Paleoкarst, hydrothermal karst and karst reservoirs of the Franian reefs of the Rybkinsky group

Abstract

More than 20 isolated reefs of the Rybkinsky group were discovered in 2015-2018 in the eastern part of the Rubezhinsky Trough, west of the Sol-Iletsky Arch (Orenburg region; southern part of Volga-Ural Oil and Gas Province), thanks to the use of seismic surveys 3D and exploration drilling. The interval of the stratigraphic distribution of the reefs encompasses Domanikian, Rechitskian and Voronezhian Horizons (=Regional Stages) of the Franian Stage of Upper Devonian. The reefs are cased and overlapped by carbonate-terrigene-clay deposits of the Kolganian Formation that form the seal. High-amplitude oil fields (up to 150 m high) are related to the bodies of reefs. Reefs developed under conditions of significant changes in sea level caused by both eustatic fluctuations and regional tectonics. Actual data on features of surface and deep karst in different reefs of the Rybkinsky group are given. Three karst epochs are allocated: 1) late Domanikian; 2) late Rechitskian; 3) late Voronezhian. Evidences of the post-franian hydrothermal karst in the reefs are presented. Reservoirs formed as a result of karst are characterized by high complexity of pore space. Reef reservoirs have a scale permeability effect that is necessary to consider in hydrocarbon reserve calculations.