Abstract: Petrographic and Reservoir Features of Hauterivian (Lower Cretaceous) Shatlyk Horizon in the Malay Gas Field, Amu-Darya basin, East Turkmenia

Haki Naz, Alpay Ersan

Malay gas field in Amu-Darya basin, eastern Turkmenia, is located on the structural high that is on the Malay-Bagadzha arch north of the Repetek-Kelif structure zone. With 500 km² areal coverage, 16 producing wells and 200 billion m³ estimated reserves, the field was discovered in 1978 and production began in 1987 from 2400-m-deep Hauterivian-age (Early Cretaceous) Shatlyk horizon. The Shatlyk clastic sequence shows various thickness up to 100 m in the Malay structural closure and is studied through E-log, core, petrographic data and reservoir characteristics. The Shatlyk consists of poorly indurated, reddish-brown and gray sandstones, and sandy gray shales. The overall sand-shale ratio increases up and the shales interleave between the sand packages

The reservoir sandstones are very fine to medium grained, moderately sorted, compositionally immature, subarkosic arenites. The framework grains include quartz, feldspar and volcanic lithic fragments. Quartz grains are monocrystalline in type and most are volcanic in origin. Feldspars consist of K-Feldspar and plagioclase. The orthoclases are affected by preferential alteration.

The sandstones show high primary intergranular porosity and variations in permeability. Patch-like evaporite cement and the iron-rich grain coatings are reducing effects in permeability. The coats are pervasive in reddish-brown sandstones but are not observed in the gray sandstones. The evaporite cement is present in all the sandstone samples examined and, in places, follows the oxidation coats. The petrographic evidences and the regional facies studies suggest the deposition in intersection area from continental to marine nearshore deltaic environment.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90951©1996 AAPG International Conference and Exhibition, Caracas, Venezuela