Synthetic diagenesis - The key to carbonate systems in basin modelling

SUMMARY Basin modelling tools are widely used to predict reservoir charging but, unfortunately, their application to carbonate reservoirs is far from straightforward. For carbonates, the relationships between porosity/ effective stress/depth, must be addressed before a reliable basin model can be produced. We propose using a synthetic diagenesis approach, where Pore Architecture Models (PAMs) are used to generate representative porosity values for the different diagenetic (backstripped) stages that are recognised from cores or thin sections. The synthetic diagenesis approach is then used to inform more conventional basin modelling. The viability of this method is the topic of this contribution.