Silica diagenesis of Neogene diatomaceous and volcaniclastic sediments in northern Japan*

Marine diatomaceous siliceous sediments in Neogene sections of northern Japan contrast with the Monterey Shale of California in containing many intercalations of acidic volcaniclastic sediments. Diagenesis of these sediments from deep boreholes and surface sections was investigated. Three diagenetic zones—biogenic opal, opal-CT and quartz zones—are recognized in siliceous sediments, corresponding roughly to amorphous silica, low cristobalite and quartz zones in acidic vitric volcaniclastic sediments. Opal-CT consists almost exclusively of silica and water, while low cristobalite contains appreciable amounts of A1, Ca, Na and K. In subsurface sections, values of d(101) spacing of opal-CT decrease progressively with increasing burial depth. The progressive ordering is not associated with additional silica cementation. In surface sections, the behaviour of d(101) spacing is complicated owing to the modification of the progressive ordering developed during burial diagenesis by later silica cementation during uplift. The cementing opal-CT is probably precipitated from percolating groundwater which dissolves siliceous skeletons in porous diatomaceous mudstones overlying the opal-CT porcellanite. Opaline cherts that form during burial diagenesis are designated as early opaline chert, while those which form during uplift are later opaline chert. The later opaline chert contains two groups of opal-CT; one is progressively ordered opal-CT and the other is additionally cemented opal-CT with higher d(101) spacing than that in the host porcellanite. In diatomaceous siliceous sediments, early opaline chert is scarce. Most, if not all, opaline cherts in surface sections are of later origin.     

Diagenesis and reservoir quality analysis in the Lower Cretaceous Qishn sandstones from Masila oilfields in the Sayun–Masila Basin,eastern Yemen

Lower Cretaceous sandstones of the Qishn Formation have been studied by integrating sedimentological, petrological and petrophysical analyses from wells in the Masila oilfields of eastern Yemen. These analyses were used to define the origin, type of diagenesis and its relation to reservoir quality. The sandstones of the Qishn Formation are predominately quartz arenite to subarkose arenite with sublitharenite and quartz wackes displaying a range of porosities, averaging 22.33%. Permeability is likewise variable with an average of 2844.2 mD. Cementation coupled with compaction had an important effect on porosity destruction after sedimentation and burial. The widespread occurrence of early calcite cement suggests that the sandstones of the Qishn Formation lost significant primary porosity at an early stage of its diagenetic history. In addition to poikilotopic calcite, several different cements including kaolinite, illite, chlorite and minor illite–smectite occur as pore‐filling and pore‐lining cements, which were either accompanied by or followed the development of the early calcite cement. Secondary porosity development occurred due to partial to complete dissolution of early calcite cements and feldspar grains. The new data presented in this paper suggest the reservoir quality of Qishn sandstones is strongly linked to their diagenetic history; hence, the reservoir quality is reduced by clay minerals, calcite and silica cements but is enhanced by the dissolution of the unstable grains, in addition to partial or complete dissolution of calcite cements and unstable grains. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Shallow-marine carbonate cementation in Holocene segments of the calcifying green alga Halimeda

Early-diagenetic cementation of tropical carbonates results from the combination of numerous physico-chemical and biological processes. In the marine phreatic environment it represents an essential mechanism for the development and stabilization of carbonate platforms. However, diagenetic cements that developed early in the marine phreatic environment are likely to become obliterated during later stages of meteoric or burial diagenesis. When lithified sediment samples are studied, this complicates the recognition of processes involved in early cementation, and their geological implications. In this contribution, a petrographic microfacies analysis of Holocene Halimeda segments collected on a coral island in the Spermonde Archipelago, Indonesia, is presented. Through electron microscopical analyses of polished samples, this study shows that segments are characterized by intragranular cementation of fibrous aragonite, equant High-Mg calcite (3.9 to 7.2 Mol% Mg), bladed Low-Mg calcite (0.4 to 1.0 Mol% Mg) and mini-micritic Low-Mg calcite (3.2 to 3.3 Mol% Mg). The co-existence and consecutive development of fibrous aragonite and equant High-Mg calcite results initially from the flow of oversaturated seawater along the aragonite template of the Halimeda skeleton, followed by an adjustment of cement mineralogy towards High-Mg calcite as a result of reduced permeability and fluid flow rates in the pores. Growth of bladed Low-Mg calcite cements on top of etched substrates of equant High-Mg calcite is explained by shifts in pore water pH and alkalinity through microbial sulphate reduction. Microbial activity appears to be the main trigger for the precipitation of mini-micritic Low-Mg calcite as well, based on the presumable detection of an extracellular polymeric matrix during an early stage of mini-micrite Low-Mg calcite cement precipitation. Radiocarbon analyses of five Halimeda segments furthermore indicate that virtually complete intragranular cementation in the marine phreatic environment with thermodynamically/kinetically controlled aragonite and High-Mg calcite takes place in about 100 years. Collectively, this study shows that early-diagenetic cements are highly diverse and provides new quantitative constraints on the rate of diagenetic cementation in tropical carbonate factories.     

黄骅坳陷三马地区中-深部储层成岩作用及主控因素分析

黄骅坳陷三马地区储集岩样品的显微特征及成岩矿物的组合关系分析结果表明，三马地区下第三系中深层储层主要处于晚成岩A期，成岩现象包括石英、长石的次生加大、碳酸盐矿物胶结作用、矿物交代作用、溶解作用和粘土矿物转化作用等。其中石英次生加大于2700m左右开始出现，随埋深增大，石英增生加强；长石次生加大现象不十分普遍；碳酸盐胶结作用包括早期自生泥晶方解石胶结作用、连晶方解石和晚期白云石(或铁方解石)的胶结作用。在扫描电镜下可见到方解石与含铁方解石集合体充填在粒间孔隙中或与石英、钠长石及粘土矿物共生，白云岩多呈菱形粒状分布于粒间；常见的交代现象主要有方解石交代长石、石英及粘土矿物，粘土矿物交代长石、石英等；溶解作用主要有长石的溶解、碳酸盐颗粒的溶解和方解石胶结物的溶解等，粘土矿物的转化主要为蒙脱石、高岭石向伊利石(或绿泥石)转化。还讨论了储层岩相、岩性特征、孔隙水中有机酸含量、早期方解石的充填、烃类早期注入等因素对储层成岩演化的控制作用。     

Calcite cementation during bacterial manganese, iron and sulphate reduction in Jurassic shallow marine carbonates

Faunally restricted argillaceous wackestones from the Middle Jurassic of eastern England contain evidence of early diagenetic skeletal aragonite dissolution and stabilization of the carbonate matrix, closely followed by precipitation of zoned calcite cements, and precipitation of pyrite. Distinctive cathodoluminescence and trace element trends through the authigenic calcites, their negative δ¹³C compositions and the location of pyrite in the paragenetic sequence indicate that calcite precipitation took place during sequential bacterial Mn, Fe and sulphate reduction. Calcite δ¹⁸O values are compatible with cementation from essentially marine pore fluids, although compositions vary owing to minor contamination with ¹⁸O-depleted ‘late’cements. Mg and Sr concentrations in the calcites are lower than those in recent marine calcite cements. This may be a result of kinetic factors associated with the shallow burial cementation microenvironments. Bicarbonate for sustained precipitation of the authigenic calcites was derived largely from aragonite remobilization, augmented by that produced through anaerobic organic matter oxidation in the metal and sulphate reduction environments. Aragonite dissolution is thought to have been induced by acidity generated during aerobic bacterial oxidation of organic matter. Distinction of post-oxic metal reduction and anoxic sulphate reduction diagenetic environments in modern carbonate sediments is uncommon outside pelagic settings, and early bacterially mediated diagenesis in modern platform carbonates is associated with extensive carbonate dissolution. High detrital Fe contents of the Jurassic sediments, and their restricted depositional environment, were probably the critical factors promoting early cementation. These precipitates constitute a unique example of calcite authigenesis in shallow water limestones during bacterial Mn and Fe reduction.     

Controls of facies and sediment composition on the diagenetic pathway of shallow-water Heterozoan carbonates: the Oligocene of the Maltese Islands

Relatively few studies have so far addressed diagenetic processes in Heterozoan carbonates and the role that sediment composition and depositional facies exert over diagenetic pathways. This paper presents a study of Oligocene shallow-water, Heterozoan carbonates from the Maltese Islands. We investigate stratigraphic distribution, abundance and timing of diagenetic features and their relationship to sediment composition and depositional facies. The studied carbonate rocks comprise rud- to packstones of the Heterozoan association predominantly containing coralline red algae, bryozoans, echinoids and benthic foraminifers. XRD analyses show that all high-Mg calcite has been transformed to low-Mg calcite and that no aragonite is preserved. Diagenetic processes include dissolution of aragonitic biota, neomorphism of high-Mg calcitic biota to low-Mg calcite and cementation by fibrous, bladed, epitaxial and blocky cements. Stable isotopes on bulk rock integrated with petrographic data suggest that the study interval was not exposed to significant meteoric diagenesis. We interpret early cementation to have taken place in the marine and marine burial environment. The distribution and abundance of early diagenetic features, determining the diagenetic pathway, can be related to the primary sediment composition and depositional texture. Sorting and micrite content are important controls over the abundance of diagenetic features.     

Diagenesis in the Middle Jurassic Khatatba Formation sandstones in the Shoushan Basin,northern Western Desert,Egypt

The Middle Jurassic Khatatba Formation acts as a hydrocarbon reservoir in the subsurface in the Western Desert, Egypt. This study, which is based on core samples from two exploration boreholes, describes the lithological and diagenetic characteristics of the Khatatba Formation sandstones. The sandstones are fine‐ to coarse‐grained, moderately to well‐sorted quartz arenites, deposited in fluvial channels and in a shallow‐marine setting. Diagenetic components include mechanical and chemical compaction, cementation (calcite, clay minerals, quartz overgrowths, and a minor amount of pyrite), and dissolution of calcite cements and feldspar grains. The widespread occurrence of an early calcite cement suggests that the Khatatba sandstones lost a significant amount of primary porosity at an early stage of its diagenetic history. In addition to calcite, several different cements including kaolinite and syntaxial quartz overgrowth occur as pore‐filling and pore‐lining cements. Kaolinite (largely vermicular) fills pore spaces and causes reduction in the permeability of the reservoir. Based on framework grain–cement relationships, precipitation of the early calcite cement was either accompanied by or followed the development of part of the pore‐lining and pore‐filling cements. Secondary porosity development occurred due to partial to complete dissolution of early calcite cements and feldspar. Late kaolinite clay cement occurs due to dissolved feldspar and has an impact on the reservoir quality of the Khatatba sandstones. Open hydraulic fractures also generated significant secondary porosity in sandstone reservoirs, where both fractures and dissolution took place in multiple phases during late diagenetic stages. The diagenesis and sedimentary facies help control the reservoir quality of the Khatatba sandstones. Fluvial channel sandstones have the highest porosities and permeabilities, in part because of calcite cementation, which inhibited authigenic clays or was later dissolved, creating intergranular secondary porosity. Fluvial crevasse‐splay and marine sandstones have the lowest reservoir quality because of an abundance of depositional kaolinite matrix and pervasive, shallow‐burial calcite and quartz overgrowth cements, respectively. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

开江-梁平地区上二叠统长兴组储层岩石学特征

以露头剖面测量、单井岩芯观察和室内薄片鉴定为依据,结合不同结构和成因类型白云岩(或白云石)的n(Mg)/n(Ca)比值,有序度和C、O、Sr同位素特征,对开江-梁平地区长兴组碳酸盐岩储层成岩作用与孔隙发育和演化规律进行了综合研究,确定研究区对储层破坏最大的成岩作用是胶结、压实-压溶、新生变形和次生矿物的充填等作用,而对储层贡献最大的建设性成岩作用主要为埋藏白云岩化、重结晶、溶蚀和破裂等作用,有效地改善了储层的孔渗性,形成以粒间溶孔、粒内溶孔、铸模孔、晶间溶孔、超大溶孔、溶洞和溶裂缝等多种次生孔隙类型组合的礁、滩相储层基本特征。在再造成岩序列和恢复孔隙演化历史的基础上,对储层发育与孔隙演化的关系可得出如下几点结论:①有利的礁、滩相带决定了储层发育的位置和空间展布规律;②礁、滩复合体的多期次埋藏白云岩化是形成储层的基础;③破裂作用和溶蚀作用是改造储层和提高储层质量的关键。     

辽河盆地西部凹陷沙河街组砂岩碳酸盐胶结物特征

碳酸盐胶结物中氧碳同位素组成研究是分析成岩过程中流体-岩石相互作用的重要技术方法.综合运用岩石学、矿物学和地球化学方法，对辽河盆地西部凹陷沙河街组砂岩中碳酸盐胶结物的化学组成和碳酸盐胶结物及成岩流体同位素组成特征进行系统分析.研究表明，研究区碳酸盐岩主要为方解石和白云石，胶结物主要类型为嵌晶式胶结、孔隙式胶结、斑块状胶结和星点状胶结.碳、氧稳定同位素组成能有效地反映成岩-成矿流体及其他物质的来源，碳酸盐胶结物与现今浅层地下水氧同位素组成差异巨大而与变质水同位素组成具有相似性，反映了盆地演化过程中活动热流体对成岩作用的影响.包裹体的氢、氧同位素组成可表征成矿溶液的演化特征，砂岩碳酸盐胶结物包裹体更富集氢的轻同位素和氧的重同位素，表明发生了明显的“氧-18漂移”.碳酸盐胶结的成矿溶液表现出“受热雨水”的同位素组成特征，反映了深源活动热流体对成岩作用的影响.      

成岩作用对河流-三角洲相砂岩储层物性演化的影响--以延长油区上三叠统延长组长2砂岩为例

延长油区上三叠统长 2地层河流相-三角洲相砂岩储层的物性明显受埋藏-成岩作用事件的影响。埋藏压实作用是导致砂岩孔隙丧失的主要原因,造成的平均孔隙度丧失为 17.8%。其中黑云母的早期成岩蚀变是造成原生孔隙丧失的一个重要原因。胶结作用造成的平均孔隙度丧失为 7.1%。其中碳酸盐胶结物和次生石英加大是造成砂岩物性降低的主要胶结物。碎屑颗粒周围绿泥石薄膜的存在阻止了一部分石英次生加大及碳酸盐胶结物的沉淀,使一部分原生粒间孔隙得以保存。晚期成岩阶段有机质分解形成的酸性流体及表生成岩作用阶段的大气降水是形成次生孔隙的主要原因,从而使长 2砂岩的物性得到改善     

利用天然气包裹体方法划分天然气成藏期次--以鄂尔多斯盆地东南部上古生界储层为例

鄂尔多斯盆地东南部上古生界天然气储层主要为太原组、山西组、下石盒子组和上石盒子组,岩性以石英砂岩为主。储层的主要成岩作用有压实和压溶作用、胶结和交代作用、裂隙和溶蚀作用等,依据显微镜下岩相学研究,在研究区可以识别出四个大的成岩阶段,分别对应早成岩阶段的早期和晚期、晚成岩阶段的早期和晚期。识别出两期天然气包裹体,第一期天然气包裹体形成于早成岩阶段的晚期,分布在早期裂隙及与其相关的溶蚀孔隙中,形态不规则,气/液比较高,偶尔可见包裹体发荧光。第二期天然气包裹体形成于晚成岩阶段晚期,分布在晚期裂隙中和晚期亮晶方解石和石英胶结物中,包裹体气/液比小,大部分为有机气态和盐水组成的气液两相有机包裹体,包裹体壁薄色浅。研究认为第一期代表了早期天然气初次运移和注入储层事件,而第二期代表了天然气大规模二次运移聚集成藏事件。     

鄂尔多斯盆地东部下二叠统山西组山2段成岩相划分及展布

鄂尔多斯盆地东部下二叠统山西组山2段岩石类型主要为石英砂岩、岩屑质石英砂岩和岩屑砂岩,储集层经历了压实、压溶、硅质胶结、碳酸盐胶结交代、高岭石胶结、杂基蚀变以及溶蚀等多种成岩作用。在成岩作用研究的基础上,通过大量的岩心观察和薄片鉴定,结合阴极发光、探针分析等方法,将研究区划分出7种单因素成岩相,即：强压实、压溶-石英次生加大、蚀变高岭石、沉淀高岭石、杂基充填、碳酸盐胶结交代、不稳定组分溶蚀成岩相,在此基础上对其进行平面叠加,确定了利于储集层发育的优势成岩相。其中压溶-石英次生加大与杂基、假杂基溶蚀作用的综合作用（叠加和改造）决定了山西组山2段有利的成岩相带,在陕141井区、榆37井区、子洲-清涧地区山西组山2段形成了天然气优质储集层。     

山东车镇凹陷东部古近系沙河街组成岩作用

车镇凹陷沙河街组的沉积体系受控于盆地内的构造、物源供给以及沉积时的气候环境。以岩石学特征为基础，描述了成岩过程中压实与压溶作用、胶结作用、溶解作用与次生孔隙的特征，以及次生孔隙带在本区的分布。论述了碳酸盐胶结物与粘土矿物胶结作用的特点。粘土矿物蒙脱石-伊利石转变具有明显的渐变与突变交替的演化程式，其演化经历了蒙脱石带、渐变带、迅速转化带和伊利石带以及蒙脱石向伊利石的转变带。沙河街组的成岩作用划分为早期成岩阶段（A期、B期）和晚期成岩阶段（A期、B期、C期），并提出了成岩阶段的划分标志。     

Petrofacies, provenance and diagenesis of the dhosa sandstone member (Chari Formation) at Ler, Kachchh sub-basin, Western India

The sandstones of the Dhosa Sandstone Member of Late Callovian and Early Oxfordian age exposed at Ler have been analyzed for their petrofacies, provenance, tectonic setting and diagenetic history. These sandstones are fine to medium grained and poorly- to well sorted. The constituent mineral grains are subangular to subrounded. These sandstones were derived from a mixed provenance including granites, granite–gneisses, low- and high-grade metamorphic and some basic rocks of the Aravalli Range and Nagarparkar Massif. The petrofacies analysis reveals that these sandstones belong to the continental block-, recycled orogen- and rifted continental margin tectonic regime.The imprints of early and deep burial diagenesis of these sandstones include different stages of compaction, cementation, change in crystal boundaries, cement–cement boundaries, chertification and neomorphism. The sequence of cementation includes precipitation of calcite and its subsequent replacement by Fe calcite and silica cements. The typical intermediate burial (2–3 km depth) diagenetic signatures of these sandstones are reflected in the formation of suture and straight-line boundaries, and triple junctions with straight-line boundaries. The depositional environment, relatively low-energy environment that was below storm wave base but subjected to gentle currents, of the Dhosa Sandstone Member controlled the early diagenesis, which in turn influenced the burial diagenesis of these sandstones.     

塔中地区良里塔格组碳酸盐岩储层特征及成岩作用

塔中地区良里塔格组发育巨厚的礁滩相碳酸盐岩,为碳酸盐岩储层的形成提供了有利条件。通过对钻井岩心和薄片分析,系统研究了研究区良里塔格组碳酸盐岩的储层岩石学、成岩作用类型和特征,总结了各类成岩作用的识别标志、发育规律及对储集体形成的影响。研究区碳酸盐岩储层的成岩作用包括泥晶化作用、白云石化作用、方解石胶结作用、溶蚀作用、硅化和硅质充填作用,以及压实、压溶作用、破裂作用和自生黄铁矿作用。在此基础上,总结了良里塔格组碳酸盐岩成岩序列及储层孔隙演化规律,认为早期强烈的方解石胶结作用和压实压溶作用降低了储层的孔隙度和渗透率,而溶蚀作用和构造破裂作用对良里塔格组礁滩相碳酸盐岩优质储层的形成具有明显控制作用。     

Diagenetic alterations of the upper Jurassic scleractinian corals,Hanifa Formation,Jabal Al-Abakkayn,central Saudi Arabia

During diagenetic stages, the aragonitic skeletons and the inter/intra-corallite cement of the upper Jurassic corals of Hanifa Formation either dissolved or subjected to diagenetic alterations including cementation, micritization, recrystallization, silicification, dolomitization and dedolomitization. The proposed sequence of diagenetic stages is as follows: early marine diagenesis, early meteoric and mixing zone diagenesis, late meteoric diagenesis, and shallow burial diagenesis. Each stage is characterized by certain diagenetic processes. The source of sulfate solutions for dedolomitization in the studied corals is the dissolved anhydrite deposits of the Arab–Hith Formations, sometime before their erosion. A possible source of silica, needed for the formation of chert and chalcedony, is the sponge spicules dispersed in many carbonates of the Hanifa Formation.     

惠州凹陷东部珠海组储层碱性成岩作用及孔隙演化

根据铸体薄片、扫描电镜、粒度分析、X衍射等资料,对惠州凹陷东部珠海组储层的岩石学特征、成岩作用和孔隙演化过程进行分析研究。研究认为,惠州凹陷东部珠海组储层的岩石类型以岩屑砂岩、长石质岩屑砂岩、岩屑质石英砂岩和岩屑质长石砂岩为主,结构成熟度与成分成熟度较低。砂岩埋藏过程中经历了明显的碱性成岩作用:石英的溶蚀与交代、碳酸盐矿物胶结、伊利石和绿泥石的沉淀以及钠长石化等。碱性成岩作用对孔隙的影响包括:石英溶蚀形成次生溶孔、碳酸盐胶结物沉淀损失粒间孔隙、黏土矿物沉淀形成晶间微孔。研究区珠海组主要发育粒内溶孔和粒间溶孔,原生孔隙较少。储层现今处于中成岩阶段A期,早期经历了强烈的压实作用,使其孔隙度由原始孔隙度32.1%降低至8.8%。早成岩阶段为碱性成岩环境,石英溶蚀增孔约0.5%;碳酸盐、硫酸盐、伊利石等胶结物沉淀减孔约2.3%。中成岩阶段A期为酸性成岩环境,硅质、高岭石等胶结物沉淀减孔约1.2%;长石、岩屑等溶蚀增孔约4.3%。最终,储层演化至现今孔隙度10.1%。     

Authigenic quartz and albite in Devonian limestones: origin and significance

Euhedral quartz and albite crystals are common in Devonian (Givetian-Frasnian) shallow-marine shelf carbonates from the Belgian Ardennes. Several features such as morphology, the presence of carbonate inclusions, inversion temperatures and occurrence in the insoluble residues of stylolitic surfaces indicate that these crystals have developed authigenically. Oxygen isotope ratios point to an intermediate deep burial realm of origin at temperatures of 60–90°C. The predominance of illite and the almost total absence of smectite clay minerals is interpreted as an indication that illitization produced the silica needed for authigenesis. The mineral composition of inclusions indicates that the carbonate host rock must have consisted of low-Mg calcite already at the time of authigenesis. These inclusions represent an earlier diagenetic stage than the present carbonate rock, since they were protected from further diagenetic alteration by the surrounding quartz. The calcite inclusions display a higher Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca ratio than the carbonate host-rock. Because neomorphic diagenesis of the carbonate continued after silicate authigenesis, the contents of Mg and Sr in the calcite of the host carbonate are even lower. The authigenic feldspar mineralogy seems to be determined by the composition of the host-sediment.     

Classification and Diagenetic Characteristics of the Cretaceous Sandstones in the Southern Bredasdorp Basin,Offshore South Africa

A systematic petrographic and geochemical studies of 92 representative sandstone samples from exploration wells E-AH1, E-AJ1, E-BA1, E-BB1 and E-D3 in the southern part of the Bredasdorp Basin was undertaken to classify the sandstones as well as unravel the main diagenetic processes and their time relations. Petrographic study shows that the sandstones are largely subarkosic arenite and arkosic litharenite, which have underwent series of diagenetic processes as a result burial, rifting and subsequent uplift. The main diagenetic processes that have affected the reservoir properties of the sandstones are cementation by authigenic clay, carbonate and silica, growth of authigenic glauconite, dissolution of minerals and load compaction. The major diagenetic processes reducing the porosity are calcite cementation in the subarkosic arenite, and compaction and quartz cementation in arkosic litharenite. On the other hand, the formation of secondary porosity due to the partial to complete dissolution of early calcite cement, feldspars and minor grain fracturing has improved the reservoir property of the sandstone to some extent. The clay minerals in the sandstones commonly acts as pore choking cement, which reduces porosity. In general, there is no particular diagenetic process that exclusively controls the type or form of porosity evolution in the sandstones.     

Diagenesis of spiculites and carbonates in a Permian temperate ramp succession – Tempelfjorden Group,Spitsbergen, Arctic Norway

This paper explores little investigated diagenesis of spicule‐dominated sediments, based on Permian spiculites and cool‐water carbonates of the Tempelfjorden Group in central Spitsbergen. Field observations, petrography, stable isotope geochemistry, and mineralogical and chemical analyses reveal that the strata have been subjected to multistage diagenesis as the result of silica phase transitions at medium burial depths and deep‐burial overprinting. The growth of silica concretions occurred during the opal‐A/opal‐CT conversion and was controlled by the content and distribution of clay and spicules in the sediment, resulting in a variety of megascopic silica fabrics. Opal‐CT was subsequently dissolved, and all silica is now in a stable quartz stage. Petrographically, the rocks are characterized by a variety of chalcedony and quartz cements which perfectly preserve precursor textures. Most cements precipitated from silica‐oversaturated fluids, and their shapes reflect the silica saturation state and geometry of the pore space. Some microquartz and cryptoquartz also formed by a solid–solid inversion (recrystallization) of chalcedony. The cements have δ ¹⁸O values between +30‰ and +20‰ Standard Mean Ocean Water and display a systematic depletion in ¹⁸O from the first to the last crystallized, interpreted to reflect a gradual increase in temperature during burial. The precipitation of quartz cements started in the Middle Triassic when the strata passed the 19°C isotherm at burial depths of ca 600 m, and was completed in the mid‐Cretaceous, 2·3 km beneath the sea floor at temperatures of 75°C. Late diagenetic overprinting of the chert includes fracturing, brecciation and cementation with carbonate cements having δ ¹⁸O values between +2‰ and −30‰ Pee Dee Belemnite and δ ¹³C values between +4‰ and −14‰ Pee Dee Belemnite; they are linked to hot solutions introduced during Cretaceous volcanism or Palaeogene tectonism. This study illustrates the diagenetic pathway during burial of spicule‐rich sediments in a closed system and thereby provides a baseline for studies of more complexly altered chert deposits.