Kaolinite-to-dickite reaction in sandstone reservoirs

The SEM, XRD, FTIR and DTA analyses of different size-fractions of clay material from sandstone reservoirs which have experienced a large range of burial conditions have been used to examine the different steps of the depth-related kaolinite-dickite reaction. Dickite progressively replaced kaolinite within a range of burial depths estimated between about 2500 m and 5000 m. The kaolinite-to-dickite reaction proceeds by gradual structural changes concomitant to crystal coarsening and change from booklet to blocky morphology. The crystallization of dickite proceeds by two distinct paths: (1) Accretion of new material from either dissolution of smaller unstable kaolinite crystals and/or detrital minerals (chiefly feldspars), on early-formed coarser metastable kaolinite crystals which exert extended morphological control on the growing crystals. (2) Neoformation of ordered dickite which will continue to grow by a dissolution-crystallization process. The kaolinite-todickite reaction is kinetically controlled and anomalies in the kaolinite/dickite ratio observed in certain sandstone reservoirs may be used to assess the timing of invasion by hydrocarbons.