Previous

Contents

Next

Sedimentary and petrophysical characteristics of Paleozoic rocks of north Gabal Qabaliat, south west Sinai, Egypti
M. A. Ragab, I. M. Hassanien1 and M.A.E. Kassab

National Research Center, Earth Sciences Dept., Cairo, 1Egyptian Petr.
Research Inst., Exploration Dept., Cairo, Egypt.,

Paleozoic rocks exposed at N Gebal Qabaliat, South West Sinai can be distinguished into:

- Araba Fm (Early Cambrian) shallow marine and tidal zone arenitic and ferruginous sandstone, claystone and sandy claystone;
- Naqus Fm (Cambrian) aeolian arenitic and ferruginous sandstone, and
- Abu Durba Fm (Carboniferous) fluviomarine clayey sandstone and dolostone.

Their effective porosity may be of secondary origin due to diagenesis that affected these rocks (compaction, cementation, precipitation of gypsum and halite, and decomposition of feldspars). The electrical resistivity measurements of dolostone are high due to their lower effective porosity and higher density and cement material, whereas the electrical resistivity of the sandy claystone is the lowest due to their higher clay content and mounce potential, and lower tortuosity. The differences in electrical resistivity values in horizontal and vertical directions show that the samples have anisotropic fabric. The ultrasonic velocity of the dry samples increases by decreasing effective porosity and clastic materials, whereas that of the saturated samples by brine solution of high concentration depends mainly upon the clay content. The sandstone rocks of the Naqus Fm therefore are considered good reservoir rocks, due to their high reservoir properties (effective porosity and permeability).