T-R sequence stratigraphy by recognition of microfacies types and paleoenvironment of

the Asmari formation in the Zagros foreland basin (Karanj Oil Field)
Ashkan Vafadar1 vafadar@geologist.com, Yazdan Golestan2 yazdan.golestan@gmail.com
1,2

Department of Geology, Islamic Azad University Tehran North Branch

Abstract:
The Asmari formatin contains the most important and perimier oil reservoir of the Zagros
foreland basin. This formation in subsurface section of the study area consists of 354m
limestone, dolostone and anhydrite layers in some depths. Microscopic investigations of the
core samples and drilling cuttings of the mentioned deposits have led to recognition of 12
microfacies types. Vertical analysis of these microfacies and their depositional texture and
fauna, represented fife facies belts including supratidal, intertidal, open lagoon, shallow open
marine and deep open marine or basin. Interpretation of the microfacies and depositional
subenvironments and comparing with standard models of carbonate deposition demonstrates
that the Asmari formation in studied section was deposited in a carbonate ramp. Sequence
stratigraphic study based on the T-R methodology caused to detection of three 3rd order T-R
sequences and three maximum flooding surfaces (MFS) as the lowest sequence gradationally
has been deposited over the Pabdeh formation with conformable boundary (MRS) and the
upper sequence has been formed with an unconformable boundary under the Gachsaran
formation.
Keywords: (Asmari, T-R Sequence, microfacies, paleoenvironment, Zagros )
Introduction
The oligo-miocene Asmari carbonate formation is the most important and premier oil
reservoir in the Zagros sedimentary basin. This prolific formation accounted for the major
share of hydrocarbon production. The type section of this formation in the first time is
designated by Richardson (1924) at Tang-e-Gele Tursh on the southwest flank of the kuh-e
Asmari Anticline. After him Thomas (1948) has described, it consists of 1030ft (314m)
resistant, feature-forming, cream to brown weathering well-jointed limestone, dolomitic
limeston and argillaceous limestone (Motiei, 1993). Contacts with the overlying Gachsaran
and underlying Pabdeh at the type section are comformable (James and Wynd, 1965).
Many sedimentological and stratigraphic studies about Asmari formation deposits were
carried out (Seyrafian, 2000; Vaziri-Moghaddam et al., 2006; Rahmani et al., 2009).
However, considering the importance of this formation among the other oil reservoirs in
explorations and petroleum geology, needs more studies and comprehensive researches. This
widespreading formation has not been studied in understudy subsurface section of the Karanj
oil field yet. In this study, Asmari deposits from one of the several drilled wells in the
mentioned field are investigated by microfacies analysis, paleoenvironment reconstruction
and recognition of the T-R sequence components in the framework of sequence stratigraphy.

Study area geological setting

The Zagros mountain belt is approximately 1500 km long, 250-400 km wide, and runs from
eastern Turkey, where it connects to the North and East Anatolian faults, to the Oman Gulf,
where it dies out at the Makran subduction zone. The belt lies on the former Arabian passive
margin that is covered by up to 10 km of Infracambrian to Miocene sediments (James and
Wynd, 1965). By the Late Triassic, the Neo-Tethys ocean had opened up between Arabia
(which included the present Zagros region as its northeastern margin) and Iran (Berberian and
King, 1981).In Jurrasic, orogenic movement caused Zagros Basin divided into several basins,
included the Fars arc, Dezful Embayment (Khuzestan province) and Lurestan Basin, from
south to northeast respectively (Alavi, 2004). Then during the Oligocene-Miocene this basin
was gradually narrowed and theAsmari Formation was deposited (Vaziri-Moghaddam et al.,
2010).
The Karanj oil field is located at about 115 km southeast of Ahvaz and 40 km east of
Ramhormoz in the Dezful Embayment of Zagros foreland basin. which is situated between
the Parsi and Paranj fields at north and the Aghajari field at south in southwestern Iran(Fig.1).

Fig. 1: Location of study area at the Northeast of Dezful Embayment in the Zagros Foreland Basin

Methodology
This research is based on subsurface study of the Asmari formation deposits in one of the
drilled wells of Karanj oil field including sedimentological studies of the core samples and
interpretation of petrophysical logs. In the basis of studied stratigraphic section, there was
354 m of drilled layers belonging to the Asmari formation. Our investigations were carried
out on 370 thin sections prepared from available core samples of the mentioned deposits.

Microscopic assessments of these samples have led to recognition of 12 Microfacies

Types. These microfacies types and their vertical changes were taken to account for the
interpretation of depositional setting and detection of Asmari formation paleoenvironment in
the studied section. Microfacies types were classified and described according to the
proposed method by Dunham (1962). Also, the same 330 samples and well-log data were
used for sequence stratigraphy analyses.
Results and discussions
The first step of investigations is recognition of microfacies types (MFT) such as:
MFT.1) Pelagic mudstone:
This microfacies is mainly composed of high percentage of micrite reach to 90% that is fine
grained microcrystalline limestone, also rare present of planktonic foraminifera in few
samples (less than 10%). This MF have been deposited in a low energy deep environment
under quiet water. It can be compared with the Standard Microfacies No.3 (SMF.3) of Wilson
(1975), also comparable with Ramp Microfacies No.5 (RMF.5) of Flugel (2004) belonging to
the open marine facies zone (Fig. 2-1).
MFT.2) Fenestrate mudstone:
This microfacies consists of fine grained microcrystalline limestone with developed
fenestrate structures. Shinn (1983) considered similar facies representative of a intertidal
environment, where trapped air between irregularly-shaped deposits leads to the development
of birdseyes (Fig. 2-2).
MFT.3) Anhydrite:
This facies is almost completely composed of anhydrite layers with few intercalations of
mudstone and dolomitic limestone. It can be comparable with the SMF.25 of wilson (1975)
and the same RMF.25 of Flugel (2004) belonging to the peritidal zones, mainly supratidal
environment (Fig. 2-3).
MFT.4) Bioclastic peloids ooids grainstone:
This is a well-sorted facies with a grainstone texture, in which the main allochems are
dominantly superficial ooids and peloids. Minor allochems are shell fragments of
porcelaneous benthic foraminifera. This MF have been deposited in modarate to high energy
environment in the middle ramp setting and may be formed by storm-induced (Tucker and
Wright, 1990). Its comparable with RMF.29 of Flugel (2004) related to the open lagoon or
shallow open marine facies of middle ramp (Fig. 2-4).
MFT.5) Dendritina peloids bioclastic packstone-grainstone:
Appreciable components of this microfacies mainly include peloids and some bioclasts with
the fossil of dendritina benthic foraminifera. Textures are dominantly packstone, but range
from packstone to grainstone. Also, The grains are poorly to medium sorted with a medium
size. This microfacies can be camparable with the RMF.8 of Flugel (2004) classification
belonging to middle ramp deposits (Fig. 2-5).
MFT.6) Bioclastic planktonic foraminifera wackestone:
In this wackestone texture microfacies, planktonic foraminifera are the main allochems
which mixed with minor shell fragments in the framework. Abundant planktonic foraminifera

within a micritic matrix indicate the calm and aphotic condition, bellow storm wave base
(SWB). It can be comparable with the RMF.2 belonging to outer ramp deposits and deep
marine facies belt (Fig. 2-6).

Fig. 2: Representative photomicrographs of the recognized microfacies types (MFT) by the microscopic
investigations of Asmari formation deposits in the studied section of the Karanj oil field. 1) Pelagic
mudstone. 2) Fenestrate mudstone. 3) Anhydrite. 4) Bioclastic peloids ooids grainstone. 5) Dendritina
peloids bioclastic packstone-grainstone. 6) Bioclastic planktonic foraminifera wackestone. 7) Miogypsina
intraclastic bioclastic packstone-grainstone. 8) Miliolids dendritina bioclastic wackestone-packstone. 9)
Sandy mudstone. 10) Dolo-mudstone. 11) Archiacina bioclastic wackestone-packstone. 12) Textularia
intraclastic bioclastic packstone.

MFT.7) Miogypsina intraclastic bioclastic packstone-grainstone:

The main allochems in this microfacies are bioclasts and intraclasts with poor sorting. The
texture also range from packstone to grainstone and the main benthic foraminifera in this
microfacies type is miogypsina. These characteristics are related to deposition in high energy
environments. Its comparable with RMF.27 relating to middle ramp and shallow open
marine facies (Fig. 2-7).
MFT.8) Miliolids dendritina bioclastic wackestone-packstone:
This type is mainly composed of appreciable components including benthic foraminifera such
as miliolids and dentritina, also bioclast particles which are less common. The grains with
medium size are poorly to medium sorted and textures are dominantly packstone, but range
from wackestone to packstone. Its comparable with the RMF.20 of Flugel (2004) belonging
to the open lagoon facies association of inner ramp (Fig.2-8).
MFT.9) Sandy mudstone:
This type of macrofacies consists of about 35-40% scattered small to medium sub-angular to
sub-rounded quartz grains embedded within a micritic matrix. This facies is related to the
tidal flat environment of inner ramp (Fig. 2-9).
MFT.10) Dolo-mudstone:
This microfacies includes dolomitized mudstone without any bioclast and fossils. This type
can be comparable with the SMF.19 of Wilson (1975) and RMF.22 of Flugel (2004)
belonging to the intertidal environment of inner ramp (Fig. 2-10).
MFT.11) Archiacina bioclastic wackestone-packstone:
The main allochems in this microfacies are bioclasts with poor sorting. The textures range
from wackestone to packstone and the main benthic foraminifera in this microfacies type is
archiacina. We can compare it with the RMF.13 as the same of SMF.18 belonging to the
open lagoon environment of inner ramp (Fig. 2-11).
MFT.12) Textularia intraclastic bioclastic packstone:
The main allochems in this microfacies are bioclasts and intraclasts which are observed in a
packston texture. Also, textularia is the main benthic foraminifera in this microfacies. It can
correlate with the RMF.14 of Flugel (2004) belonging to open lagoon facies belt in the inner
ramp (Fig. 2-11).
Depositional environment and sedimentary model
Considering the mentioned microfacies types and analyzing them, we have recognized
several carbonate marine subenvironments including supratidal, intertidal, subtidal, open
lagoon, shallow open marine and deep basin. The paleoenvironment of the Asmari formation
in the studied section can be reconstructed by means of the vertical distribution of the
microfacies types and arrangement of the recognized facies belts.
By comparing the observations and results with those of modern carbonate depositional
setting like the Persian Gulf, also considering the standard depositional setting previously
proposed by the famous geologists (Wilson, 1975; Read, 1985; Burchette and Wright, 1992;
Flugel, 2004), a carbonate ramp model which likely can be a low gradient homoclinal ramp is
suggested for the Asmari formation in the Karanj oil field.

A carbonate ramp is comprised of three sections including inner, middle and outer ramp
(Burchette and Wright, 1992). In this study, the outer ramp is recognized by deep open
marine or basin facies belt. The middle ramp is detected by shallow open marine facies belt
and also inner ramp by open lagoon, subtidal, intertidal and supratidal facies belts.
T-R Sequence stratigraphy
Before definition of the T-R sequence stratigraphy (Embry and Johannessen, 1992), there was
three types of sequence including the first by Sloss et al. (1949), the second by Vail et al.
(1977) and the third by Galloway (1989).
The first sequence originally defined by Sloss et al. (1949), was a stratigraphic unit
bounded by subaerial unconformities. Such a stratigraphic unit proved to be of limited value
because, in most instances, sequences could br recognized only on the margins of a basin
where subaerial unconformities were present (Embry, 2002). Vail et al. (1977) greatly
expanded the utility of sequences for basin analysis when they redefined the term as a unit
bounded by unconformities or correlative conformities. This definition is impossible to
objectively recogniz a time line that corresponds with the start of base level fall, also with the
end of base level fall. Thus this type of sequence has no practical value (Embry, 2002).
Galloway (1989) proposed the third type of sequence by the use of Maximum Flooding
Surfaces (MFS) as sequence boundaries and named such a unit, genetic stratigraphic
sequence. This sequence type founders on the problem that the subaerial unconformity occurs
within the sequence and thus it lacks genetic coherency on the basin margins (Embry, 2002).
To overcome these major deficiencies in sequence definition, Embry and Johannessen
(1992) have defined a fourth type of sequence that they term a T-R sequence. This definition
and the same which restated by Embry (2002) was our base method for the sequence
stratigraphic investigations. This methodology uses the subaerial unconformity as the
unconformable portion of the sequence boundary (SB) and the maximum regressive surface
(MRS) as the correlative conformity. A T-R sequence can be divided into a transgressive
system tract (TST) below and a regressive system tract (RST) above by using the maximum
flooding surface as a mutual boundary. T-R sequence stratigraphy, unlike the other proposed
methodologies, has maximum practical utility with a minimum of stultifying jargon (Embry,
2002).
Based on the mentioned method above, three T-R sequences belonging to 3rd order
sedimentary cycle are detected including lower, middle and upper sequenc (Fig. 3). Each T-R
sequenc was comprised of two system tracts as the lower one or transgressive system tract
(TST) was characterized by a fining upward trend and the upper one or regressive system
tract (RST) was recognized by coarsening upward succession (Embry, 2002; Schlager,
2004; ). Also, there is the important maximum flooding surface (MFS) between them. Based
on this methodology (Embry, 2002),
sequence boundaries situated on the maximum regressive surface. The investigations have led
to recognition a gradational contact between the Asmari and the lower formation Pabdeh, also
an unconformity just under the Gachsaran formation (Fig. 3).

Fig. 3: T-R sequence stratigraphy of Asmari formation in the studied section of Karanj oil field

Conclusions
T-R sequence stratigraphy is the best and only practical methodology which currently can be
used for sequence stratigraphy of carbonate ramps deposits. For this purpose, the Asmari
formation has been studied in a subsurface section of the Karanj oil field. Microscopic
investigations have led to recognition of 12 microfacies types which were deposited in the
five distinct facies belts including supratidal, intertidal, open lagoon, shallow open marine
and deep marine or basin. The investigations indicated the Asmari Formation has been
deposited in a carbonate ramp and probably a homoclinal type. In the last step of research, by
means of Gamma Ray log of the Asmari formation in study area with the avalable
sedimentological results, three T-R sequences belonging to 3rd order sedimentary cycle are
detected. Each sequence is limited between two maximum regressive surface and comprised
of two system tracts including TST and RST (Fig. 3).

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