Microfacies and environmental study of the lower cretaceous yamama formation in Ratawi field

The Yamama Formation is the main Lower Cretaceous (late Berriasian–Valangenian) carbonate reservoir in southern Iraq. Petrographic study from thin-section examination shows that the skeletal grains included calcareous algae from both red and green algae. Red algae is concentrated in the upper part of the Formation, and the most important of this algae species is Permocalculus ssp. Green algae is less common, and its concentration is in the middle part of the Formation. The most species found in the Yamama Formation is dasycladeans, and both small and large species of benthonic foraminifera such as Nautiloculina, Textularia, Trocholina, Pseudocyclammina, and Everticyclammina are also present. The non-skeleton grains included oolites, pellets, and micrite. Six cyclic type microfacies have been recognized for Yamama Formation in Ratawi-3 (Rt-3) and Ratawi-4 (Rt-4) Wells, namely peloidal packstone–grainstone, algal wackestone–packstone, oolitic–peloidal grainstone, bioclastic wackestone–packstone, foraminiferal wackestone, and mudstone microfacies. The latter has been divided into two submicrofacies: argillaceous lime mudstone and fossiliferous lime mudstone. The lateral extension of these microfacies has been identified by integrating the thin-section data and well logs’ character variations with similar characteristic for microfacies. The Yamama Formation was affected by five diagenetic processes, which are micritization, cementation, recrystallization, silicification, and stylolites. The Yamama Formation was deposited during a regressive period within the outer ramp, shoal, and inner ramp setting.     

西藏改则热那错上三叠统日干配错组碳酸盐岩岩石学特征与沉积环境*

西藏改则县热那错东沟剖面上三叠统卡尼阶至瑞替阶日干配错组沉积了厚度较大的碳酸盐岩地层,其中化石丰富。在碳酸盐岩中识别出11种主要的岩石类型：灰泥灰岩﹑含生物碎屑灰泥灰岩、生物碎屑粒泥灰岩、生物碎屑泥粒灰岩、内碎屑泥粒灰岩、内碎屑颗粒灰岩、藻颗粒灰岩、多种类型鲕粒灰岩、单一类型鲕粒灰岩、球粒泥粒灰岩和生物礁灰岩。根据岩石特征及组合类型可划分为5种沉积相：陆源碎屑滨岸相、局限台地相、开阔台地相、台地边缘浅滩相和台地边缘礁相,它们共同构成了日干配错组4个有序的海侵—海退旋回,整体显现出海侵的相序结构。     

Nearshore to offshore facies and depositional history of the Ordovician Daylesford Limestone New South Wales

The Daylesford Limestone is the basal formation of the Ordovician Bowan Park Group of central western New South Wales. The formation contains four main limestone types and minor intercalated terrigenous beds. Limestones are: (1) grain‐stone, (2) grey skeletal wackestone and packstone, (3) dark grey burrowed wackestone and packstone, and (4) dark grey burrowed lime mudstone. Grainstone and grey skeletal wackstone and packstone are dominant in eastern sections; they are laterally equivalent to, and interfinger with, dark grey muddy limestones that dominate western sections. Lithoclasts are abundant in the grainstone but are absent from muddy sections to the west except in thin beds above disconformities. The rock types of the Daylesford Limestone also tend to occur sequentially above some disconformities; the full sequence is: grainstone (or grey skeletal wackestone and packstone) grading up into dark grey burrowed wackestone and packstone and thence into dark grey burrowed lime mudstone. Each sequence is probably trans‐gressive and reflects deepening water.

During deposition of the Daylesford Limestone, an area to the east was uplifted, providing lithoclasts to be reworked into the neighbouring depositional basin. Uplift also produced numerous regressions and subaerial disconformities. Facies patterns were essentially similar throughout the history of the formation. Grainstone accumulated in high‐energy nearshore environments adjacent to the uplifted area, and grey skeletal wackestone and packstone in low‐energy nearshore environments. Dark grey lime mudstone formed in offshore low‐energy environments to the west of the uplifted area; and dark grey wackestone and packstone in intermediate environments. In parts, burrowing organisms kept pace with sedimentation and locally mixed interbedded grainstone and muddy limestone.     

Lithostratigraphy and standard microfacies types of the Neogene carbonates of Rabigh and Ubhur areas, Red Sea coastal plain of Saudi Arabia

The Neogene carbonate rocks have relatively small exposure relative to the siliciclastic and evaporite rocks in Rabigh and Ubhur areas, north Jeddah, Red Sea coastal plain of Saudi Arabia. The Miocene carbonates form small hills in both areas, which conformably overlie the siliciclastics, whereas the Pleistocene coral reefs form terraces facing the Red Sea in Rabigh area. The Neogene carbonates are represented by the following microfacies types: (1) dolomitic, oolitic, foraminiferal packstone; (2) sandy, dolomitic, intraclastic, foraminiferal packstone; (3) dolomitic and oolitic wackestone; (4) dolomitic, foraminiferal, intraclastic wackestone; (5) dolomitic mudstone; (6) coral boundstone; and (7) grainstone. The diagenetic processes affecting these carbonates are compaction, dissolution, aggrading neomorphism, and replacement that took place during deposition, shallow burial, and uplift. Pervasive dolomitization by the seepage reflux mechanism is responsible for the mimic replacement of the calcite of the original component of the limestone with dolomite. Sediments, biota, and lithofacies characteristics of the studied carbonate rocks of Rabigh and Ubhur areas indicate the presence of three facies zones; these are (1) FZ 5 platform margin reefs, (2) FZ 6 (platform margin sand shoals), and (3) FZ 7 platform interior-normal marine. The standard microfacies types are represented by (1) SMF 12, limestone with shell concentration; (2) SMF 15, oolitic wackestone and packstone; and (3) SMF 18, bioclastic grainstone and packstone with abundant benthic foraminifera.     

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Depositional environments and porosity distribution in regressive limestone reservoirs of the Mishrif Formation,Southern Iraq

Eight subsurface sections and a large number of thin sections of the Mishrif Limestone were studied to unravel the depositional facies and environments. The allochems in the Mishrif Formation are dominated by bioclasts, whereas peloids, ooids, and intraclasts are less abundant. The sedimentary microfacies of the Mishrif Formation includes mudstone, wackestone, packstone, grainstone, floatstone, and rudstone, which have been deposited in basinal, outer shelf, slop followed by shoal reef and lagoonal environments. The formation displays various extents of dolomitization and is cemented by calcite and dolomite. The formation has gradational contact with the underlying Rumaila Formation but is unconformably overlain by the Khasib Formation. The unconformity is recognized because the skeletal grains are dominated by Chaophyta (algae), which denotes the change of environment from fully marine to lacustrine environment. Thus, the vertical bioclast analysis indicates that the Mishrif Formation is characterized by two regressive cycles, which control the distribution of reservoir quality as well as the patterns of calcite and dolomite cement distribution. Mishrif Formation gradationally overlies Rumaila Formation. This was indicated by the presence of the green parts of Chaophyta (algae) as main skeletal grains at the uppermost part of well Zb-47, which refer to lacustrine or fresh water environment. Petrographical study shows that the fossils, peloids, oolitis, and intraclasts represent the main allochem. Calcite and dolomite (as diagenetic products) are the predominant mineral components of Mishrif Formation. Fossils were studied as an environmental age and facial boundaries indicators, which are located in a chart using personal computer programs depending on their distributions on the first appearance of species. Fifteen principal sedimentary microfacies have been identified in the Mishrif Formation, which includes lime mudstone, mudstone–wackestone, wackestone, wackestone–packstone, packstone, packstone–grainstone, grainstone–floatstone, packstone–floatstone, packstone–rudstone, and wackestone–floatstone. Markov chain analysis has been used to study the transitional pattern of different microfacies types vertically in each well and laterally in all wells as a composite section. The vertical analysis indicates that the Mishrif Formation characterized by two regressive cycles, the main one started with basinal or outer shelf environment, slop environment followed by shoal or reefal environment, and ended with a lagoonal environment. The lateral analysis shows the same regressive cycle, and by using the lithofacies association concepts, we built the depositional model of the Mishrif Formation environment.     

重庆老龙洞二叠系-三叠系界线地层的海平面下降事件

老龙洞的二叠系-三叠系界线地层剖面许多学者做过研究,关于其海平面变化问题的争论一直没有解决。本文的研究首次在该剖面上发现了明显的侵蚀面,说明曾经有海平面下降事件。对沉积环境的解释也有新的认识。该剖面在长兴期钙质海绵灰岩之上沉积了一套开阔台地相的沉积,其上是1.4m 厚的局限台地相沉积,具有斑点状构造。此层顶部出现一个波状起伏的侵蚀面。侵蚀面上下的岩性不同。此面之上是0.8m 厚的浅水的局限台地相沉积,具有树枝状的构造和外貌。此层顶面是一个更加明显的侵蚀面,起伏高差达到0.3m 以上。侵蚀面上下的岩性截然不同,以及其上岩石层理与侵蚀面的斜交关系,以及侵蚀面的形态把侵蚀面同缝合线区分开来。这个侵蚀面代表一次显著海平面下降事件之后的一次较长时间的出露和风化剥蚀。侵蚀面之上是透镜状分布的灰色的层状的小腹足类的颗粒岩,再上是一薄层灰黄色的泥粒岩,含丰富的小双壳类。此层以上是青灰色的薄板状的泥质灰泥岩,舍丰富的0.3～3mm 大小的、内部重结晶的同生角砾。     

Facies analysis and depositional environment of the Jurassic, Jumara Dome sediments, Kachchh, western India

The study deals with the depositional environment of Jumara Dome sediments. The Jumara Dome is an important outcrop of Bathonian to Oxfordian sediments amongst the Kachchh Mainland exposures. On the basis of facies analysis three associations have been documented, namely, G-1 consisting of low energy facies comprising of cross-bedded sandstone, massive sandstone, grey shale and thin bedded sandstone, bioclastic — lithoclastic grainstone, bioclastic — lithoclastic packstone, microbioclastic packstone/wackestone, bioturbated laminated wackestone to mudstone and pelagic lime mudstone; G-II consisting of moderate energy facies comprising of laminated sandstone and grapestone or agglutinated grainstone; G-III consisting of high energy facies comprising of interbedded gypsiferous shale and sandstone/siltstone, oolitic grainstone to conglomerate and bioclastic grainstone. The facies associations reflect an ideal shallowing upward sequence representing slope, bioclast bar, lagoon and inner shelf. Presence of wide range of facies indicates that the rocks of the studied area were deposited during the fluctuating sea level, interrupted by the storms, in the shallow marine environment.     

重庆万盛中二叠统碳酸盐岩微相研究

重庆市万盛区中二叠统碳酸盐岩分布广泛，露头发育良好，发育有10种微相类型，即灰泥石灰岩、筵粒泥灰岩、球粒生物碎屑粒泥灰岩、生物碎屑内碎屑泥粒灰岩、荷叶藻泥粒灰岩、鲕粒内碎屑泥粒岩/颗粒岩、小有孔虫泥粒灰岩、生物碎屑泥粒灰岩、绿藻颗粒灰岩和生物碎屑颗粒灰岩。综合分析表明，研究区中二叠统形成于滨岸、局限台地和开阔台地环境，据此建立了沉积相模式。     

Sedimentological and depositional environment studies of the Mauddud Formation, central and southern Iraq

Nineteen subsurface sections and a large number of thin sections of the Mauddud limestone (age Albian?CEarly Cenomanian) were studied to unravel the depositional facies and environments. The allochems in the Mauddud Formation are dominated by bioclasts (reach 23%) and peloids (reach 60%), whereas intraclasts are less abundant (reach 2.3%). The sedimentary microfacies of the Mauddud Formation includes lime mudstone, wackestone, wackestone?Cpackstone, packstone, packstone?Cgrainstone, in addition to dolostone lithofacies and green shale lithofacies. These microfacies have been deposited in shallow warm marine environment of varying salinities and energy levels. Cementation, neomorphism, dolomitization, compaction, and dissolution are observed affecting variably both ground mass and particles. The formation displays various extents of dolomitization and is cemented by calcite and dolomite. Dolomitization increases toward the north of the study area and exhibits different textures. Similarly cementation shows a variety of textures. In addition, authigenic minerals, such as glauconite and pyrite, are scattered within the groundmass and along solution surfaces. The formation has gradational contact with the underlying Nahr Umr Formation but is unconformably overlain by the Ahmadi Formation, despite local conformity. Thus, the vertical bioclast analysis indicates that the Mauddud Formation is characterized by four major depositional cycles, which control the distribution of reservoir quality as well as the patterns of calcite and dolomite, cement distribution. Petrographical study shows that the fossil represents the main Allchem, Peloids, whereas intraclasts come second in abundance. Calcite (more than 50%) and dolomite (as diagenetic products, range between 20% and 50%) are the predominant mineral components of Mauddud Formation. Fossils were studied as an environmental, age, and facial boundary indicators. Five major depositional microfacies are recognized. These depositional microfacies have been subdivided according to their primary and diagenetic constituents into ten submicrofacies. The determined four major depositional cycles were representing normal sequential regression from base upward. The lateral analysis shows the same regressive cycle and by using the lithofacies association concepts to build the depositional model of the Mauddud Formation environment.     

Mid-Cretaceous basin margin carbonates, east-central Mexico

Isolated, high relief carbonate platforms developed in the intracratonic basin of east-central Mexico during Albian-Cenomanian time. Relief on the platforms was of the order of 1000 m and slopes were as steep as 20–43°. Basin-margin debris aprons adjacent to the platforms comprise the Tamabra Formation. In the Sierra Madre Oriental, at the eastern margin of the Valles-San Luis Potosi Platform, an exceptionally thick (1380m) progradational basin to platform sequence of the Tamabra Formation can be divided into six lithological units. Basinal carbonate deposition that preceded deposition of the Tamabra Formation was emphatically punctuated by an allochthonous reef block 1 km long by 0·5 km wide with a stratigraphic thickness of 95 m. It is encased in Tamabra Formation unit A, approximately 360 m of peloidal-skeletal wackestone and lithoclastic-skeletal packstone that includes some graded beds. Unit B is 73 m of massive dolomite with sparse skeletal fragments and intraclasts. Unit C, 114m thick, consists of structureless skeletal wackestone passing upward into graded skeletal packstone. Interlaminated lime mudstone and fine grained bioclastic packstone with prominent horizontal burrows are interspersed near the top. Unit D is 126 m of breccia with finely interbedded skeletal grainstone and burrowed or laminated mudstone. The breccias contain a spectrum of platform-derived lithoclasts and basinal intraclasts, up to 10 m in size. The breccias are typically grain supported (rudstone) with a matrix of lightly to completely dolomitized mudstone or skeletal debris. Beds are up to several metres thick. Unit E is 206 m of massive, sucrosic dolomite that replaced breccias. Unit F is approximately 500 m of thick bedded to massive skeletal packstone with abundant rudists and a few mudstone intraclasts. Metre scale laminated lime mudstone beds are interspersed. The section is capped by El Abra Formation platform margin limestone, consisting of massive beds of caprinid packstone and grainstone with many whole valves. Depositional processes within this sequence shift from basinal pelagic or peri-platform sedimentation to distal, platform-derived, muddy turbidity currents with a large slump block (Unit A); through more proximal (coarser and cleaner) turbidity currents (Unit B?, C); to debris flows incorporating platform margin and slope debris (Units D, E). Finally, a talus of coarse, reef-derived bioclasts (Unit F) accumulated as the platform margin prograded over the slope sequence. Interspersed basinal deposits evolved gradually from largely pelagic to include influxes of dilute turbidity currents. Units containing turbidites with platform-derived bioclasts reflect flooding of the adjacent platform. Breccia blocks and lithoclasts were probably generated by erosion and collapse of the platform during lowstands. Laminated, black, pelagic carbonates, locally cherty, are interbedded with both breccias and turbidites. At least those interbedded with turbidites may have been deposited within an expanded mid-water oxygen minimum zone during relative highstands of sea level. They are in part coeval with mid-Cretaceous black shales of the Atlantic Ocean.     

贵阳乌当地区中、上奥陶统沉积学研究

贵阳乌当地区上奥陶统碳酸盐岩地层与扬子地区同时代地层相比具有其特殊性,黄花冲组与宝塔组"龟裂纹"灰岩时代相当.通过对该地区中、上奥陶统碳酸盐岩的研究,划分出亮晶生屑灰岩相、泥晶生屑灰岩相、含生屑泥晶灰岩相、生屑泥晶灰岩相和页岩-粉砂岩相5种沉积相;根据沉积相组合推断此时期乌当地区黄花冲组处于局限潮下低能环境.     

The Late Jurassic Tithonian, a greenhouse phase in the Middle Jurassic–Early Cretaceous 'cool' mode: evidence from the cyclic Adriatic Platform, Croatia

Well‐exposed Mesozoic sections of the Bahama‐like Adriatic Platform along the Dalmatian coast (southern Croatia) reveal the detailed stacking patterns of cyclic facies within the rapidly subsiding Late Jurassic (Tithonian) shallow platform‐interior (over 750 m thick, ca 5–6 Myr duration). Facies within parasequences include dasyclad‐oncoid mudstone‐wackestone‐floatstone and skeletal‐peloid wackestone‐packstone (shallow lagoon), intraclast‐peloid packstone and grainstone (shoal), radial‐ooid grainstone (hypersaline shallow subtidal/intertidal shoals and ponds), lime mudstone (restricted lagoon), fenestral carbonates and microbial laminites (tidal flat). Parasequences in the overall transgressive Lower Tithonian sections are 1–4·5 m thick, and dominated by subtidal facies, some of which are capped by very shallow‐water grainstone‐packstone or restricted lime mudstone; laminated tidal caps become common only towards the interior of the platform. Parasequences in the regressive Upper Tithonian are dominated by peritidal facies with distinctive basal oolite units and well‐developed laminate caps. Maximum water depths of facies within parasequences (estimated from stratigraphic distance of the facies to the base of the tidal flat units capping parasequences) were generally <4 m, and facies show strongly overlapping depth ranges suggesting facies mosaics. Parasequences were formed by precessional (20 kyr) orbital forcing and form parasequence sets of 100 and 400 kyr eccentricity bundles. Parasequences are arranged in third‐order sequences that lack significant bounding disconformities, and are evident on accommodation (Fischer) plots of cumulative departure from average cycle thickness plotted against cycle number or stratigraphic position. Modelling suggests that precessional sea‐level changes were small (several metres) as were eccentricity sea‐level changes (or precessional sea‐level changes modulated by eccentricity), supporting a global, hot greenhouse climate for the Late Jurassic (Tithonian) within the overall ‘cool’ mode of the Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous.     

Facies and Depositional Sequences of the Asmari Formation,Shajabil Anticline,North of the Izeh Zone,Zagros Basin,Iran

Outcrop and microscopic studies have been applied in this research paper in order to find out the Asmari Formation depositional sequences in the Shajabil Anticline section located at the north of the Izeh Zone,Zagros Basin,Iran.Five depositional sequences were identified based on 11 facies types （bioclast Nummulitidae Lepidocyclinidae packstone,bioclast perforate foraminifera Nephrolepidina Miogypsinoides wackestone-packstone,bioclast perforate foraminifera Corallinacea wackestone-packstone,bioclast echinoid Neorotalia Brachiopoda wackestone-packstone,coral floatstone-rudstone,bioclast Corallinacea imperforate foraminifera wackestone-packstone,bioclast imperforate foraminifera Archaias wackestone-packstone,bioclast imperforate foraminifera Dendritina wackestone-packstone-grainstone,bioclast imperforate foraminifera Borelis wackestonepackstone and very fine sandy mudstone） corresponding to the tidal flat,restricted and semirestricted lagoon and open marine environments of an inner and middle shelf areas.Well-exposed outcrop horizons of Thalassinoides at the study section are a favorable tool for the regional outcrop sequence stratigraphy.Thalassinoides is considered as an outcrop key-bed for recognition of the Rupelian-Chattian maximum flooding depositional sequence.Coral remnants （small colonies） in outcrop exposures also are associated with the HST depositional sequence （Chattian） for the Asmari Formation.The most important achievement of this research is use of associated maximum flooding surfaces （Pg30,Pg40,Pg50,Ngl0 and Ng20） in the Arabian plate.These maximum flooding surfaces could be recorded as an isochrones surface.     

四川宣汉盘龙洞上二叠统长兴组沉积相与岩石地层精细划分

盘龙洞剖面长兴组与普光气田同属于川东北的碳酸盐台地边缘相礁滩相层序,其岩石地层和沉积相研究结果对于认识普光气田、龙岗气田的储层发育和分布规律具有很好的参考作用。根据对薄片的仔细观察分析以及对相关地层的认识,对剖面长兴组的结晶白云岩地层进行了原岩恢复。根据古生物面貌及岩石组构特征,将盘龙洞剖面长兴组自下而上划分四段:下生屑岩段、礁灰岩段、上生屑岩段、微生物岩段。下生屑岩段包括了下部含小型有孔虫的深水陆棚相泥晶灰岩、以及上部含腕足类和棘皮类的浅水陆棚相生屑泥粒岩。礁灰岩段厚达108m,由海绵骨架岩和障积岩组成。上生屑岩段厚约45.3m,已经白云石化为细晶白云岩,导致前人往往误划分为蒸发台地相。仔细观察后仍然可以进行原岩恢复,主要由生屑泥粒岩、粒泥岩组成,含棘皮类、有孔虫、粗枝藻、等组成的群落。微生物岩段厚约8.7m,不仅地层以不规则薄层状为特征,而且含有特征的微生物群落。与普光6井、湖北利川见天坝长兴组剖面对比后发现,它们有相似的沉积层序:下部的深水相灰岩、中部的生物礁岩、上部的开阔台地相或相似环境的生屑灰岩。这应代表台缘礁滩相带的典型层序,可作为认识台缘礁滩相储层的基础。前人研究未能识别长兴组顶部的微生物岩段。这直接导致了二叠系—三叠系界线的无法正确确定。本文提出可以把微生物岩段作为一个岩石地层单位对待,可以作为确定二叠系—三叠系界线的标志层,把界线放在微生物岩段的中部。     

Facies architecture and sequence development of the Euphrates formation in western Iraq

The Euphrates formation is widely exposed in western Iraq near Al-Qaim area. It extends eastward parallel to the Euphrates River on both sides, crossing Anah, Hadetha, and Al-Baghdadi vicinities. Based on the benthic foraminiferal assemblages and microfacies features, 12 different microfacies types have been recognized into two Stratigraphic sections that are lime mudstone, wackestone, bioclastic wackestone, miliolids wackestone, alveolinids wackestone, packstone, bioclastic packstone, peloidal packstone, miliolids packstone, peneroplids packstone, rotaliids packstone, grainstone, peloidal grainstone, oolitic grainstone, and miliolids grainstone. Accordingly, the depositional environments were recognized on the basis of microfacies identification and interpretation ranging from restricted marine, shoal, to open marine environments. The exposed Euphrates succession is represented by four fourth-order cycles (A, B, C, and D); they are mostly asymmetrical showing slightly lateral variation in thickness and symmetry. These cycles represent a succession episode of sea level rises and stillstands. The nature of these cycles reflects variation in the relative sea level resulted from eustatic and tectonic subsidence. Cycle A is underlain by SB1 of Sheik Alas formation in Al-Baghdadi section and by Anah formation in Wadi Hjar section. Cycle D is overlain by SB1 of Fatha formation in Al-Baghdadi section and by conformable contact of Nfayil formation in Wadi Hjar section. According to sequence development, the study area shows low rate of subsidence and the major controlling factor that affects eustatic sea level fluctuation.     

Dolomitization of Carbonate Periplatform Deposit,Machari Formation (Middle to Late Cambrian),Korea

The petrography, the geochemistry and the burial history all constrain the origin and modification history of dolomites in an ancient periplatform carbonate slope deposit,the Machari Formation (late Miclclle to early Late Cambrian),Korea. The formation is mainly composed of rhythmic bedding. laminated to bedded lime mudstone alternating with argillaceous lime mudstone. The rhythmic bedding is a product of the deposition of offshore periplatform ooze and hemipelagic clay on a periplatform slope. This formation also shows minor and intermittent influx of other lithofacies including the bioclastic-peloidal packstone, peloidal wackestone, and intraclasts deposited as turbidites. Five types of dolomite occur in the Machari Formation, whose occurrence.texture and geochemistry provide an insight into origin and modification history.     

Evolution of pore space in the Poza Rica trend (Mid-Cretaceous), Mexico

ABSTRACT The Poza Rica trend of the Tampico embayment, Mexico, will ultimately produce more than 2.3 × 10⁹ barrels of oil from Mid-Cretaceous (Albian-Cenomanian) basin-margin deposits. Bioclastic grainstone, packstone, and wackestone are interbedded with polymictic lime breccia and dolomitized debris; all were deposited by sediment gravity flow. Indigenous sediment was pelagic lime mud. Typical reservoir porosities are about 10%; permeabilities average 2 md and rarely exceed 100 md. Porosity is largely the result of selective dissolution of rudist fragments, which were originally aragonite. Detailed petrographic study, with emphasis on the diagenetic products, allows quantitative assessment of porosity at various diagenetic stages from original sediment to reservoir rock. A relatively simple diagenetic history is reflected by about 90% of the samples studied: primary porosity was reduced through lithification of matrix mud and initial cementation by clear, equant to bladed, non-ferroan calcite. Later dissolution produced extensive skelmoldic and minor vuggy porosity. Subsequently, non-ferroan calcite cement reduced porosity before the emplacement of hydrocarbons. Reconstructed sediment porosities are comparable to, but lower than, modern counterparts. The initial phase of cementation and presumed lithification of mud greatly reduced porosity in all lithologies, but appreciably more porosity persisted in grainstone and packstone than in wackestone or mudstone. Dissolution produced a porosity resurrection, which exceeded that of the initial sediment in some grainstones. Calcite cementation and local multiphase quartz cementation and dolomitization reduced porosity to present average values of 8–12% in grain-supported rocks and 3% in mud-supported rocks. The greater persistence of primary porosity and, therefore, permeability in grain-supported rocks probably accounts for their greater secondary porosity development and ultimate reservoir quality. Geometrically averaged permeabilities range from only 0.17 md in wackestone to 3.85 md in dolomite, but differ significantly with rock type and grain size. Permeability increases with porosity in all lithologies; the rate of increase is greater at higher porosities and with coarser grain sizes. The agent for both early cementation and development of secondary porosity appears to have been meteoric water. Subaerial exposure appears to be ruled out, however, by a basin-margin depositional environment and continued burial beneath Upper Cretaceous pelagic sediments. Early exposure to meteoric water can be explained by a hydrologic head developed during penecontemporaenous exposure that produced cavernous porosity in the adjacent Golden Lane trend. Descending meteoric water likely emerged as submarine springs along the Tamabra trend. Deposition of pelagic limestone during the Turonian blanketed part of the Golden Lane escarpment to enhance development of a large freshwater lens; gaps in the blanket localized springs and influenced flow patterns within the Poza Rica field. Analogous freshwater circulation exists today in northern Florida.     

Carbonate platform dominated by peloidal sands: Lower Ordovician La Silla Formation of the eastern Precordillera,San Juan,Argentina

The Lower Ordovician La Silla Formation of the Precordillera of west‐central Argentina is part of the west‐facing early Palaeozoic, tropical carbonate platform succession that comprises the core of the Cuyania terrane. Up to 360 m thick, it is exposed in several thrust sheets over a distance of some 250 km along and across depositional strike over a palinspastically unrestored distance of about 35 km. La Silla Formation is a strikingly pure limestone with subordinate finely crystalline dolomite and rare chert. It accumulated on a more or less uniformly subsiding passive margin. Copious precipitation of microcrystalline calcite, probably influenced by microbial activity to varying degrees, led to the generation of peloids, ooids and aggregates of these grains, as well as small amounts of lime mud, intraclasts, stromatolites and thrombolites. Rare bioclasts are limited mostly to scattered gastropods and trilobite sclerites; bioturbation is present locally. The array of carbonate rock types is grouped into eight recurring lithofacies, in order of decreasing abundance: (i) peloidal grainstone; (ii) laminated dolostone; (iii) intraclastic rudstone; (iv) microbial laminite; (v) peloidal packstone; (vi) ooidal grainstone; (vii) thrombolite boundstone; and (viii) mudstone. These facies represent sediments that formed solely in a shallow subtidal marine environment, with no evidence of restricted conditions, hypersalinity or subaerial exposure. No events of eustatic sea‐level change are recorded. By far the dominant facies is grainstone composed of well‐sorted, fine sand‐sized peloids and peloidal aggregates in homogeneous, tabular to gently undulating, medium to thick beds; cross‐lamination is scarce. Clusters of sub‐metre‐sized microbial patch reefs developed sporadically. The shallow platform is envisaged to have been covered by extensive peloidal sand flats and low‐relief banks, and little lime mud was generated. The setting was probably microtidal and may not have been affected by strong trade winds. It was washed by frequent, relatively gentle wave action but without experiencing powerful storms. In the middle member, anomalous lenses of intraclastic rudstone and laminated dolostone occur as graded beds overlying sharply downcut scoured surfaces up to 20 cm deep; these are interpreted to indicate a phase when accretion was punctuated occasionally by tsunamis generated from rift‐faulting seaward of the platform margin. The remarkably uniform peloidal grainstone composition over a broad area shows that, given the appropriate combination of climate, environmental and ecological factors, large portions of some early Palaeozoic platforms were dominated by grainy sediment and remained under well‐agitated conditions within fair‐weather wave‐base, without distinct lateral facies differentiation or tidal‐flat aggradation.     

广西合山地区合山组沉积相带和沉积模式

陆表海碳酸盐岩型含煤岩系是我国含煤岩系的一个重要类型,以广西晚二叠世合山组为代表。文中对该煤系中的碳酸盐岩进行了详细的微相分析,认为合山组沉积时期合山地区为温暖潮湿气候下的浅水环境,提出了包括浅海盆地、生物礁、开阔台地、潮坪和泥炭坪在内的陆表海碳酸盐台地沉积模式,并指出合山组碳酸盐台地边缘是以生物礁为代表的缓坡,最后对合山组的旋回层序进行分析,认为合山组沉积过程中,地壳沉降作用和海平面变化起了主导作用。     

山东省长清县中寒武统张夏组的微相组分、微相类型及沉积相分析

山东省长清县中寒武统的张夏-崮山剖面为华北地区张夏组的正层型剖面,其岩石地层、生物地层研究都较为成熟.从碳酸盐岩微相的角度,对其微相组分、微相类型和沉积环境作了进一步研究.在张夏-崮山地区的张夏组碳酸盐岩中识别出了6种微相类型:异地生物碎屑泥粒灰岩、附枝藻黏结灰岩、具再搬运鲕粒的粒泥-泥粒灰岩、含介壳及完整底栖化石的泥粒-粒泥灰岩、放射状鲕粒泥粒-粒泥灰岩和同心圆状鲕粒颗粒灰岩.微相类型的垂向叠覆及野外露头观察指示了5种沉积相带,自下而上分别为:局限台地鲕粒滩相、开阔台地海相、台地边缘鲕粒滩相、台地边缘藻礁相及台地边缘滩前斜坡相,表明山东省长清县张夏组为典型的镶边型碳酸盐岩台地沉积.