Abstract
The paper considers the problematics of identifying proper analogues for understanding carbonate and clastic reservoir distribution and prediction in the Lower Permian and Upper and Lower Carboniferous within the Dnieper-Donets basin.
The focus of the exploration team was finding meandering rivers. This choice was proven good in mapping reservoirs and finding traps deeper in the Upper and Middle Carboniferous, although for Permian clastic section the approach was not helpful. The second option was desert dunes, but poor sorting of reservoirs suggests a more complex picture. Analogues such as desert environment is quite logical for describing Lower Permian as aridic climate, with red and brown shales and sands.
Lower Permian reservoirs have a moon-like shape in the vertical sections that could be easily mistaken for river channels, but in such a dry climate, it is very likely water flow channels with sporadic hurricane-related activities. Core and logs shows chaotic grain sizes, but more with fine grains with almost no coarse grains. The source of sedimentary material could be mountains of Ukrainian Rock Shield from the South and Voronezh massif from the North.
This conceptual model is proposing not to look for meandering channels, but more for braided channels with poorly sorted material. The current time analogue could be the Oman desert between the mountains and peninsula. From satellite images, braided channels are clearly visible in the direction towards the Indian Ocean. The channels’ internal structure is quite heterogeneous.
This method suggests exploration targets with possible widths of the channels as big as hundreds of meters and their lengths under 10 and between 10-20 kilometres maximum.
PROCESS-BASED MODELING OF COASTAL DUNE DEVELOPMENT