University of Miami, United States

The search for hydrocarbons in carbonate rocks depends on a thorough understanding of the primary depositional controls on carbonate sediments as well as their postdepositional changes. When a reservoir is discovered, interpretation of depositional facies and a search for applicable analogs become essential for both primary and enhanced field development. Understanding the various lithofacies types, their distribution, and geometry along different styles of carbonate platforms is the first step in evaluating the reservoir potential of carbonate systems. This analysis must be done at regional (or seismic) scale and at production or enhanced production scales to maximize the hydrocarbons that can be extracted from any carbonate reservoir. Postdepositional change, or diagenesis, is another key factor because diagenetic change may create additional porosity and permeability or sometimes reduce or completely destroy porosity in carbonates. Key processes in the diagenetic change of carbonate sediments include cementation in freshwater and seawater environments, and compaction, dissolution, and dolomitization, whereby the original limestone sediments are transformed in whole or in part to dolomite.