UK

2 Corex UK Ltd., Howe Moss Drive, Kirkhill, Dyce, Aberdeen, AB21 0GL, UK
3 Chemostrat Ltd., Buttington, Cross Enterprise Park, Welshpool, Powys, SY21 8SL, UK
4 Petrostrat Ltd, Tan-y-Graig, Parc Caer Seion, Conwy, LL32 8FA, Wales, UK

Abstract
Pioneer Natural Resources, Tunisia Ltd., drilled 12 wells between September 2006 and June 2008 in the
Cherouq Concession, located within the northern portion of the Ghadames Basin, southern Tunisia. The
primary targets of this exploration and production campaign were the Silurian sandstones of the Acacus
Formation which are also found to produce within the adjoining Adam, Larich and Oued Zar Concessions.
Recent discoveries have also been made by operators in the Borj El Khadra and Jenein Sud exploration
permits. Depositional models for the Acacus sandstones have been developed based on the analysis of
well-log stacking patterns from these 12 wells, descriptions from approximately 282m of continuous whole
core taken across the Acacus A interval in the El Badr-2 well, and chemostratigraphic and palynologic data
from 6 of the 12 wells.

The Acacus A and Acacus B sandstones were deposited during the Silurian Ludlow Epoch (Gorstian and
Ludfordian Ages) in response to transgressive-regressive cycles. Well-log stacking patterns show laterally-
extensive transgressive surfaces of erosion that link many of the sandstones to deposition along an
extensive, stable shelf. Within the more distal sections of these successions, shoreline-detached storm
deposits erode into mid-outer shelf mudstones and silty claystones.

The transgressive-regressive cycles are supported by palynologic data, which point to varying amounts of
land-derived miospores, and by chemostratigraphic data highlighting increases in detrital feldspar and
zircon and decreasing marine organic content used as guides to shoreline proximity. Occasional slumps
and soft sediment deformation, recorded in the whole core, point to periods of more rapid shoreface
progradation.

Hummocky cross-stratified storm deposits are common, and document highstand deposits during
progradation. The tops of these storm deposits are often characterised by fairly distinctly-developed
reworked horizons. Maximum flooding events are often marked by increased chlorite concentrations,
higher organic matter preservation, accompanying siderite cementation and, lithologically, by the formation
of incipient hardgrounds.

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Introduction
The Silurian Acacus Formation continues to be
an exploration target within the Ghadames basin
of southern Tunisia since its description as a
new, emerging play based on a better
understanding of the low-resistivity nature of the
pay sands in early 1996 (Aissaou et al., 1996).
The southeast to northwest progradation of the
Tannezuft and Acacus Formations was
demonstrated by Dardour et al., 2004, in their
discussion of the stratigraphy of the Libyan
sector of the Ghadames Basin. This paper
focuses on the results of Pioneer Natural
Resources Tunisia Ltd’s exploration efforts
within what is now the Cherouq Concession of
southern Tunisia (Figure 1).
Stratigraphy
The Acacus Formation of southern Tunisia have
been found to range in age from upper Ludlow to
Pridolian (Ben Ferjani et al., 1990), and is
informally subdivided into the lower Acacus A,
the middle Acacus B, and the upper Acacus C,
based on well logs (Aissaou et al., 1996). The
Acacus A and B intervals, which form the lower
and middle Acacus, respectively, are the primary
focus of exploration within the Cherouq
Concession. Biostratigraphic analyses confirm
the Silurian age, and assign them to the Ludlow
Epoch (Gorstian and Ludfordian Ages). In
addition to the presence of palynofloral events,
correlations throughout the study area have been
based on the integration of well-log stacking
patterns, and chemostratigraphy.
Chemostratigraphy has been used successfully in
the past as an important aid to stratigraphic
correlation within sediments of Paleozoic age
(Pearce et al., 2005, and 2007). The value of
chemostratigraphy can be further enhanced when
combined with detailed biostratigraphic data, and
with this in mind, 6 of the 12 wells drilled in the
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Cherouq Concession between September 2006
and June 2008 were selected for detailed
chemostratigraphic and biostratigraphic analyses.
The well data base is shown as an inset in Figure
2.
Based on the chemostratigraphic data, the
Acacus Formation has been subdivided in to five
main Packages, each with a number of Units and
Subunits based on the correlation of key
elemental ratios. The methodology follows that
described by Pearce et al., 2005. An example of
the chemical stratigraphic zonation for the
Cherouq Concession wells is shown in Figure 3,
where three of the Packages and their units are
highlighted. The chemostratigraphic data were
generated at sample intervals of 9m over the
critical productive targets, and at a broader
interval of 30m above and below the main
producing targets. Correlations were relatively
consistent between wells and were used to
complement semi-regional correlations based on
palynological data and well-log stacking patterns
(Figure 2).
The palynological data have served three
important purposes, i.e., 1) the recognition of
age-diagnostic datums, 2) the use of palynofloral
events to highlight variations in the abundance of
taxa and refine the chronology, and 3) the
quantification of the relative abundance of non-
marine miospores as an indicator of shoreline
proximity. Table 1 shows the age-diagnostic
palyno-markers, and Table 2 summarizes some
of the additional, higher-frequency palyno-
events.
Figure 1 – Location map of southern Tunisia showing the Cherouq Concession. Pioneer Natural
Resources is active in those blocks shown in yellow and green. Chemostratigraphic and biostratigraphic
analyses were carried out on the 6 wells highlighted on the inset map. 282m of whole core were taken in
the EBR-2 well.

Event
presence of Cymbosphaeridium pilar
top Neoveryhachium carminae
top Baltisphaeridium areolatum granulatum/ 'nongranulatum'
presence of Baltisphaeridium areolatum granulatum/'nongranulatum'
top Dateriocradus monterrosae
top Domasia bispinosa
base Dateriocradus monterrosae
Age
no younger than Pridoli
no younger than Ludlow, lower Ludfordian
no younger than Ludlow, Gorstian
no older than Ludlow, Gorstian
no younger than Wenlock, basal Homerian
no younger than Wenlock, lower Sheinwoodian
no older than Llandovery, upper Telychian

Table 1 – Age-diagnostic palynofloral events

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 Event
top Cymbosphaeridium pilar sensu lato
top increase 1 Leprotolypa gordonense
top increase Multiplicisphaeridium cladum
acme Cymbosphaeridium? cariniosum
top Neoveryhachium carminae
top Veryhachium lairdii
top Duvernaysphaera aranaides
top increase 2 Leprotolypa gordonense
top increase Neoveryhachium carminae
top Barathrisphaeridium 'crassimurum'
base increase Leprotolypa gordonense
top increase Barathrisphaeridium 'crassimurum'
top increase Ammonidium 'varium'
top increase Ancyrochitina polentinensis
base increase Ancyrochitina polentinensis
base increase Barathrisphaeridium 'crassimurum'
base increase Ammonidium 'varium'
top Emphanisporites 'distalverrucosus'
base abundant Tasmanites spp.
top Baltisphaeridium areolatum granulatum/'nongranulatum'
top increase Pterochitina 'parvivelata'
base increase Pterochitina 'parvivelata'
base common Cymbosphaeridium pilar forme B sensu Jardine et al., 1972
top increase Multiplicisphaeridium saharicum
top increase Baltisphaeridium areolatum granulatum/'nongranulatum'
base increase Baltisphaeridium areolatum granulatum/'nongranulatum'
top abundant Tasmanites spp.
top Dateriocradus monterrosae

Table 2 – Higher-order palynofloral events

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Figure 2 – Stratigraphic correlations and markers used in the Cherouq Concession. Chemostratigraphic
markers: P3-U1a,b,c, and P3-U2a,b,c, all show good correlation considering the sample interval of 9m.
Red and green markers are transgressive surfaces (TS) and flooding surfaces (FS and MFS), respectively,
based on well-log stacking patterns. Flooding surfaces C and D are based on palynology and
chemostratigraphy. MDT points are shown as red horizontal dashes to the right of the log tracks. Tick
marks, shown along the vertical scale to the left of the figure, are spaced 10m apart.

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Figure 3 – Examples of chemostratigraphic zonations for the Acacus Formation. The major Packages are
further subdivided into units, and subunits (not shown) based on key elemental ratios.

6

Although the entire Acacus section analysed in
this study was deposited in an open-marine shelf
environment, varying amounts of terrestrial
miospores are present. The abundance of these
non-marine palynomorphs decreases seaward,
becoming rare to absent within the outer shelf.
The relative abundance of the non-marine
miospores versus marine acritarch assemblages
has been used as an additional indicator of major
marine flooding events. These clay-rich
intervals also correlate with sections shown to be
rich in both chlorite and siderite with higher
U/Zr ratios indicating higher organic matter
preservation. Figure 2 shows the correlation
between two Cherouq Concession wells.
Flooding surfaces C and D are based on both
chemostratigraphic and biostratigraphic data.
Sedimentology and Sequence
Stratigraphy
Previous interpretations of the Acacus Formation
within the Libyan sector of the Ghadames Basin
show the presence of shallowing-upward fluvio-
deltaic sequences, from pro-delta shales, up
through alternating channel and interchannel
sands and shales (Dardour et al., 2004). These
prograding deltaic Acacus sandstones form
important Silurian reservoirs in Libya (Bertello
et al., 2003).
To complement the chemostratigraphic and
palynologic data sets within the Cherouq
Concession, some 282m of continuous whole
core were taken in the El Badr-2 well. In
addition to a full suite of reservoir engineering
data, a major focus of the core data was to get a
better understanding of the sedimentology and
depostional environments of the Acacus
sandstones within the concession. The whole
core data, when integrated with well-log stacking
patterns, palynology and chemostratigraphy,
indicate that the Acacus Formation was
deposited during 5 to 6 third-order cycles. A
number of higher, fourth-order cycles can be
identified within the Acacus and the correlation
of well-log stacking patterns shows wide spread
deposition across what appears to have been a
very gentle, and relatively stable shelf. The
continuous nature of the sandstones is also
supported by MDT measurements that show
pressure communication, for instance, between
the A1 sands of Figure 2.
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Storm deposits can be seen in the whole core that
show increasing frequency and amalgamation as
the Acacus section shallows upward from
intervals characterized by open-marine shale, up
into highly-bioturbated fine-grained sands and
silts, of the lower shoreface. These shallowing
upward cycles continue into upper shoreface
sands. Figure 4 shows one of these cycles in the
El Badr-2 well, as seen on normalized vclay
curves and in whole core.
Finely-laminated, non-bioturbated silts and
shales are also found to occur within the El Badr-
2 core (Figure 5). Palynological analysis of
samples form these intervals show diverse
marine assemblages with very low percentages
of terrestrial miospores suggesting very low
terrestrial input (6 - 7%). The diverse marine
assemblages indicate open-marine circulation.
However, the interval also contains abundant
pyrite which implies anoxic bottom waters, and a
hence a stratified water column. The
suppression of burrowing infauna is attributed to
the anoxic conditions. Fluctuating periods of
anoxia, during the Silurian, have been described
by Pfluger, 1999, within the Murzuk Basin of
southwest Libya. In addition, unusually
cohesive behaviour of the sediment, expressed
by diverse internal structures of the sediment, is
considered to be related to microbial stabilisation
of loose sediment grains, i.e., “biostabilisation”
of Seilacher, 1999. This is a characteristic feature
throughout the clay and siltstone deposits and is
related to the activity of microbes
(cyanobacteria). This strongly substantiates the
thesis of intermittent anoxia, since microbial
mats can only be preserved in places where
grazing and burrowing are effectively suppressed
for extended periods of time.
Summary
The sedimentolgy and stratigraphy of the Acacus
Formation within the Cherouq Concession of
southwest Tunisia have been examined through
well-log stacking patterns from 12 wells,
chemostratigraphy, biostratigraphy for 6 wells,
and detailed sedimentologic analysis of 282m of
continuous whole core. The Acacus section has
been found to be made up of a number of cycles
of shoreface progradation across a fairly stable,
low-gradient shelf. Amalgamated storm deposits
shallow up through bioturbated lower-shoreface
deposits, and upwards into upper shoreface
sands. Periods have occurred where the shelf
was characterized by a stratified water column Yorkshire Geological Society, Occassional
with anoxic bottom waters resulting in the Publications, v.7, p.147-164.
preservation of finely-laminated, non-bioturbated Pfluger, F., 1999, Matground Structures
sediments with abundant pyrite. These and Redox Facies, Palaios, v.14, p. 25-
prograding Acacus shorefaces and associated 39.
storm beds continue to be attractive exploration Seilacher, A.,1999, Biomat-related
targets within the southern Tunisian sector of the lifestyles in the Precambrian.-Palaios,
Ghadames Basin. v.14, p. 86-93.

Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the respective
management teams from Pioneer Natural
Resources and ETAP for permission to publish
this paper and for the opportunity to participate
in EPC 2008.

References Cited
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Figure 4 – Coarsening upward from bioturbated lower shoreface silts and very-fine sands with interbedded and amalgamated storm beds, up into possible upper
shoreface sands. This interval is followed by a fining-upward sequence with bioturbated silts and very-fine sands, which are ultimately capped by shales and an
associated flooding surface. A normalized vclay curve and core log are shown to the left of the core photos. The horizontal gradations on the well log are spaced
10m apart. Core sections are in 1m lengths.

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Figure 5 – Very-finely laminated silts and shales from the El Badr-2 core showing no signs of bioturbation.
Biostratigraphic analyses indicate that this section was deposited in an open shelf environment. Abundant
pyrite points to anoxic bottom waters, which lead to the suppression of
burrowing infauna. Centimeter scale shown to
the left of the core.

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