Sedimentary facies analysis, seismic interpretation, and reservoir rock typing of the syn-rift Middle Jurassic reservoirs in Meleiha concession, north Western Desert, Egypt

Abstract The Middle Jurassic syn-rift sediments of the Khatatba Formation contain not only the principle source rock organofacies in the north Western Desert (NWD), but also several potential sandstone reservoir targets. However, controls on the reservoir quality of the Khatatba facies and spatiotemporal evolution of the reservoir rock types (RRTs) are still blurred. This study integrates seismic, wireline logs, and conventional core data from some wells in the Meleiha development lease in the NWD to investigate the petrophysical characteristics of the Khatatba reservoir facies, and determine the different RRTs. On seismic, Khatatba Formation consists of high reflectivity, continuous reflections displaying an upward decrease in seismic amplitude corresponding to a fining-upward clastic succession of fluvial–tidal facies. These facies display a large-scale pore system heterogeneity, thereby comprising three different RRTs. RRTI and RRTII rocks have a well-connected pore network dominated by capillary and super-capillary pores (> 10 µm), whereas sub-capillary pores (