QAB2033 - Topic 3 - Texture, Classification & Pore Types

Carbonate
Sedimentology
& Stratigraphy
QAB2033 Carbonate Sedimentology & Stratigraphy/Dr. Bernard Pierson
QAB2033
3. Carbonate Textures,
Classification & Pore Types
Carbonate Minerals
• 3 main minerals:
– CALCITE: CaCO3, rhombohedral, colorless to
white. High-Mg and Low-Mg varieties. Reacts
to acid (HCl). Chemically stable.
– ARAGONITE: CaCO3, orthorhombic, brown to
colorless. Reacts to acid (HCl). Chemically

metastable
– DOLOMITE: CaMg(CO3)2, rhombohedral,
white to yellow. Does not react to HCl.
Chemically stable.
Carbonate Constituents
• Carbonate grains:
– Skeletal grains: organically produced
particles, fossils or parts of fossil skeletons
– Non-skeletal particles: chemically or
mechanically produced grains
• Carbonate mud or micritic mud (matrix)

• Carbonate cement: crystals precipitated in
sediments after deposition
Carbonate Texture & Fabric
• Carbonate texture and fabric likely reflect the
energy level at the time of deposition
– Muddy limestones > low-energy environments
– Grainy limestones > high energy environments
• Textural composition is closely linked to reservoir
properties
• Textural classifications of carbonates based on
proportions of constituents (grains, mud matrix,
cement) could provide useful information on
depositional environment and reservoir character
Carbonate Rocks, Folk, 1962

Grain and Crystal Size Scale for
Carbonate Rock Textures:
Folk Classification (1962)
Over 2/3 lime mud matrix Subequal Over 2/3 spar cement
spar and
Percent Over Sorting Sorting Rounded
0-1% 1-10% 10-50 % lime mud and
allochems 50% poor good abraded
Repre- Micrite Fosili- Poorly

sentative and ferous Sparse Packed Unsorted Sorted Rounded
washed
rock dismicrite micrite biomicrite biomicrite biosparite biosparite biosparite
biosparite
terms
Micrite Sparry calcite cement
Folk (1962)
Carbonate Rock Textures:
Dunham Classification (1962)
Depositional texture recognizable Depositional
texture not
Original components not bound together Original recognizable
during depositon components
were bound
Contains mud (clay and fine silt-size carbonate) Lacks mud together
and is grain
Grain -
Mud - supported supported
supported
Less than More than
10% grains 10% grains
Mudstone Wackestone Packestone Grainstone Boundstone Crystalline

Classification Table of Skeletal
Limestones by Embry & Klovan, 1971
Wright, 1992
Classification Table of Limestones,
Lucia, 1995
Carbonate Texture Classification,
Carbonate Mudstone
• Mud-supported, less than 10% grains
Mud
Matrix
Rare Pelagic
Foraminifera
Calcite-filled
fractures
DEEP
MARINE
Carbonate Wackestone
• Mud-supported, more than 10% grains
Mud
Matrix
Large benthic
Foraminifera
Other benthic
Foraminifera
Shell
Fragments
SHALLOW
MARINE
Carbonate Wackestone
• Mud-supported, more than 10% grains
Mud
Matrix
Ammonites
Pelagic
Foraminifera
Thin shelled
Pelecypods
DEEP
MARINE
Carbonate Packstone
• Grain-supported, contains mud
Mud
Matrix
Ooids, stained
Red for calcite
Peloids, stained
Red for calcite
Benthic
Foraminifera
SHALLOW
MARINE
Carbonate Packstone
• Grain-supported, contains mud
Mud
Matrix
Pelagic
Foraminifera
Thin-shelled
pelecypods
Crinoid fragment
DEEP
MARINE
Carbonate Grainstone
• Grain-supported, contains no mud
No Mud;
Pores in black
Ooids
Bioclastic
Fragments
Aragonitic
Cement
SHALLOW
MARINE
Carbonate Grainstone
• Grain-supported, contains no mud
No mud
Leached Ooids
Primary porosity
Filled with
Calcite cement
SHALLOW
MARINE
Carbonate Boundstone
• Original components were bound together
Coral
Texture
Mud
Infill
Calcite
Cement
SHALLOW
MARINE
Carbonate Boundstone
• Original components were bound together
Stromatolite
Texture
Mud
layering
Calcite
Cement
SHALLOW
MARINE
Crystalline Carbonate
• Depositional texture is not recognizable
Dolomite
Crystals
Ghosts of
Peloids?
Texture not
Recognizable
Probably
SHALLOW
MARINE
Porosity in Carbonates
• Porosity in carbonates is highly affected by
diagenesis:
– Cementation
– Dissolution and leaching
– Dolomitization
• Porosity is an important aspect of reservoir
properties
• Porosity classification of carbonates provides
useful information on depositional and
diagenetic environments and reservoir character
Pore Types in Carbonate Rocks:
Classifications
Pore types
Cavernous
Intergrain Mouldic fracture
intercrystal intrafossil solution-enlarged
shelter fracture
Archie (1952)
Matrix
Visible (A, B, C and D)
Lucia (1983)
Vuggy
Interparticle
Separate Touching
Choquette and Pray (1970)

Fabric selective Non fabric selective
Carbonate Pore Types:
Primary Porosity
1a. Intergranular 1b. Intragranular 1c. Fine Intergranular

Primary Porosity
1a. Intergranular
1b. Intragranular
Secondary, Solution-enhanced Porosity
2a. Solution-enhanced 2b. Solution-enhanced 2c. Solution-enhanced

intergranular intragranular fine intergranular
Secondary, Solution-enhanced Porosity
1 mm
2a. Solution-enhanced Intergranular
2b. Solution-enhanced Intragranular

Secondary, Mouldic Porosity
3a. Skeletal mouldic 3b. Ooid/pellet mouldic 3a. Crystal mouldic

Secondary, Mouldic Porosity
3a. Skeletal Mouldic porosity
3b. Ooid mouldic porosity

Vugs, Channels, Fractures, Intercrystalline
5. Fractures
4. Vugs and channels
6. Intercrystalline
Vugs, Channels, Fractures, Intercrystalline
4. Vugs and channels 5. Fractures

Intercrystalline
6. Dolomitic intercrystalline
6. Micro-dolomitic intercrystalline
Porosity-Permeability Relationship:
Variations with Pore Types
20 x
10 x
10,000
10 x
1,000
Intergranular matrix
Ø = 20% k = 400 mD
Fracture porosity
Ø = 3% K > 10,000 mD 100
Skeletal mouldic porosity

Permeability [mD]
40 x in fine intergranular matrix

10 Ø = 20% k = 18 mD
4000 x SEM
Measuring limit of
40 x
routine analysis
0.1
Intercrystalline porosity
Ø = 20% K = 8,000 mD
Fine-intergranular
0.01 porosity
10 20 30
Porosity [%]
Ø = 20% k = 0.2-2 mD
20 x
Mouldic porosity
in cement matrix
Ø = 20% k = 18 mD
J.W. Focke 1985

Impact of Pore Type on Petro-
physical Properties of Carbonates
PSI 30 2010% 100 50 0%
1500
Rock-type
Water sat.
Ø = 24.1%
Porosity
1000
Mouldic
limestone
Prod.
30.4% Tests:
Ø = 30.4%
Oil?
500
Water/Oil
24.1%
Ø = 30.4%
Sucrosic Oil?
dolomite
Water
Capillary pressure curves Water/Oil
Ø = 24.1% ?
Impact of Pore Type on Petro-
physical Properties of Carbonates
1000 psi 1000 psi

500 500
100 100
Sucrosic dolomite Mouldic oolite

QAB2033 - Topic 3 - Texture, Classification & Pore Types

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Carbonate

colorless. Reacts to acid (HCl). Chemically

• Carbonate mud or micritic mud (matrix)

Carbonate Rocks, Folk, 1962

Repre- Micrite Fosili- Poorly

Micrite Sparry calcite cement

Mudstone Wackestone Packestone Grainstone Boundstone Crystalline

Choquette and Pray (1970)

1a. Intergranular 1b. Intragranular 1c. Fine Intergranular

2a. Solution-enhanced 2b. Solution-enhanced 2c. Solution-enhanced

2a. Solution-enhanced Intergranular

2b. Solution-enhanced Intragranular

3a. Skeletal mouldic 3b. Ooid/pellet mouldic 3a. Crystal mouldic

3a. Skeletal Mouldic porosity

3b. Ooid mouldic porosity

4. Vugs and channels

4. Vugs and channels 5. Fractures

Skeletal mouldic porosity

40 x in fine intergranular matrix

J.W. Focke 1985

1000 psi 1000 psi

Sucrosic dolomite Mouldic oolite

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