Delimiting morphological and volumetric elements of cave surveys as analogues for paleokarst reservoir modelling – A case study from the Maaras cave system, northern Greece

Active karst systems can offer good analogues for paleokarst reservoir modelling as they can provide links between present karst system geometries and the final reservoir architecture. Although clastic sediments are a characteristic and commonly conspicuous component of modern karst systems, their impact on the surveyed cave morphology has received limited attention. Here we address this topic by investigating the spatial and volumetric distribution of clastic sediments in a large karst cave hosting an active fluvial channel in northern Greece and discretize these in a geocellular framework. Mapping of cave floor sediment-types was supplemented by local stratigraphic logging of relict sediment terraces and electrical resistivity tomography in parts of the cave. Four resistivity groups were identified and interpreted as low- and high-porosity siliciclastic sediments, interbedded marble clasts, and host rock (marble). Sediment infill thickness ranges from 25 m to >45 m at the time of measurement; corresponding to a minimum of 64–95% of the cross-sectional area of the karst cavity in the surveyed part. These observations demonstrate that under certain circumstances, allochthonous siliciclastic sediments can form a significant volumetric component in karst systems and, by extension, in paleokarst reservoirs originating from similar karstic systems. This highlights the importance of understanding the context, organization and development of the initial karst system when characterizing paleokarst reservoirs. Mapping of sediment thickness is not usually carried out during cave surveys, which primarily focus on recording open cavities accessible to man. This implies that survey data concerning the shape and volume of cave systems and statistics compiled and derived from them should be handled with care when applied to paleokarst reservoir modelling.