Microfacies, depositional environments and diagenetic processes of the Ilam Formation in both sides Balarud and Zagros Mountain Front faults (South of Lurestan Area and North of North Dezful).

This research is based on sedimentological study of 4 surface (Kabir kuh, Samand, Anjir and Anaran) and 8 subsurface wells in the Lurestan, North Dezful and Abadan plain with a total thickness of 1592 m. The Santonian – Lower Campanian Ilam Formation is a carbonate hydrocarbon reservoir in the Zagros fold – thrust belt, in SW Iran. Twenty microfacies were recognized based on microscopic study. Microfacies analysis led to the recognition of four facies belts including inner (shoal), mid, outer ramp, and basinal setting. Correlation of depositional environments together with lateral facies changes indicate deposition are distally steepend ramp. Deep marine and inner ramp facies are the most and least facies, respectively in the study area. As the distribution of inner ramp facies is very limited, it can only be recognized in wells from North Dezful and Abadan plain.The results obtained from facies together with analyses of wireline logs clearly shows a northward deepending of the depositional environment from Balarud Fault. Cementation, micritization, compaction, solution seams, neomorphism, disolution, fracturing, pyritization, phosphatization, gluconitization and bioturbation are the main diagentic processes. However, cementation is most dominant in shallow marine facies in the Abadan plain, whereas, pyritization, stylolite and fracture are the most prevailing processes in deeper marine facies of the Ilam Formation in Lurestan. There is a limited distribution of porosity, but the most dominant types are, interpartical, microporosity and fracture related porosity. The Ilam carbonates are mostly affected by shallow to deep burial diagenesis in Lurestan,