Flume Tank Simulation on Characterization of Depositional Mechanism and

Controlling Factor of Mouth Bar Sandstone Fluvio-Deltaic Reservoir

Tunggul Mirza Pratama

Introduction

The development of the oil and gas industry in Indonesia has produced a lot of data
about the geometry and architectural elements of the sandstone reservoir. The need for a lot
of data on reservoirs, especially sandstones, will be crucial in mature sedimentary basins
where development of exploration targeted oil and gas traps, specifically stratigraphic traps.
Oil and gas fields in Indonesia mostly have oil and gas reserves stored in sandstone reservoirs
located on fluvio-delta deposits, where sandstones generally do not continuously spread and
have quite complex stratigraphic patterns (Allen & Mercier, 1994).

One of the interesting deposits from this environment is the mouth bar which is part
of the delta and is composed of good permeable and porous sandstones. The key to
understanding the reservoir quality of these distributary mouth bar deposits is to understand
their sedimentology (Bo Tye, 2001). Therefore, further study is needed to find out the mouth
bar distribution in the fluvio-deltaic environment. To know the characteristic of the
distributary mouth bar, a geoscientist must think about the process of forming the
environment. At present, there are still many studies about the features of the mouth bar
facies based on modeling the deposition of modern and ancient deltas that have required and
contaminated by many geological processes.

However, original genetic of mouth bars are generally considered to be complicated

enough to reconstruct. In answering these challenges, physical experiments offer alternative
ideas to reconstruct the original sedimentary environment to form a mouth bar. Physical
experiments can provide alternative information about how sediment deposition systems
change in the control of hydrodynamic conditions and surface topography. This experiment
can also describe events that are similar to what happened in real-time in the field (Chenlin
Hu et al, 2017).

In a previous flume tank experiment, Wang et al (2015) conduct research about flume
tank study of surface morphology and stratigraphy of fan delta, they determine controlling
factor of delta formation are sediment discharge, water discharge, and water depth. They
conclude that the greater the sediment supply (Flood Period), the more sedimentation will
occur at a relatively fast time, whereas in the low sediment supply (Low Flood Period)
sedimentation will decrease and erosion occur due to fluvial will cut and erode plain delta.
Coarse sand will also dominate the distal mouth bar, due to its size and inertia.

In other flume tank experiment, Li Yan et al (2018) also conclude that floods with
different return periods had significant influences on the evolution of the river mouth bar.
Particularly on the inner slope of the mouth bar. In addition, the stronger the sediment supply,
the mouth bar will be easily formed, the formed bar will make the channel crashing into a
branching, and the channel will spread so as to make the development of the delta wider.
 However, the disadvantage of this experiment is that it has not included the initial
slope as a parameter, even though the initial slope will continue to change along with the
amount of incoming sediment supply. Recent flume tank experiments on the effect of initial
slope on the beach bar-shore environment deposition system has been carried out by Chenlin
Hu (2017) and produce information that the greater the initial slope, then the beach bar
distribution laterally to basinward will have a relatively closer distance between one another

In this study, we aim to analyze the characteristics of mouth bar development in the
fluvio-deltaic environment were simulated under controlled by 4 parameters, there are water
discharge (a), sediment discharge (b), water depth (d), and initial slope (sl) . The result
reveals the sedimentary hydrodynamic process and depositional mechanism of the fluvio-
delta mouth bar, which helps the research about the mouth bar reservoir prediction of deltaic
depositional system in oil and gas exploration.

Data & Method

Figure 1 An example of the flume tank experimental concept. (A) Picture of Experimental Delta Flume Tank. (B)
Schematic of the experimental flume tank (facility). The water volume kept constant by a pump that delivered water
into the drainage pond with equal inflow and outflow rates. The discharged water in the drainage pond was piped back
to the input pond. (C) Overhead view of the experimental setup (Wang et al, 2015).

This experiment was carried out in a flume tank with the parameters or the controlling
factors are water depth, sediment discharge, water discharge, and initial slope. Sediment is
entered through the gauge barrel, mixed with the water supply and then exited at the outlet.
While the volume of water flow remains constant by releasing water with the same discharge
when the water is entered. Sediment grains consist of sand, silt, and clay. Sand grains consist
of quartz and feldspar compositions, sorted until divided between coarse grains and fine sand.
Silt and clay are unconsolidated and cohesive argillaceous sediment. The sediment is dried
and mixed before being put into the flume tank to avoid clumping.

The sediment is put into the flume tank and started to be tested with 4 stages. Each
stage consisting of the Flood Period (FP) & Low Flood Period (LFP) with 60 minutes run per
stage, with the detail distribution of time is 30 min for FP and 30 min for LFP, detailed
parameters as follows:

Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4

FP LFP FP LFP FP LFP FP LFP
Water 1000 300 1000 300 1000 300 1000 300
Discharge
(a)
(cm3/s)
Sediment 110 10 110 10 110 10 110 10
Discharge
(b)
(cm3/s)
Water 35 30 30 35 35 30 30 35
Depth (d)
(cm)
Initial 10 10 10 10 30 30 30 30
Slope/sl
(°)
Table 1 Sequence of the experiment, including the variation of sediment discharge (a), water discharge (b), water depth
(d), and initial slope (sl) in each stage. (Edited from Wang et al, 2015 & Chenlin Hu, 2017)

Results

In the results, they are classified into Landscapes, and Longitudinal Sections. From
Landscapes, we can analyzed the map view or lateral distribution of delta facies and
architectural elements at each stage (FP & LFP). In Longitudinal Sections, stratigraphic
patterns can be analyzed and the distance between one mouth bar and another are known.
These two results can be correlated with 4 parameters of controlling factors that contribute
here. For the validation of the result theory, we can compare to the modern fluvio-deltaic
depositional environment.

Conclusion

Mouth bar sandstone oil and gas reservoir characterization of depositional mechanism
is needed in oil and gas exploration to get the better understanding about the distribution of
the reservoir. The original stratigraphic pattern and depostional mechanism of mouth bar
fluvio-deltaic formation can be analyzed with the flume tank experimental study and be
compared with the modern fluvio-deltaic depositional environment.

References:

 Allen, George P., Mercier, Francis. (1994). Reservoir Facies and Geometry in Mixed
Tide and Fluvial-Dominated Delta Mouth Bars: Example From The Modern
 Mahakam Delta (East Kalimantan). IPA, 2006-23rd Annual Convention Proceedings,
1994.
 Bo Tye. (2001). Permeability Characterization of Distributary Mouth Bar Sandstones
in Prudhoe Bay Field, Alaska: How Horizontal Cores Reduce Risk in Developing
Deltaic Reservoirs. AAPG Bulletin. DOI: 10.1306/8626C91F-173B-11D7-
8645000102C1865D
 Hu, Chenlin., Jiang, Zaixing., Zhang, Yuanfu. (2017). Flume Tank Simulation on
Depositional Mechanism and Controlling Factors of Beach-Bar Reservoirs. Journal
of Earth Science. DOI: 10.1007/s12583-016-0929-4
 Wang, J., Jiang, Zaixing., Zhang, Yuanfu., Gao, Liming., Wei, Xiaojie., Zhang,
Wenzhao., Liang, Yu., Zhang, Haiying. (2015). Flume Tank Study of Surface
Morphology and Stratigraphy of a Fan Delta. Terra Nova, 42-53, 2015. John Willey
& Sons Ltd. DOI: 10.1111/ter.12131
 Yan, Li., We, Men-wu., Chen, Ying., Wu, Yao., Yu, Tian-sheng. (2018). Flume
Experimental Study on Evolution of a Mouth Bar Under Interaction of floods and
Waves. Water Science and Engineering 2019, 12(2): 162-168. Elsevier. DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wse.2019.05.005