The effect of diagenesis on reservoir quality of Mamu Sandstone, Anambra basin, Nigeria

Abstract

The petrography and powder diffraction analyses were integrated to study the effect of diagenesis on the reservoir quality of the Mamu Sandstone in areas around Enugu, southeastern Nigeria. The sands are moderately to well sorted, very fine to fine grained feldspathic arenite deposited in diverse environments of upper to lower shoreface and sub-environments of delta plain. Pressure solutions, authigenic clays and quartz and feldspar overgrowths are the main diagenetic features of the sandstones in the area. These diagenetic features result in mechanical and chemical compaction, alteration of framework grains and precipitation of dissolved grains. In varying degrees, coating of clasts and filling of pore-spaces by clay and heavy minerals reduced the pore throat diameter, which caused mild reduction of the porosity and permeability of sands. Despite these observed diagenetic effects, the Mamu sands still have the potential to serve as good hydrocarbons reservoir especially for gas.