CHARAKTER I GENEZA ZMIENNOŚCI WŁAŚCIWOŚCI ZBIORNIKOWYCH DOLNOKREDOWYCH PIASKOWCÓW WĘGLOWIECKICH (KARPATY ZEWNĘTRZNE)

Abstract

ORIGIN OF VARIABILITY OF RESERVOIR PROPERTIES OF THE EARLY CRETACEOUS WĘGLÓWKA SANDSTONE (OUTER CARPATHIANS)

Abstract. The Early Cretaceous Węglówka Beds is the reservoir of the Węglówka Oil Field, one of the earliest discovered in the Outer Carpathians (exploitated since 1888). This region is the cradle of world oil exploration and petroleum industry. The Węglówka Beds form two anticlines within the half-window of the Sub-Silesian Unit. A sedimentological analysis of several sections revealed the following lithofacies of the subaqueous gravity flow: conglomeratic sandstones (SC), sandstones (S), sandstone-mudstone couplets (SM), mudstone-sandstone couplets (MS) and mudstones (M). Apparent density and water absorptivity were determined for 47 sandstone samples collected from the facies SC, S, SM. The 15 most differentiated samples were selected for further petrographic and diagenetic studies with optical and scanning electron microscopes, X-ray diffraction and cathodoluminescence. Furthermore, mercury injection curves and permeability coefficients were determined. The results of analyses indicate that two factors are responsible for the good/positive reservoir properties of the Węglówka Sandstone. The first factor is the early and limited siliceous cementation. Siliceous sponge spicules and very fine quartz grains were the source of sparse chalcedonie cement and microcrystalline quartz, which formed rims around the grains while pores remained free. Compaction was inhibited and initial porosity was preserved to a large extent. Stronger chalcedonie cementation and the reduction of porosity occurred only locally as the result of the high content of biogenic silica. The other factor is the carbonate cement, which occurs only in spots (concretions). Carbonate cementation brought about a large reduction of the pore space within the concretions, which survived compaction and siliceous cementation. Both carbonate cement and carbonate detrital material were observed only within concretions. Corrosion of quartz and feldspars was the only trace of primary carbonates in their close vicinity. In turn, the abundance of the carbonate cement and a loose grain framework in the carbonate concretions was the evidence of the early origin of concretions. The study has revealed that the mineral composition of the detrital components controlled the diagenesis and formation of specific assemblages of cements and thus played the main role in modelling the reservoir properties of the Węglówka Sandstone. Those properties were controlled by the sedimentary conditions (facies) to a far lesser extent.