Depositional trends and reservoir geometries of the Early Cretaceous Lower Goru Formation in Lower Indus Basin, Pakistan: evidence from sequence stratigraphy

Lower Goru sand intervals of Early Cretaceous age are proven reservoirs in the Lower Indus Platform area. The delineation of reservoir geometries is of utmost importance while searching for stratigraphic and combination traps in clastic reservoirs. The data of ten wells and two 2D seismic lines from the northern part of the Lower Indus Basin are incorporated in this study. These reservoir intervals of the Lower Goru Formation are correlated in a third-order sequence stratigraphic framework to understand the depositional architecture and reservoir geometries. The Lower Goru Formation was deposited in westerly prograding river-dominated deltas developed by river system drained through the Indian Shield from east and south-east during Cretaceous time. Due to auto-cyclic switching of river distributaries, different lobes might have formed which if identified can point out the possible locations and configurations of stratigraphic and combination traps in this highly prospective area of Lower Indus Basin. The Lower Goru Formation (Barremian to Cenomanian) consists of one full second-order sequence of 20 Ma duration, having all the three fundamental system tracts in which eleven sequences of the third order, i.e. LG-1 to LG-11, were interpreted. Proven reservoir intervals of the Lower Goru Formation are concentrated in various third-order lowstand system tracts. The net sand and porosity maps of lowstand system tracts, gross depositional map and depositional cross section of the Lower Goru Formation point out the potential sites of good sandstone reservoirs and hint at the possible sand-body geometries.