Controls on fracture distribution in Cretaceous sedimentary rocks from the Isfahan region, Iran

In this study, relationships between fracture patterns, lithology, thickness, diagenetic processes and grain size are evaluated within Cretaceous sediments in two sections of Dizlu and Kolah Ghazi of Isfahan. This study area was selected based on its outcrops of different rock units and its well-developed tectonic fractures. The fracture patterns within stratigraphic units of these sections are studied using geometrical and statistical analyses. This study finds that variable fracture spacing and fracture spacing ratios can be affected by lithology, thickness, grain size of sediments and diagenetic processes. A study of fracture stratigraphy based on fracture pattern evaluation within different cropped-out sedimentary rocks can be used to improve understanding of the same types of sedimentary rock units below the surface or throughout other sedimentary basins. Consequently, this could improve information regarding storage and fluid flow pattern throughout sedimentary rocks in different regions, even for subsurface purposes.