Diagenetic quartzarenite and destruction of secondary porosity: An example from the Middle Jurassic Brent sandstone of northwest Europe

Research Article| April 01, 1989 Diagenetic quartzarenite and destruction of secondary porosity: An example from the Middle Jurassic Brent sandstone of northwest Europe Nicholas B. Harris Nicholas B. Harris 1Exploration Research and Services Division, Conoco Inc., P.O. Box 1267, Ponca City, Oklahoma 74603 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Nicholas B. Harris 1Exploration Research and Services Division, Conoco Inc., P.O. Box 1267, Ponca City, Oklahoma 74603 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1989) 17 (4): 361–364. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1989)017<0361:DQADOS>2.3.CO;2 Article history First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Nicholas B. Harris; Diagenetic quartzarenite and destruction of secondary porosity: An example from the Middle Jurassic Brent sandstone of northwest Europe. Geology 1989;; 17 (4): 361–364. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1989)017<0361:DQADOS>2.3.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Significant amounts of feldspar have been dissolved from Middle Jurassic sandstone oil reservoirs in the North Sea (northwest Europe) during burial diagenesis. Sandstones of the Middle Jurassic Brent Group become increasingly quartzose with increasing burial depth. At Stafford field (2500 m depth), sandstones are arkose to subarkose; at Hutton field (3050 m depth), they are subarkose to quartzarenite; and at Lyell field (3500 m depth), sandstones are typically quartzarenite. In spite of extensive feldspar dissolution, the abundance of secondary porosity due to feldspar dissolution is similar for all fields, averaging 2.9% of the total rock volume. Thus, far more feldspar has been dissolved than is recorded as secondary porosity. The limit on preservation of secondary porosity may be largely the effect of the mechanical strength of the rock. An excessive number of large secondary pores lowers the rock strength below the point at which the rock can withstand overburden stress, thus causing collapse of some of the secondary pores. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.