Local Control on Fracture Patterns in Salt Dome Area

Salt halokinesis and the widespread development of salt domes in the southwest of the Arabian Gulf have significantly influenced the regional stress regimes, resulting in diverse and complex fracture patterns, particularly within the tight carbonate reservoirs of the Upper Jurassic (Noufal and Shebl, 2019). These fractures play a critical role in reservoir performance, yet their characterization remains a challenge due to the multi-phase tectonic overprints and the structural complexity introduced by salt-related deformation (Fig. 1). This study aims to investigate the fracture system developed above salt domes under Jurassic rifting, Late Cretaceous transtension, and Tertiary compression. By integrating seismic attributes, borehole imaging logs, and structural evolution analysis, we construct a conceptual fracture model to interpret local fracture patterns and validate them against dynamic data. The results demonstrate that fracture intensity and geometry vary with structural position around the salt dome—major fractures concentrate on the flanks in oval geometries, while crests remain less fractured. Additionally, NW-SE en-echelon fractures from Late Cretaceous transtension dominate areas away from the dome, and their overlap with salt-induced fractures creates highly complex systems in transitional zones. This work provides a practical workflow and geological insights for understanding and predicting fracture development in salt-influenced tight carbonate reservoirs.