SANDSTONE DESCRIPTION GUIDELINES

Use the following order of description:

1. COLOUR: This is the overall colour of the cutting. May give a breakdown of odd grains e.g.
predominantly colourless, occasional green grains. Some grains (zircon or glauconite) may
affect the gamma ray log and may be important for correlation.

2. OPTICS: Clear / transparent – allows passage of light regardless of colour.

Translucent – allows the diffuse passage of light.
Opaque – does not allow the passage of light.
May also give a breakdown, combined with colour, e.g. predominantly clear
colourless, occasionally translucent yellow, rarely black opaque.

3. GRAIN SIZE: Use the grain size cards. Put card under microscope with grains on it. Will be
very fine, fine, medium, coarse, very coarse.

4. ROUNDNESS: Use the cards.

Will be angular, sub angular, sub rounded, rounded, well rounded.

5. SPHERICITY: Use the cards.

Will be elongate, sub elongate, sub spherical, spherical.

6. SORTING: Very well sorted – nearly 100% of grains in 1 size class.

Well sorted – 90% of grains in 1 or 2 size classes.
Moderately sorted – 90% of grains in 3 or 4 size classes.
Poorly sorted – 90% of grains in 5 or more size classes.
May also use cards as guideline.

7. CEMENT: Loose – no cement.

Weak/poorly – grains easily parted.
Moderately well – pressure on probe required to part grains.
Well cemented – much pressure required to part grains.
Very well/strongly – cuttings fracture through sand grains.
Also identify cement, e.g. calcite, dolomite, silica, pyrite etc.

8. VISIBLE POROSITY: Turn magnification up and look at grain contacts. This is related to
sorting and cement. A poorly sorted sand will have low porosity since small grains will fill in
the space between larger grains, whereas a well sorted sand will be more porous with spaces
not filled in. A well cemented sand is not going to have a good porosity and a loose sand won’t
be tight (no porosity). Choose from no visible porosity, poor vis por, fair vis por and good vis
por.

9. ACCESSORIES: e.g. Glauconite, pyrite, mica, chlorite, coal frags, carb specks etc.
Use qualifiers: abundant, common, good trace, trace, rare.

10. OIL SHOWS: Degree and colour of oil stain (if visible).
Colour and abundance of natural fluorescence.
Colour and speed of cut fluorescence.
Colour of residual ring.
e.g. Trace light brown oil stain, bright yellow fluorescence, rapid streaming blue
white cut fluoresce, yellow brown residue.
Other cut types include: diffuse (cloudy), blooming and instant/flash. If none,
put in “no show”.
Note: Put ion the grade (week, fair, strong) of show on the mudlog.