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Clay Diagenesis in the Sandstone Reservoir of the Ellon Field (Alwyn, North Sea)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 February 2024

Lhoussain Hassouta ,
Martine D. Buatier ,
Jean-Luc Potdevin  and
Nicole Liewig
Lhoussain Hassouta
Affiliation:
Université Lille 1, URA 719, Laboratoire de Sédimentologie et Géodynamique, 59655 Villeneuve d'Ascq, France
Martine D. Buatier
Affiliation:
Université Lille 1, URA 719, Laboratoire de Sédimentologie et Géodynamique, 59655 Villeneuve d'Ascq, France
Jean-Luc Potdevin
Affiliation:
Université Lille 1, URA 719, Laboratoire de Sédimentologie et Géodynamique, 59655 Villeneuve d'Ascq, France
Nicole Liewig
Affiliation:
Centre de Géochimie de la Surface, CNRS, 1, rue Blessig, 67084 Strasbourg Cedex, France
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Abstract

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The nature, composition, and relative abundance of clay minerals in the sandstones of the Brent Group reservoir were studied between 3200–3300 m in a well of the Ellon Field (Alwyn area, North Sea). The sandstones have a heterogeneous calcite cement which occurred during early-diagenesis. Clay diagenesis of the cemented and uncemented sandstones was investigated using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction analyses (XRD), and infrared spectroscopy (IR). The influence of cementation on clay neoformation is demonstrated in this study. Detrital illite and authigenic kaolinite are present in both the calcite-cemented and uncemented sandstones suggesting that kaolinite precipitated before calcite cementation. In the uncemented sandstones, blocky dickite replaces vermiform kaolinite with increasing depth. At 3205 m, authigenic illite begins to replace kaolinite and shows progressive morphological changes (fibrous to lath-shape transition). At 3260 m, all sandstones are not cemented by calcite. Illite is the only clay mineral and shows a platelet morphology.

In the cemented samples, vermiform kaolinite is preserved at all depths, suggesting that dickite transformation was inhibited by the presence of the calcite cement. This observation suggests that calcite cement would prevent fluid circulation and dissolution-precipitation reactions.

Keywords

CalciteDiagenesisDickiteIlliteKaoliniteNorth SeaPressure-SolutionSandstone
Type
Research Article
Information
Clays and Clay Minerals , Volume 47 , Issue 3 , June 1999 , pp. 269 - 285
Copyright
Copyright © 1999, The Clay Minerals Society

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