Abstract
Extensive dissolution of evaporites has occurred in the Williston Basin, Canada, but it is unclear what effect this has had on bulk permeability. The bulk of this dissolution has occurred from the Prairie Evaporite Formation, which is predominantly halite and potash. However, minor evaporite beds and porosity infilling have also been removed from the overlying Dawson Bay and Souris River formations, which are predominantly carbonates. This study examines whether permeability values in the Dawson Bay and Souris River formations have been affected by dissolution, by analyzing 142 drillstem tests from those formations. For both the Dawson Bay and Souris River formations, the highest permeabilities were found in areas where halite dissolution had occurred. However, the mean permeabilities were not statistically different in areas of halite dissolution compared to those containing connate water. Subsequent precipitation of anhydrite is known to have clogged pore spaces and fractures in some instances. Geochemical relationships found here support this idea but there is no statistically significant relationship between anhydrite saturation and permeability. Geomechanical effects, notably closure of fractures due to collapse, could be a mitigating factor. The results indicate that coupling dissolution and precipitation to changes in permeability in regional flow models remains a significant challenge.
Résumé
Une dissolution d’évaporites de grande envergure s’est produite dans le Bassin de Williston, au Canada, mais son incidence sur la perméabilité en général n’est pas évidente. La majeure partie de la dissolution a eu lieu à partir de la Formation Evaporitique Prairie qui est à dominante de halite et de sylvinite. Cependant, des petits lits d’évaporite et un remplissage de la porosité ont aussi été exportés depuis les formations surincombantes de Dawson Bay et de Souris River qui sont à dominante carbonatée. La présente étude examine si les valeurs de perméabilité dans les formations de Dawson Bay et de Souris River ont été affectées par la dissolution, grâce à l’analyse de 142 essais aux tiges pratiquées dans ces formations. Pour la formation de Dawson Bay comme pour celle de Souris River, les perméabilités les plus élevées ont été rencontrées dans les zones où a eu lieu la dissolution de halite. Cependant, les perméabilités moyennes n’ont pas été statistiquement différentes dans les zones de dissolution de la halite et dans celles contenant de l’eau connée. La précipitation ultérieure de l’anhydrite est reconnue pour avoir fermé des espaces poreux et dans quelques cas des fractures. Les relations géochimiques rencontrées ici confortent cette idée mais il n’y a pas de relation statistiquement significative entre la saturation de l’anhydrite et la perméabilité. Les effets géo-mécaniques, notamment la fermeture des fractures par affaissement, pourrait avoir été un facteur d’atténuation. Ces résultats montrent que le couplage de la dissolution et de la précipitation en vue de modifications de la perméabilité dans les modèles d’écoulement régionaux reste un défi de taille.
Resumen
Se ha producido una amplia disolución de evaporitas en la cuenca de Williston, Canadá, pero no está claro qué efecto ha tenido ello sobre la permeabilidad global. La mayor parte de esta disolución se produjo a partir de la Formación Prairie Evaporite, que es predominantemente halita y carbonato de potasio. Sin embargo, también se han eliminado capas menores de evaporita y rellenos de la porosidad de las formaciones suprayacentes de Dawson Bay y Souris River, que son predominantemente carbonáticas. Este estudio examina si los valores de la permeabilidad en las formaciones Dawson Bay y Souris River se han visto afectados por la disolución, mediante el análisis de 142 pruebas de barras de perforación de esas formaciones. Para las formaciones Dawson Bay y Souris River, las permeabilidades más altas se encontraron en áreas donde se había producido la disolución de halita. Sin embargo, las permeabilidades promedio no fueron estadísticamente diferentes en las áreas de disolución de halita en comparación con las que contienen agua connata. Se sabe que la precipitación posterior de anhidrita ha obstruido en algunos casos espacios de poros y fracturas. Las relaciones geoquímicas encontradas aquí respaldan esta idea, pero no existe una relación estadísticamente significativa entre la saturación de la anhidrita y la permeabilidad. Los efectos geomecánicos, especialmente el cierre de fracturas debido al colapso, podrían ser un factor atenuante. Los resultados indican que el acoplamiento de la disolución y la precipitación a los cambios en la permeabilidad en los modelos de flujo regionales sigue siendo un desafío significativo.
摘要
在加拿大Williston盆地,蒸发岩大量溶解,但不清楚溶解对体积平均渗透性有什么样的影响。大多数溶解出现在大草原蒸发岩地层,蒸发岩地层猪油是岩盐和碳酸钾。然而,小的蒸发岩层和孔隙填充物也被从上覆的、主要为碳酸盐的Dawson Bay 和 Souris River 地层中溶解出。通过分析Dawson Bay 和 Souris River 地层142个钻杆试验结果,本研究检查了Dawson Bay 和 Souris River地层渗透性值是否受到了溶解的影响。发现Dawson Bay 地层和 Souris River地层渗透性最高的地方就在岩盐溶解的地方。然而,在岩盐溶解的地方,相比于包含原生水的地方,平均渗透性统计上并没有什么不同。在某些情况下,随后的硬石膏沉淀会堵塞孔隙空间和断裂。发现这里的地球化学关系支持整个观点,但在硬石膏饱和和渗透性之间没有统计学上的重大的关系。岩土力学影响,即,由于崩塌造成的断裂明显闭合可能是一个缓解因素。结果表明,在区域水流模型中,溶解和沉淀对渗透性的变化仍然是一个重要的挑战。
Resumo
Vasta dissolução de evaporitos têm ocorrido na Bacia Williston, Canadá, entretanto não está claro qual o efeito gerado na permeabilidade total. Grande parte dessa dissolução tem ocorrido a partir da Formação Evaporítica das Prairies, predominantemente composta for halita e potassa. Entretanto, camadas evaporíticas menos pronunciadas e preenchimento de porosidade também têm sido removidas a partir das formações Dowson Bay e Souris River sobrejacentes, compostas predominantemente por carbonatos. Este estudo examina se as permeabilidades das formações Dowson Bay e Souris River têm sido afetadas pela dissolução através da análise de 142 testes drillstem destas formações. Para ambas as formações, as maiores permeabilidades foram encontradas em áreas de ocorrência de dissolução de halita. Entretanto, as permeabilidades médias não se apresentaram estatísticamente diferentes em áreas de dissolução de halita comparadas com áreas contendo água conata. Precipitação subsequente de anidrita é reconhecida por ter colmatado poros e fraturas em alguns casos. As relações geoquímicas aqui encontradas corroboram com essa evidência, porém não há relação estatisticamente significativa entre a saturação de anidrita e a permeabilidade. Efeitos geomecânicos, notavelmente o fechamento de fraturas por colapso, podem configurar um fator de atenuação. Os resultados indicam que a articulação de dissolução e precipitação em relação às variações de permebilidade em modelos de fluxo regionais permanece um desafio significativo.
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Funding
This research was supported by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Collaborative Research and Development grant CRDPJ 500161-16, a grant from the International Minerals Innovation Institute and additional funding from Nutrien, the Mosaic Corporation and BHP.
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Woroniuk, B., Tipton, K., Grasby, S.E. et al. Salt dissolution and permeability in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. Hydrogeol J 27, 161–170 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-018-1871-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-018-1871-6