Impact of sedimentological heterogeneity on subsurface storage in net-transgressive, shallow-marine sandstones: Cliff House Sandstone, New Mexico, USA
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Net-transgressive, shallow-marine sandstone reservoirs overlain by thick mudstone seals are prime candidates for storage of CO2, H2 and thermal energy. Although these reservoirs have high net-to-gross ratios, analogous outcrops demonstrate a wide range of sedimentological heterogeneities that are sampled only sparsely or at low resolution in subsurface data. We use a combination of outcrop data, sketch-based reservoir modelling and flow diagnostics to assess the impact of sedimentological heterogeneities on subsurface storage.
The Cliff House Sandstone outcrop example comprises wave-dominated shoreface sandstones arranged in aggradationally-to-retrogradationally stacked parasequences, which overlie and pass up depositional dip into mudstone-dominated coastal plain, lagoonal and tidal flat deposits that encase channelised tidal and tidally influenced fluvial sandbodies. Reservoir models of this outcrop example demonstrate that effective horizontal permeability, flow patterns and displacement, and stratigraphic trapping potential are controlled by: (1) the packaging of shoreface sandstones into laterally extensive parasequences bounded by offshore mudstones; (2) the spatial distribution, connectivity and permeability of channelised sandbodies; and (3) the localised connections between channelised sandbodies and shoreface sandstones. The last two parameters are likely to be poorly constrained in subsurface seismic and well data, and their potential effects require evaluation in reservoir modelling studies.
The Cliff House Sandstone outcrop example comprises wave-dominated shoreface sandstones arranged in aggradationally-to-retrogradationally stacked parasequences, which overlie and pass up depositional dip into mudstone-dominated coastal plain, lagoonal and tidal flat deposits that encase channelised tidal and tidally influenced fluvial sandbodies. Reservoir models of this outcrop example demonstrate that effective horizontal permeability, flow patterns and displacement, and stratigraphic trapping potential are controlled by: (1) the packaging of shoreface sandstones into laterally extensive parasequences bounded by offshore mudstones; (2) the spatial distribution, connectivity and permeability of channelised sandbodies; and (3) the localised connections between channelised sandbodies and shoreface sandstones. The last two parameters are likely to be poorly constrained in subsurface seismic and well data, and their potential effects require evaluation in reservoir modelling studies.
Date Issued
2025-12-01
Date Acceptance
2025-02-19
Citation
Geoenergy, 2025, 3 (1)
ISSN
2755-1725
Publisher
The Geological Society
Journal / Book Title
Geoenergy
Volume
3
Issue
1
Copyright Statement
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/4.0/). Published by The Geological Society of London for GSL and EAGE. Publishing disclaimer: https://www.lyellcollection.org/publishing-hub/ publishing-ethics
License URL
Identifier
10.1144/geoenergy2024-022
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
1
Date Publish Online
2025-04-02