‫بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم‬

Sedimentology and Reservoir Geology of the

Upper Biyad Sandstone Formation in Sayun -
Masila Rift Basin-East Shabwa, Yemen.

By
Musaab Ahmed A.Rahman Mohamed
Bsc Geology, Baghdad University, 1999

Supervised By: Dr. Ali Sayed Mohammed Ibrahim

Thesis Out lines
Aim of the study

Location of the Study Area

Tectonic and Geological Review

Methods of Investigation

Subsurface Facies Analysis

Sandstone Petrography

Heavy Mineral Analysis

Clay Mineral Analysis

Summary and Conclusion

 Aim of the study

The current research is concerned with the following:

 To characterize the sedimentary facies and depositional paleo-

environments besides establishing a facies depositional model for
Biyad Formation that can be used as a tool in directing the future
exploration efforts.

 To investigate the basin evolution, intensity of palaeo-

weathering, sediment transportation processes, depositional history
and source rock origin.
 To infer the effect of the depositional regime and the
diagenetic processes on reservoir and source rocks
quality of the study intervals.
 Location of the Study Area
 The Sayun - Masila basin have an area of more than 50,000 sq km, that located
to the east of the central of Yemen south-east bordering with Saudi Arabia's part
of Rub' Al Khali (empty quarter) and the area was divided into 12 blocks.

 Block 10 East Shabwa, is operated by Total, contains three producing fields

that consists of Atuf, Kharir, and Jathama fields. With a surface of 964 sq km,
Block 10 lies in the heart of Hadhramout east of the Republic of Yemen in the
north part of Sayun – Masila basin (After PEPA 2006).

 The Block 10 oil field is situated 25km south of Sayun City and approximately
600 km east of the capital Sana'a. In general, the study area lies between latitudes
15° 38' 3" and 15° 45' 11" N, and Longitudes 48° 44' 25" and 48° 53' 35" E
(Figure 1.5).

 The Sayun - Masila Basin as whole trends approximately E-W, but

sub-basins within it, separated by intra-basinal highs, have a NE-SW
trend. The northern margin of the Basin runs through Block 10, most of
the Block being located on the southern margin of the South Hadramawt
Arch (Figure 1.5 and 2.3).
 Figure (1.1): Yemen location map
within the Middle East (Adelphi
Energy 2005).

Figure (1.5): Location of the study area (Adelphi Energy 2005).

Figure (2.3): Yemen structural elements map with principal highs/uplifts and
basins, modified after Beydoun 1996.
 Tectonic and Geological Review
 The movement of the Arabian plate away from Africa in a NE direction since 40
Ma (Beydoun 1970) led to opening of two young oceanic basins: the Red Sea,
between Africa (Nubia) and Arabia, and the Gulf of Aden between Somalia and
Arabia. These two oceanic basins are connected within area of Afar triple junction.
Yemen is located on the south western corner of the Arabian plate on the eastern
margin of the Red Sea and on the northern margin of the Gulf of Aden, opposite to
Afar depression. The western part of Yemen represents a typical volcanic margin
resulting from the magmatic activity of Afar since 30 Ma.
 In plate-tectonic terms, the area lies within the Arabian Plate. It covers the
Republic of Yemen, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the U.A.E., Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan,
the fertile crescent of Syria and Iraq, south eastern Turkey, and south western Iran
during the Paleozoic and earliest Mesozoic.
 Geologically, the principal features defining the area can be assigned to
three causes (Beydoun, 1988): extensional events in southern and eastern
Arabia that result from seafloor spreading in the Gulf of Aden and the Red
Sea with the generation of incipient ocean basins; compressional folding
in the north and northeast in the Taurus- Zagros-Oman Orogenic Zone
consequent upon continent collision; and strike-slip faulting along the
Dead Sea Rift or Levant Fracture Zone (Figs. 2.1 and 2.2).
Figure (2.1): Arabian plate with the regional related plates and movements
(Beydoun 1988).
Figure (2.2): Structural interpretation of the Arabian Plate (Beydoun 1988).
 Rifting in Yemen

Jurassic – Eocene/ Oligocene

Pre-Mesozoic Mesozoic Rifting Tertiary Rifting

Basement Highs, Separation of the India-Madagascar Extension of the Gulf of

mountains and plate from the African-Arabian
Archs. Margin through a rejuvenated
movement.
Up to 7 kilometers of
Mesozoic sediments.
Aden-Red Sea and
subsequent related
subsidence resulted in the
developing of a number of
rift basins in the Neogene.

Sedimentary Basins in Yemen

Paleozoic Mesozoic Tertiary

Basins Basins Basins
 Lithostratigraphic Units of Sayun-Masila Basin

Precambrian Basement
Complex

Granitic or metamorphic

Pre-rift Sequence

Kohlan S.st Fr.

Shuqra Fractured L.st

Late Jurassic – Early Cretaceous

Syn-rift Sequence

Madbi Fr

Naifa Fr

Moderate to deep
marine carbonates
and claystones.

Kimmeridgian - Early Berriasian

 Early-Mid Cretaceous to Tertiary
Post-rift Sequence

Saar L.st Fr

Qishn L.st Fr

Biyad S.st Fr

Umm er Radhuma
Fr

Figure (2.5): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 Reconstruction of schematic basin evolution of the

Sayun-Masila Basin through different phases of rifting (Cross section modified
after Redfern and Jones 1995).
Figure (2.6): Chronostratigraphy for the three main basins in Yemen
(after Beydoun 1997)
 Methods of Investigation

In this study, the subsurface Cretaceous sediments of Kharir Field in the

Sayun - Masila Rift Basin were investigated essentially by six
sedimentological techniques that included :

1. Subsurface facies analysis which was based on cutting samples and

two conventional cores descriptions as well as on interpretation of four
wire line logs besides two seismic section analysis and interpretation.

2. Petrographic analysis that included thin sections microscopic analysis,

scanning electron microscopic (SEM) and heavy mineral analysis .

3. Clay mineral analysis using X-ray diffraction technique (XRD).

 Subsurface Facies Analysis

The purposes of Subsurface sedimentary facies of the Lower Cretaceous strata

in the Sayun - Masila Basin are to characterize the facies associations, and to
identify the depositional environment, paleoclimate, paleogeographic setting
and basin development besides constructing a facies depositional model.

Eight lithofacies Based on:

types have been
recognized and
identified
4 Wire line logs
2 conventional cores Depositional Units
2 Seismic sections
100 Cutting samples

Fluvio – Deltaic dominated Sequences Unit

Tidal Estuarine-dominated Sequences Unit

Shallow Marine-dominated Sequences Unit

Figure (4.2): Description and interpretation of core no.2 in KHA 4 well.
Figure (4.12): Correlation of Gamma Ray and Spontaneous Potential logs of core
no.1 in the Biyad Formation, KHA 3 well.
Seismic Analysis and Interpretation

The maximum thickness of the Cretaceous sediments in the SW part of the

Kharir Field is about 3144 m.
The main styles of seismic facies reflection patterns that could be
recognized within the three seismically defined units that covered study
area are:

Parallel and subparallel Divergent reflections Hummocky clinoform

reflections pattern pattern pattern

Uniform rates of Differential Small clinoform strata

deposition subsidence rates in lobes of a delta that
the half-graben had undergone
distributary switching
Facies Control

The studied lihofacies and the associated depositional patterns of the

Sayun – Masila Basin were controlled by both autocyclic and allocyclic
processes. These processes include tectonic movements, paleoclimatic
factors and the mechanisms of the depositional processes.
 Figure (4.28): Interpreted seismic
section of line 88 E S 155 V.

Figure (4.29): Cross section B – B'

interpretation of seismic line 88 E S
155 V.
 Sandstone Petrography
Investigations of the thin section and scanning electron microscope analysis for the
core samples from Biyad Formation in the Kharir Field resulted that feldspar
percentages is 8.53 – 18.17 %. The percentages of the quartz are between 73.33 –
90.7 % and the lithic fragments are ranging between and 0.78 – 9.0 %. Depending
on this, the sandstones of Biyad Formation are classified as quartz arenites and
sub-litharenites.
The tectonic modal analysis of the sandstones indicated that they derived from
transitional provenance between stable craton and recycled orogen.
In addition of the diagenetic features which affected the Biyad Formation reservoir
quality; quartz overgrowths, clay infiltration and authigenesis, feldspar alteration
and calcite cementation and dissolution. The sandstones of the Biyad Formation are
mainly affected positively and negatively in their reservoir quality by the
depositional environments as well as by the subsidence of the basin besides the
structural relief variations that had happened during the initiation of the rifting
phase, which gave rise to the quick transportation and the rapid burial of
the sediments. The two types of porosity (Primary and Secondary) were
observed in the investigated samples.
Table 5.5: The percentages of quartz, feldspar and all other rock fragments which
were used in the sandstones classification.
Figure 5.1: A. Classification of Biyad sandstones in Kharir area (after Folk, 1968;
Pettijohn et al., 1987). B. Tectonic setting of the Biyad sandstones (after Dickinson,
1985; Tucker, 1991).
Plagioclase dissolution

Grain contacts (Arrows)

Pyrite cementation

Pyrite cementation

Quartz overgrowth
(Arrows)

Plagioclase dissolution

Carbonate precipitation

Plate 5.1: Photos A, Depth 1745m & E, Depth 1726m; show quartzarenite sandstone
from Core 1 in Biyad Formation, KHA 1 well, Kharir Field.
Ion oxides cementation

Carbonate precipitation

Plagioclase dissolution

Plagioclase dissolution

Carbonate precipitation
& cementation

Plate 5.1: Photos P, Depth 1790m & Q, Depth 1865m; show sublitharenite sandstone
from Core 2 in Biyad Formation, KHA 1-37 well, Kharir Field.
Quartz overgrowth

Kaolinite – Illite
filling

Authigenic
Kaolinite

Illite – Smectite as
pore filling

Plate 5.6: SEM micrograph of samples from: A) KHA 1-18; depth 1794m, B) KHA 1;
depth 1726m, C) KHA 1; depth 1726m & D) KHA 1-18; depth 1873m.
 Heavy Mineral Analysis
Analysis of the heavy minerals of the studied strata resulted that the amounts of
the heavy minerals apatite and garnet are more than those of zircon, tourmaline
and rutile. This indicates a metamorphic source rock of originally dioritic and/or
granodioritic composition for the sediments of the study area.

Three heavy mineral zircon-rutile index zone (Zri)

assemblage zones with a patite-tourmaline index zone (ATi)
obvious lateral and vertical
continuity were identified: garnet-zircon index zone (GZi)

Four major textural maturation levels were established for Biyad Formation
strata depending on the ZTR (zircon-tourmaline-rutile) index as well as on the
SEH (sillimanite-epidote-hornblende) index. These maturation levels are:
Overmature.

Immature Mature

Moderately mature
 Figure 6.1: Vertical distribution of
heavy minerals and relevant
assemblage zones in KHA 1-37 well
within Kharir Field.
 Figure 6.2: Heavy minerals ZTR
and SEH indicators with maturity
levels in KHA 1-37 within Kharir
Field.
Plate 6.1: Heavy
Minerals
Plate 6.2: Heavy
Minerals
 Clay Mineral Analysis
Five clay mineral Two clay mineral
XRD charts
SEM micrograph species were zones could be
identified. recognized.
The higher amount of the kaolinite in the lower zone suggests most probably the
intensity of chemical weathering and leaching processes under warm humid
climate. The marked presence of smectite in the upper zone suggests that the warm
humid climate was interrupted by dry seasons.

The factors that can control clay minerals content in sedimentary rocks according
to (Keller 1956, Mason 1966, chamely 1989 and Moore & Renolds 1997):
1. The composition of the source rocks.
2. The environmental conditions at the sites of weathering and deposition.
3. The nature of the transport processes.
4. The physical and chemical conditions at the site of deposition.
5. The nature and activity of the biomass at the site of deposition.
6. Tectonic and volcanic events during weathering, transport and
deposition.
7. Diagenetic processes.
 Figure 7.2: XRD charts of the clay minerals
that occurs in the studied KHA 1 well, depth
1726m at the kharir Field.

Figure 7.1: Vertical

distribution of clay minerals in
the Upper Biyad Formation in
KHA 1 well.
c) Pseudohexogonal
booklets and
vermicular
aggregates of stacked
platelets of altered
kaolinite.

d) Illitization of
kaolinite.

i) Aggregates of Plate 7.1: SEM Micrograph for the clay minerals of KHA 1 well.
kaolinite, illite and
chlorite filling a
pore.
j) Partially
authigenic rosette
chlorite linked with
membranous illite.
k) stacked smectite.

l) Hairy like radially

disposed crystals of
illite with
transformation of
smectite to illite
during burial
diagensis.

Plate 7.3: SEM Micrograph for the clay minerals of KHA 1-37 well.
m) Lining mat
smectite sourced by
alteration of mica.

n) illit/smectite
bridging a cross a
pores throats.
 Summary and Conclusion
1. The analysis and description of the facies from the conventional cores of the
Biyad Formation in the Kharir field revealed the presence of eight major lithofacies
types; all of them are siliciclastic sediments.
2. Based on wire line logs, cores and cutting samples description and analyses and also
on seismic sections analysis, the Lower Cretaceous strata in Kharir Field can be
classified into three different units of first-order sequences that represent: fluvio-deltaic
dominated unit, tidal-estuarine dominated unit and shallow marine dominated unit.
3. The tectonic modal analysis of the sandstones indicated that they derived from
transitional provenance between stable craton and recycled orogen. The sandstones
have some lithic components consisting mainly of metamorphic and igneous with
some metasedimentary fragments, and are low in feldspar and volcanic derived
fragments. Sediments derived from the recycling of orogenic belts are varying in
composition, reflecting the different types of orogen. Lithic grains exists in many
recycled orogen sandstones, and in those derived from continental collision mountain
belts, quartz plus sedimentary rock fragments dominate, and then the
metamorphosed equivalents of the latter as deeper levels of the orogen are
uplifted. A predominance of quartz grains indicates derivation from
metamorphic and igneous and pre- existing sedimentary as the probable
source.
4. In addition of the diagenetic features which affected the Biyad Formation reservoir
quality; quartz overgrowths, clay infiltration and authigenesis, feldspar alteration and
calcite cementation and dissolution. The investigations of the thin section and
scanning electron microscope indicated that the sandstones of the Biyad Formation are
mainly affected positively and negatively in their reservoir quality by many other
diagenetic processes. These processes included; the depositional environments, which
had controlled the distribution of the facies and sediment thickness within the basin as
well as by the subsidence of the basin besides the structural relief variations that had
happened during the initiation of the rifting phase, which gave rise to the quick
transportation and the rapid burial of the sediments.
5. Analysis of the heavy minerals of the studied strata resulted that the amounts of the
heavy minerals apatite and garnet are more than those of zircon, tourmaline and rutile.
This indicates a metamorphic source rock of originally dioritic and/or granodioritic
composition for the sediments of the study area. Three heavy mineral assemblage
zones with obvious lateral and vertical continuity were identified: a zircon-rutile index
zone (ZRi), a patite-tourmaline index zone (ATi) and a garnet-
zircon index zone (GZi). However, four major textural maturation levels
were established for Biyad Formation strata depending on the ZTR (zircon-
tourmaline-rutile) index as well as on the SEH (sillimanite-epidote-
hornblende) index. These maturation levels are: immature, moderately
mature, mature and overmature.
6. Based on X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for the
studied samples of Biyad Formation, five minerals indicated on the clay minerals
analysis and investigation. These clay minerals are: kaolinite, illite, smectite,
illite/smectite mixed layer and chlorite. Furthermore, two clay mineral zones could be
recognized witch reflected mainly different environmental and diagenetic conditions.
Each zone reflects different percentages of the five clay minerals indicated. The lower
zone consists of high kaolinite, low smectite and illite, high chlorite clay minerals
percentages. However, the upper zone consists of low kaolinite, high smectite and
illite and low chlorite clay minerals percentages. The two zones have the similar rare
amounts of the illite - smectite mixed-layer clay mineral. The higher amount of the
kaolinite in the lower zone suggests most probably the intensity of chemical
weathering and leaching processes under warm humid climate. The marked presence
of smectite in the upper zone suggests that the warm humid climate was interrupted by
dry seasons. Moreover, increase of illite, chlorite, mixed layer illite/smectite and a
higher illite crystallinity in the upper zone, indicates mixed and transitional influences
from environmental/ tectonic to burial diagenetic controls.
7. Clay minerals distribution and concentrations throughout the study area were
controlled by several processes and factors. These factors and processes
include: composition of the source rock, the environmental conditions at
the site of weathering and deposition, the nature of transport, the physical
and chemical conditions at the site of deposition, tectonic event and
diagenetic processes.
Questions Comments