Rock Description
Rock Description
Rock Description
Sand/Sandstone:
1. Rock Type.
Sand SD
Sandstone SST
2. Colour of rock – use colour charts. The dominant colour is first. The least
significant colour last.
3. Colour of grains –
transparent transp
translucent transl
opaque opq
The grains can also have colours. Eg. Greyish pink translucent.
4. Size of grains
1.000-2.000mm Very course v crs
0.500-1.000mm Coarse crs
0.250-0.500mm Medium med
0.250-0.125mm Fine f
Just able to see grains = very fine v f
5. Sphericity
Elongate elg
Sub elongate sb elg
Sub spherical sb sph
Spherical sph
6. Sorting
Very poorly sorted v ply srt
Poorly sorted ply srt
Moderately sorted
Well sorted w srt
Very well sorted v w srt
7. Roundness This is how sharp the edges of the grains are.
Rounded rnd
Sub rounded sb rnd
Sub angular sb ang
Angular ang
EXAMPLE2 :
SS: CLR-WH, F-MGN, MOD SRT, SBANG,HD, W/CAIC CMT, HI GLAUC, FRI,
GD POR, W/ 50% STK, LT BRN O STN, STK,BRI YEL FLU, STRG YEL STRM
CUT, BRI YEL RING.
Sandstone: Clear to white, fine to medium grained, moderately sorted, sub
angular, hard, with calcareous cement, highly gluconitic, friable, good porosity,
with 50% streaky, light brown oil staining, streaky, bright yellow fluorescence,
strong yellow streaming cut, bright yellow ring.
SETON
- If there is little or no cut then a crush cut can be performed. This is when a
sample is crushed slight before adding the solvent. A crush cut will indicate a rock
with low permeability.
- A crush cut is described as a normal cut but it must be noted that a crush cut
was performed.
- If performing a cut on chalk, the sample must be DRY before attempting the cut,
as wet chalk will always produce a weak cut due to poor permeability and surface
tension
- Chemicals Used for Solvent Cut Test
• Trichloroethane, Propanol, Acetone and Chloroform
SUMMARY
Chemical Tests
1-HCl Effervescence
A quick test can be made with 10% hydrochloric acid to distinguish between calcite
and dolomite.
Separate the cuttings from the sample tray and place in a porcelain spot tray. Add
a few drops of acid to the sample and view the results: -
Calcite: Immediate and violent effervescence, completely dissolving the sample.
Dolomite: Delayed and slow effervescence, increasing on heating the sample.
Mixture: Intermediate reaction.
6-Alizarin Red
This is another test to distinguish between calcite and dolomite.
This can simply be dropped on to the cuttings – if calcite is present it will turn a
deep red Colour while everything else remains uncolored.
7-Cement Test
After drilling through casing shoes at the start of a new hole section, it is useful to
confirm the presence of cement.
As it is alkaline, this can be done by adding phenolphthalein (pH indicator) after
washing the sample. If the “cuttings” turn bright purple then they are cement.
SAND STONE CLASSIFICATION
1- MINERALOGICAL COMPOSTION
Sand stone mineralogically consist of the following:-
1- Quartz (SiO2) silica 2- Feldspars 3- Rock fragment 4- Clay minerals
5- Heavy minerals
There are three factors play very important rule in the distribution, spreading and
presence of these minerals in any sand stone sample
1-Availability: it means how much the mineral present in the pre-exiting rock
(quantity)
2- Stability: it refers to the chemical stability of the mineral (its resistance to
attack by chemical solutions)
3- Durability: it refers to the physical or mechanical stability of the rock.
2- SAND STONE MATURITY
It means how much the sand stone sample is matured:
1- Mineralogical maturity: - it depend on the amount of the minerals which had
high stability and durability in the sample where as this ratio increase the maturity
increase
2- Textural maturity:
Most of rocks consist of a-framework b-matrix c-cement - so textural maturity
depends on:
1- The ratio between the framework and matrix
(If matrix ratio less than 15% the rock be texturally mature- If matrix ratio more
than 15% the rock be texturally immature)
2- Sorting (If rock is well sorted it called texturally mature rock – If rock is poorly
sorted it called texturally immature rock)
3- Roundency (If rock grains are well rounded it called texturally mature rock – If
rock grains are angular it called texturally immature rock)
3-SAND STONE CLASSIFICATION
Depending on the ratio between framework and matrix in the sample sand stone
can be classified into:
1- Arenite group: in which the matrix ratio be less than 15 %.( high energy
media of deposition and coarse grains sample)
2-Wacky group: in which the matrix ratio be more than 15 %.( low energy media
of deposition and fine grains sample with high clay content)
1. Mudstone
Composed of lime mud (smaller than 20 microns) and less than 10% grains
Mud supported.
2. Wackestone
Composed primarily of lime mud, with more than 10% grains (larger than 20
microns) Mud supported.
3. Packstone
Composed primarily of grains, and grain supported. Greater than 10% interstitial
mud matrix and occasionally sparry calcite or pore space.
4. Grainstone
Composed of grains, and grain supported. Less than 10% interstitial mud matrix.
5. Boundstone
Original constituents were bound together and supported in place, by organic
growth.
6. Crystalline
All original textures are lacking due to the effects of re crystallization. Distinct
crystal faces, with occasional relicts.
LIME STONE DIGENESIS
1-Dolomitization process by replacement of Ca with Mg ions which lead to increase
the secondary porosity
2-Dissolution by the action of acidic solution or change in PH of the medium