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Few Characteristics of Tipam Sandstone Formation Within Oilfield Areas of

Upper Assam – A Study Based on Wireline log Data

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 B. Bharali and P. Borgohain /Journal of Earth Science, Special Volume, 2013, 36-45 36

Few Characteristics of Tipam Sandstone Formation Within Oilfield Areas of Upper Assam – A
Study Based on Wireline log Data

B. BHARALI1 and P. BORGOHAIN2

1
Oil India Limited, Duliajan, Assam 786602
2
Department of Applied Geology, Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh, Assam
Email . pradip.borgohain21@gmail.com

Abstract: The Tipam Sandstone Formation occupies a unique position within the Tertiary Sequence of Assam-
Arakan Basin. This rock unit was deposited as sheet sand in a braided river environment during the Miocene
times. It acts as potential reservoir rock in a number of oilfields in Upper Assam where accumulation is confined
to structural traps and the overlying Girujan Clay Formation as well as the intervening shale layers act as seal.
The spatial development pattern of Tipam Sandstone Formation below the alluvium cover of Upper
Assam area in terms of thickness, reservoir characteristics and present depth of burial has been studied with the
help of wireline geophysical log data acquired in wells drilled for exploration and production of hydrocarbon.
The unique Gamma-Ray log pattern combined with resistivity and nuclear log response of Tipam Sandstone
Formation is used to identify top and base of the litho-unit as well as intervening shale/clay layers. Litho-log
data based drill cuttings supplemented wireline log evidence in selection of top and bottom marker in complex
areas. Regional well to well correlation of these markers is carried out to map the spatial development of the
formation along with its broad sub-divisions. Log based analysis of associated shale/clay within the Tipam
Formation is also carried out and Montmorillonite emerges as dominant clay type. Wide variation of reservoir
porosity observed both laterally as well as vertically.

INTRODUCTION important litho-unit of Tertiary sediments

The Assam-Arakan Basin is a mature
petrolifeous sedimentary Basin. A thick pile of
sediments ranging in age from Late Cretaceous
to Pleistocene has been deposited in the Basin
over the Pre-Cambrian Basement. The Basin
developed along the convergent plate
boundary between the India and Eurasian plate
in the North and India and Burma Plate in the
East and Southeast. As a result of convergence
and subsequent collision, the depositional
environment in the basin changed gradually
from shallow marine (Eocene) though deltaic
(Oligocene) to continental (Mio-Pleistocene).
This evolutionary history of the Basin led to
the deposition of sediments with source rock
as well as reservoir rock potential. Tectonic
deformation during collision and subsequent
under-thrusting of the Indian plate below the
Eurasian and Burmese plates resulted in
development of favourable structures for
hydrocarbon accumulation (Rangarao, 1983).
Thus the basin exhibits a total petroleum
system. In Upper Assam area, south of the
river Brahmaputra, the basin is more prolific in
hydrocarbon and oil & gas accumulations are
found in almost all stratigraphic horizons. The
Tertiary succession of Upper Assam Shelf is
given in Table 1.
The Tipam Sandstone Formation, which
was deposited in Miocene times, is an
within Assam-Arakan Basin. It is a thick pile
of fluvial sandstone deposited almost
throughout the entire basin encompassing
Upper Assam Shelf, Naga-Patkai Hill ranges,
Dhansiri valley, Arakan-Yoma Fold Belt and
its adjoining areas. The Tipam Sandstone acts
as a good reservoir rock for hydrocarbon
accumulation and in a number of oil fields of
Upper Assam including Digboi, where the first
commercial hydrocarbon discovery of India
was made in 1889, the main pay zone is the
Tipam Formation. In the Upper Assam area,
several hundreds of wells have been drilled till
date in search of hydrocarbon at different
stratigraphic intervals and most of them have
penetrated through the Tipam Sandstone
Formation occurring under the Alluvium
cover. Various geophysical wireline logs
recorded in these wells, both conventional and
hi-technology, litho-logs from drill cutting
samples, conventional cores etc. have provided
significant information on this clastic rock unit
in terms of its extent, depositional
environment, petrophysical parameters and
hydrocarbon prospects. In this paper, few
characteristics of Tipam Sandstone Formation
in Upper Assam area are captured based on
wireline geophysical log data acquired in the
drilled wells.
 B. Bharali and P. Borgohain /Journal of Earth Science, Special Volume, 2013, 36-45 37

Table 1: Tertiary succession of Upper Assam shelf sediments after Handique et al. (1989)

Epoch Litostratigraphic Units/Formation Thickness Major lithological types

Group (in m)
Recent - Alluvium1

Pleistocene Dihing Dhekiajuli1 1300-2000 Unconsolidated sands with

clay and lignite sands
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Unconformity ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pliocene Poorly consolidated
Miocene Dupitila Namsang Beds 0-1000 sandstone with clay
and lignite sand
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Unconformity ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Miocene Tipam Girujan Clay 100-2300 Mottled clay with
sandstone lenses

(Upper 300-500 Essentially arenaceous

Tipam sequence
Sandstone (Middle 100-200 Sand/ Shale alteration sequence
(Lower 100-200 Arenaceous sequence

?Surmas2 Not subdivided Sandstone with shale & grit bed

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Unconformity ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oligocene Barail Not subdivided 500-1200 (Upper Part:
Mudstone/ shale with
sandstone beds and coal
bands (Argillaceous sequence)

(Lower Part: Sandstone with

shale bands (Arenaceous
sequence)

Kopili alternations 280-500 Splintery shales with

sandstone and fine grained
sandstone with coal bands
Eocene3 Jaintia
(Prang Splintary shales with
Sylhet (Narpuh 350-450 sandstone and limestone bands
Limestone
(Lakadong 60-170 Sandstone, calcareous
sandstone and limestone
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Unconformity ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Precambrian Granitic Basement

Note:
1. It is difficult to distinguish these two rock units. From regional geologic considerations, an
unconformity could however, be inferred between them.
2. Development of the Surma Group which is extensive in the type area of Surma Valley is
doubtful in the Upper Assam shelf area.
3. Including Paleocene rocks.
selected for the study, out of which 57 wells
METHODOLOGY have penetrated the entire thickness of Tipam
A total of 60 wells within OIL’s Sandstone Formation while remaining 3 wells
operational area of Upper Assam have been were terminated within the Tipams. While
 B. Bharali and P. Borgohain /Journal of Earth Science, Special Volume, 2013, 36-45
selecting the wells, attention was accorded to
obtain a good spatial distribution over the
study area; availability of basic log suite, wells
with advanced log suite as well as availability
of supporting data was other screening criteria
during well selection. As an aid to
identification of lithology, top and bottom of
formation, facies identification, correlation,
environmental interpretation and porosity
estimation, wireline logs are invaluable (Rider,
1986). Resistivity, Spontaneous Potential (SP),
Natural Gamma Ray (GR) logs have been used
for well-wise identification of the top, bottom
of Tipam Formation and the intervening shale
/ clay layers and also for well to well
correlation. This log suite was combined with
image log data and used for description of
depositional pattern. Formation Density
(RHOB) and Neutron Porosity (NPHI) logs
were used for porosity estimation. Spectral
Gamma Ray logs (SGR) have been used for
clay mineralogy study.
OBSERVATIONS
Sand Development Pattern
With the help of log data, sand
development pattern within the Tipam
Sandstone Formation was studied. As the
formation underlies thick Girujan Clay and
overlies thick Barail Argillaceous sequence,
the formation boundary can easily be picked in
SP – Resistivity log deflection and its
correlation with drill cutting sample data.
Also, the GR value in Tipam is high and
shows a unique saw-tooth pattern, unlike the
typical low GR response of sands. This
relatively high GR pattern is due to the
presence of rock fragments rich in radioactive
minerals (K-feldspar). However, detection of
the formation boundary is challenging in the
northern areas of Upper Assam Basin, along
the Brahmaputra River (Chabua, Baghjan,
Mechaki etc) due to the absence of the Girujan
Clay Formation as well as very thin
development of the Barail argillaceous unit.
Fig.1 shows the typical SP-GR-Resistivity log
response of Tipam Formation. An isopach map
of the Tipam Formation was prepared (Fig.2)
for the area under study. It has been observed
that the gross thickness of Tipam Formation
varies from 300m to more than 1000 m with a
gradual increase in thickness from NW to SE.
The depositional strike is NE-SW and is
parallel to the thrust belt located to the south-
east. The maximum thickness is observed in
38
the wells drilled near the Naga Thrust like
Baruanagar, Sapekhati and Kusijan. The actual
thickness further south in the thrust belt area
could not be established due to limited well
data, partial penetration of wells in the
formation and the presence of thrusts. A depth
contour map on top of Tipam Formation was
also prepared which follows the present day
Basement configuration (Fig.3).
The Tipam Sandstone Formation is
made up of multi-storeyed laterally extensive
sand bodies with very limited intervening
clays/shale layers. They were formed due to
vertical and lateral coalescence of braided
channel sands. In times, the braided channels
were modified into meandering streams
system with well established flood plains
(Rangarao, 1983). This phenomena is well
established by log response in all the wells
under study. The thickness of single sand
bodies sometimes extend for more than 100m
with minor break in between. The break in
sedimentation is observed in the form of flood
plain clays ranging in thickness from less than
a metre to tens of metres. A regional
correlation along the depositional strike, i.e in
the SW-NE direction and three regional
correlations across strike were created in order
to observe the variation of sand bodies and
intervening clays/shales (Fig.4.A). It has been
observed that development of the intervening
clay bands is prominent in the central to
southern part of the Basin along the Diroi,
Nahorkatiya, Tinali, Jorajan, Bogapani areas
and can be laterally co-related for tens of
kilometres (Fig.4.B). These clays act as cap
rock for individual sand units below it and thus
create multiple oil pools stacked within the
Tipams. Based on these clay / shale layers, the
Tipam Sandstone Formation can be subdivided
into three major units, Upper, Middle and
Lower. The Upper Tipam is a thick sand body,
multi-storeyed in nature with minor shale/clay
intercalation of local nature. The Middle
Tipam is made up of alternating fining up sand
with clay bands, several metres thick which
have good lateral extent and acts as cap rock
for many oil bearing structures. The Lower
Tipam is again a thick multi-storeyed sand
body. Hard calcareous bands are frequent in
this unit as indicated by high resistivity and
high density peaks in well logs. In the southern
part of the Basin where the thickness of the
Tipam Formation further increases, another
sand unit below the Lower Tipams can be
 B. Bharali and P. Borgohain /Journal of Earth Science, Special Volume, 2013, 36-45 39

identified, known as Basal Tipam. Towards
the south-western part of the study area, near
Moran, a thin layer of hard gritty sand has
been reported in the drill cutting samples,
which has been termed as possible Surma
Formation in that area. Otherwise, throughout
the study area of Upper Assam, the Surmas
have not been identified in the wells.
Depositional and Post Depositional Features:
In order to study the fine scale
depositional and diagenetic features, resistivity
based Formation Micro Imager Log (FMI or
XRMI) were studied in a few wells. These
micro-imaging tools have 156 to 196 micro-
resistivity devices mounted in six to eight pads
depending upon the tool design, which
produces a resistivity scanning of the borehole
wall with 360° coverage. Because of the high
resolution of the tool, it captures centimetre
scale variations in formation characteristics
related to fine laminations, cross beddings, bed
contacts, faults, fractures, burrows etc. Both
stratigraphic and structural dip can be picked
up with high degree of confidence. The multi-
storeyed nature of the thick Tipam Sand unit
due to the coalescence of braided channels is
well exhibited by image logs (Fig.1). Each
channel with its characteristic cross bedding
pattern and image texture deposit on other
channels, and generally show a scouring
contact between them. In Fig.4.(C, D) an
example of cross bedding pattern identified
from Image log is presented along with a
comparison to same feature as seen in surface
exposure. Both planar and festoon cross
bedding are observed within the sand units.
Sometimes minor clay/shale laminas with
thickness of few centimeters are also observed
between cross bedded units. This highly
laminated nature of the sands cause reduction
in vertical permeability of the reservoirs.

Fig.1. (A) Log response pattern of thick multi-storeyed Upper Tipam sand with minor break in between as
indicated by SP-LLD log. (B) Image log showing stacked cross bedded units. (C) Lower Tipam sand with
numerous thin hard bands showing high density peaks. Also note the high GR response with saw-tooth
pattern against sands.
 B. Bharali and P. Borgohain /Journal of Earth Science, Special Volume, 2013, 36-45 40

Kusijan

Tinali

Fig.2. Isopach Map showing development pattern of Tipam Formation over the study area. (AB is the line of
regional correlation of Fig.4A).

Fig.3. Regional Depth Contour Map on Top of Tipam Formation. (Depth below MSL). (CD is the line of
regional correlation of Fig.4.B).
 B. Bharali and P. Borgohain /Journal of Earth Science, Special Volume, 2013, 36-45 41

Fig.4.A. SW-NE regional correlation of Tipam Formation (correlation line AB is shown in Fig.2)

Fig.4.B. Broad subdivision of Tipam Sandstone Formation (correlation line CD is shown in Fig.3.)
 B. Bharali and P. Borgohain /Journal of Earth Science, Special Volume, 2013, 36-45 42

Fig.5. A) Field photo of large size calcareous concretionary boulder within Lower Tipams exposed in the Dilli
River Section in Upper Assam and B) the same feature as emerging in Image log. C) Planar cross beds within
Tipam in the same location and D) same feature as identified in Image log. Please note the bottom set lamina
with low dip angle (5 deg), the high angle foreset lamina (20 to 30 deg) and again the low angle top set is well
identified in Image log.
Large size concretions are also common cross-plot of Thorium vs. Potassium with an
in the lower part of Tipam as seen in the image overlay showing different ratio lines
log. They appear as high resistivity patches in representative of different clay types was used
the image and imprints of original depositional for clay typing. It has been observed that
laminations within it also captured. In irrespective of depth, location and mode of
Fig.4.(A, B), a comparison of concretions occurrence, the dominant clay type is
identified in image log and those seen in the Montmorillonite (Smectite Group). Mixed
Dilli River Section near Joypore are shown. It type of clay is observed in a few wells at
is also confirmed from the correlation of deeper depths with dominance of
Image and density log with field evidence that Montmorillonite (Fig.5). XRD and TM-1000(R)
high resistivity - high density bands that are microscope analysis of core samples of
common in the lower part of Tipam develop reservoir sands also show dominance of
along some weaker planes like fracture or bed Montmorillonite (Smectite) followed by
contacts . Field investigation also shows that Kaolinite (Fig.6). The presence of Illite is less,
they are calcareous in nature and have possibly which indicates lesser overburden
developed by post depositional diagenetic load/compaction (Serra, 1986)
processes.
Porosity and Permeability:
Clay Characteristics: Porosity and permeability are two
The type and mode of occurrence of important properties of a reservoir rock. An
clay present in a reservoir rock plays an analysis of the spatial variation of porosity of
important role in its effective porosity, Tipam Sandstone within the study area was
permeability, and productivity. Clay minerals carried out with the help of formation density
in the Tipam Formation were identified with (RHOB) and neutron porosity (NPHI) logs.
the help of Spectral Gamma Ray log, which Log derived density value have been converted
gives the concentration of Uranium, Thorium to porosity considering a matrix density of
and Potassium. The ratio of Thorium vs. 2.65 gm/cc. Thus total porosity was calculated
Potassium indicate the type of clay; thus a taking a weighted average of density derived
 B. Bharali and P. Borgohain /Journal of Earth Science, Special Volume, 2013, 36-45 43

porosity and neutron porosity at different Direct measurement of permeability was

depth levels for 10 wells covering the study
area with different depths of burial. The total
porosity has been calculated at around 100m
depth intervals, with slight deviations to avoid
shale/ shaly sand points as and when required.
The depth vs. porosity plot for those 10 wells
is shown in Fig.7. It is seen from the plot that
at an average depth of 2000m to 3000m, total
porosity varied form 20% to 30 % in clean
sands. At places like Sapekhati located
towards the south, where depth of burial of
Tipam Sandstone is more than 3000m,
porosity decreased down to 15%, which is still
good from the reservoir point of view.
carried out in the laboratory on conventional
core samples. Available core derived
permeability of Nahorkatiya and Rajgarh areas
show a range of 30 md to 800 md. However
core permeability data is sparse to draw a
regional trend. With the help of NMR log,
permeability can be calculated from the ratio
of bound fluid volume and free fluid volume
using Timur-Coates Equation, calibrated with
core data. A statistical (frequency) plot of
NMR derived permeability as well as core
derived permeability of Lower Tipam sand is
presented in Fig.8.

Fig.5. Clay type analysis using Thorium-Potassium cross plot: Mixed type clay observed in one well in
Dikom area (left) while Montmorillonite is observed in a well of Nahorkatiya area.

Fig.6. Clay minerals of Tipam Sandstone reservoir. (A) Micrograph (TM-1000) shows detrital quartz
particles are partly coated by well-developed, highly crenulated authigenic smectite. (B) XRD analysis of
side wall core sample (sandstone) showing constituent minerals.
 B. Bharali and P. Borgohain /Journal of Earth Science, Special Volume, 2013, 36-45 44

Fig.7. Porosity distribution pattern of 10 wells from the study area. The dotted line represent trend of average
porosity with depth.

It is seen from the figure that the mean
permeability in case of core data is 173 md
while the mean of NMR derived permeability
is 202 md. Low permeability may be due to
presence of Smectite clay coating on the grain
surface. Statistical analysis of core
permeability data shows P50 as 195 md and
P90 as 824 md. NMR derived permeability
also show a comparable figure.

Fig.8. Frequency plot of core permeability (A) and NMR log derived permeability of Lower Tipam sand of two
wells.

CONCLUSION image log. They show high degree of

The Tipam Sandstone Formation is well
developed below the Alluvium cover in the
Upper Assam area of Assam Arakan Basin.
There is a gradual increase in thickness from
less than 300m in the northwestern part along
the Brahmaputra River to more than 1000m in
the Thrust Belt area in the southeast.
Individual channels of the stacked channel
deposit are 10 to 15 m thick as indicated by
lamination with planar cross beddings as the
most common type. Break in sedimentation is
observed in the form of flood plain clays
which are correlatable well to well for tens of
kilometres. Along the southern margin of the
Basin, development of these shale/clay layers
are well developed which divides the
formation into three major units, Upper,
Middle and Lower. However these
 B. Bharali and P. Borgohain /Journal of Earth Science, Special Volume, 2013, 36-45
subdivisions are not prominent towards the NE
and NW part of the study area, where a more
monotonous sandy facies is observed. Porosity
in general is very good, with reduction of
porosity in the deep seated areas near the
thrust belt, possibly due to compaction.
Dominant clay mineral is Montmorillonite,
both within the reservoir rock as well in the
intervening clay/shale bands. Compared to
good porosity, permeability is moderate to
low, which may be due to the dispersed clay
present within the sands. Thus, a good
combination of various wireline geophysical
logs together with field survey and laboratory
analysis provides key sedimentological and
petrophysical information on the formation
which is useful for reservoir characterization.
Acknowledgement
The authors are grateful to the
Management of Oil India Limited for the kind
permission to publish this study.
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References
HANDIQUE G.K., SETHI A.K. and SARMA
S.C., (1989): Review of Tertiary
Stratigraphy of parts of Upper Assam
Valley. Goel. Surv. Ind. Spl. Publ., v.23,
p.23 -36.
RANGARAO, A (1983). Geology and
Hydrocarbon Potential of a Part of
Assam Arakan Basin and its Adjacent
Region, Petroleum Asia Journal. P 127-
158.
RIDER, M. H. (1986) : The geological
interpretation of well logs
SERRA O, (1986) Fundamentals of well log
interpretation - 2. The interpretation of
logging data.