The Impact of Anhydrite Mineralization on Reservoir Quality of the Dolomites of Arab Formation; a Case Study from a Hydrocarbon Field in the Persian Gulf

The Late Jurassic Arab Formation, as an excellent example of the classic carbonate-evaporate sequences, constitutes one of the most prolific hydrocarbon reservoir in the Persian Gulf and adjacent areas. In this study, regarding the importance of dolomite reservoirs throughout the world, and the effects of anhydrite mineralization on these reservoirs, the impact of anhydrite texture, its distribution and abundance within the dolomite intervals of the Arab Formation is investigated. In this respect, the integration of the results from core description, petrographic studies as well as core poroperm values and the mercury injection capillary pressure data have been used. The petrographic analysis indicates that there is a strong relationship between the percentage, texture and distribution of anhydrite in the reservoir. Anhydrite has been developed as uniform and patchy distribution in the reservoir with poikilotopic, nodular, pore filling and bedding textures. Generally, the reservoir intervals with the uniform anhydrite distribution are correlatable with the high percent anhydrite samples, and nodular and pore filling textures. In contrast, the intervals with patchy anhydrite cover the reservoir dolomites with low percent anhydrite and poikilotopic texture. The assessment of poroperm data and parameters extracted from the mercury injection capillary pressure tests indicates that the dolomites with patchy anhydrite, poikilotopic texture and low anhydrite content, due to the large pore throats radius, comprise the best reservoir units of the Arab Formation.