Geological and Geostatistical Aquifer Characterization of Wajid Sandstone, Saudi Arabia

The book summarizes research work on the Wajid Sandstone, which provides integrated field and laboratory data to enable a detailed description of this unit including a facies analysis, porosity data, as well as permeability data to establish aquifer models. Detailed facies analysis at outcrop scale are supported by vertical and lateral sedimentological sections, facies and environmental analysis and supplemented by detailed laboratory petrographical and petrophysical data. The analysis and interpretation of the outcrop analog models include the reconstruction of the stratigraphic architecture at outcrop scale. Moreover, the results were described statistically, analyzed and eventually establish an outcrop-based aquifer model analogue. The book benefits undergraduate, graduate and researchers working on applied sedimentological studies, hydrogeology, statistical and geostatistical analysis and modeling. Preface Acknowledgments Contents Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Location of Study Area 1.3 Objective 1.3.1 Technical 1.3.2 Other 1.4 Methods of Study 1.5 Literature Review 1.5.1 Paleozoic Aquifers 1.5.2 Wajid Sandstone 1.5.3 Quantitative Geological Modeling 1.5.4 Application of Reservoir/Aquifer Outcrop Analog References Chapter 2: Field Sedimentological Study 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Field Methods and Techniques 2.3 Outcrop Sampling Plan and Design 2.4 Wajid Members Facies Description 2.4.1 Lower Dibsiyah Member (Cambro-Ordovician) 2.4.2 Upper Dibsiyah Member 2.4.3 Upper Dibsiyah-Sanama (Ordovician-Lower Silurain?) 2.4.4 Khusayyayn Member 2.4.5 Summary of Lithofacies and Depositional Environments References Chapter 3: Laboratory Investigation 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Rock Sample Description 3.2.1 Lower Dibsiyah Member 3.2.2 Upper Dibsiyah Member 3.2.3 Upper Dibsiyah-Sanamah Member 3.2.4 Khusayyayn Member 3.3 Porosity Measurements 3.4 Permeability Measurements 3.5 Thin Section Petrography 3.5.1 Lower Dibsiyah Member 3.5.2 Upper Dibsiyah Member 3.5.3 Upper Dibsiyah-Sanamah Member 3.5.4 Khusayyayn Member 3.6 Wajid Texture, Composition and Porosity-Permeability Relations 3.6.1 Texture and Porosity-Permeability for Lower Dibsiyah Member 3.6.2 Texture and Porosity-Permeability for Upper Dibsiyah Member 3.6.3 Texture and Porosity-Permeability for Upper Dibsiyah-Sanamah Member 3.6.4 Texture and Porosity-Permeability for Khusayyayn Member 3.6.5 Texture, Porosity-Permeability Relations: Discussion References Chapter 4: Quantitative Modeling Approaches 4.1 Background 4.2 Modeling Methodologies 4.2.1 Statistical Methods 4.2.2 Geostatistical Procedures 4.2.2.1 The Semivariogram 4.2.2.2 Estimation and Conditional Simulation Models References Chapter 5: Statistical and Geostatistical Analyses 5.1 Sampling Strategy and Dataset 5.2 Statistical Analysis of Porosity and Permeability in the Outcrops 5.2.1 Lower Dibsiyah Member (LDM) 5.2.2 Upper Dibsiyah Member (UDM) 5.2.3 Sanamah Member (SNM) 5.2.4 Khusayyayn Member (KNM) 5.3 Geostatistical Modeling 5.3.1 Experimental and Model Semivariogram of Porosity and Permeability in the Outcrops 5.3.1.1 Lower Dibsiyah Member (LDM) 5.3.1.2 Upper Dibsiyah Member (UDM) 5.3.1.3 Sanamah Member (SNM) 5.3.1.4 Khusayyayn Member (KNM) 5.3.2 Geostatistical Modeling Plan 5.3.3 Porosity and Permeability Kriging Models of the Outcrops 5.3.3.1 Lower Dibsiyah Member (LDM) 5.3.3.2 Upper Dibsiyah Member (UDM) 5.3.3.3 Sanamah Member (SNM) 5.3.3.4 Khusayyayn Member (KNM) References Chapter 6: Conclusions and Recommendations 6.1 Field Sedimentological Analysis 6.2 Thin Section Petrography 6.3 Texture/Composition and Porosity-Permeability Relations 6.4 Statistical and Geostatistical Modeling of Porosity and Permeability 6.5 Recommendation Appendixes Appendix A: Sample Sedimentological Description Appendix B: Petrographic Thin Section Description Appendix C: Permeability and Porosity Meters