Effects of late diagenesis on primary reservoir quality of a quartz arenite unit: a case study from the lower Cretaceous successions of SW Iran

In this study, a sandstone interval of the lower Cretaceous successions in SW Iran is analyzed regarding the effects of late diagenesis on the alteration of primary reservoir quality and pore system. Petrological and geochemical analyses indicate dominant quartz mineralogy (quartz arenite) deposited in distributary channel and mouth bar environments which is embedded in delta front to prodelta argillaceous sediments. Rather than mineralogy and some remaining primary (intergranular) porosity, several late (burial) diagenetic processes including multi-phase carbonate cementation, chlorite cementation, and chemical compaction, affected the reservoir quality. Most of the diagenetic processes had a decreasing effect on the primary reservoir quality. All recognized diagenetic features are related to burial diagenesis of the surrounding open marine shales (clay mineral transformation) and expelled diagenetic fluids.