Computerized Tomography Reveals Aptian Rudist Species and Taphonomy

Abstract

Computerized tomographic (CT) scans of cored carbonates fromthe Lower Aptian Shu’aiba Formation reveal clearly defined rudistprofiles. Formation MicroImager (FMI) logs from the equivalentcored wellbore also display images related to the rudist content. Variousrudist species can be identified in the cores and provide a key tothe identification of the CT and FMI rudist images. As certain rudistspecies preferentially occupied different environments during theEarly Aptian deposition of the Shu’aiba Formation carbonates, theirrecognition in the cores, CT and FMI images can be used to assistdetermination of palaeoenvironments, lithofacies and reservoir facies.This new ability to identify rudist images in FMI logs in uncoreddevelopment wells can be used to extend depositional facies modelsinto uncored parts of the hydrocarbon reservoir models.