Research into the diagenetic alteration of sandstones and carbonates began in earnest in the 1970s and has been successfully applied to petroleum exploration and development of conventional reservoirs, progressing from a qualitative understanding of evolution of reservoir quality to today's advanced computer models to quantify and predict reservoir quality ahead of drilling. The current industry focus on unconventional shale (mudstone) reservoirs has provided a wealth of new data and techniques to begin meaningful study of the potential impacts of diagenesis on mudstone reservoirs, much of which has yet to be fully realized. This field provides many research challenges, which if successfully addressed, will significantly improve understanding and prediction of reservoir and source rock quality in unconventional mudstone oil and gas plays.

This Memoir is an outgrowth of the joint SEPM-AAPG Mudstone Diagenesis Hedberg Research Conference held in Santa Fe, New Mexico, October 16-19, 2016. The purpose of the conference was to bring together leading experts from industry, academia, and government to present and discuss new research on the controls and impact of diagenesis on mudstone source rocks, reservoirs, and seals. This volume contains 13 highly illustrated peer-reviewed chapters representing the research presented during the Santa Fe conference and other solicited related contributions.

This volume provides an up-to-date reference that is intended for professional geologists, research scientists, and students specializing in petroleum geology, organic and inorganic geochemistry, mudstone petrography, and rock mechanics. The book is organized into five sections: 1) New Tools and Techniques, 2) Inorganic Diagenesis, 3) Mechanical Properties, 4) Organic Diagenesis, and 5) Applications and Case Studies.

Table of Contents