Zebra and boxwork fabrics in hydrothermal dolomites of northern Canada: Indicators for dilational fracturing,dissolution or in situ replacement?

Zebra and boxwork fabrics in Manetoe and Presqu'ile hydrothermal dolomites provide critical data for discrimination between hypotheses for their origin. In a unique occurrence, sets of weakly imbricated, decimetre‐sized curvilinear lenticles of white dolospar are developed within sub‐metre sized tongues of greyish‐white dolomitized crinoidal packstone and grainstone. This nascent zebra fabric has developed along wavy to nodular intra‐bed sedimentary partings. Primary bedding can be traced through dolomitized masses containing these fabrics, into the surrounding undolomitized limestone. All zebra and boxwork fabrics are confined within single beds, consistent with an early burial time of origin. No change in bed thickness occurs across zebra or boxwork fabrics within beds; this indicates a dissolutional, rather than a dilational, origin for the creation of pore space partly cemented with white dolospar. The dolomitized groundmass displays an abruptly gradational or sharp transition to centripetal saddle dolomite cement, which partially to nearly completely, occludes vugs. Circulation of geothermally heated hypersaline Devonian Elk Point basinal sea water brines led to dissolution and replacive dolomitization of limestone adjacent to vugs, and near‐contemporaneous precipitation of white dolospar within dissolutional vugs, consistent with geochemical simulations. The presence of downward‐extending galleries of white dolospar‐cemented solution‐collapse breccia provides further support for an interpretation of regional thermally driven convection of hydrothermal evaporative sea water brines across a broad area of northern Canada. The absence of gases under pressure in vacuoles within fluid inclusions from Manetoe and Presqu'ile dolospars is also more consistent with a dissolutional and contemporaneous dolomitization origin for these fabrics, rather than an origin involving dilational fracturing for space creation and dolospar precipitation. The ubiquitous presence of zebra and boxwork fabrics in hydrothermal dolomite reservoirs indicates that they are not confined fault zones and instead occur wherever precursor limestones had relatively greater porosity and permeability prior to dolomitization.     

Development of secondary porosity in the Fairholme carbonate complex (southwest Alberta, Canada)

Because of their economic importance as hydrocarbon reservoirs, the Upper Devonian dolomitized carbonate reefs in southwest Alberta have been the subject of several studies. Still, there is no consensus on the process of matrix dolomitization and furthermore, the process of vug development is not often addressed. The studied outcrops show features of an early diagenetic matrix-selective dolomitization by a Late Devonian seawater-derived fluid. Seepage reflux dolomitization combined with latent reflux is proposed, which best explains most chemical characteristics. The cements in the vugs are precipitated from warm saline, ⁸⁷Sr-enriched fluids and testify to thermogenic sulphate reduction based on the presence of sulphur, CO₂ and H₂S in inclusions, relatively high homogenization temperatures and depleted δ¹³C values, which sets constraints on the timing of vug formation. Secondary porosity may be created by the mixing of formation water with a tectonically and topographically driven fluid and by the dissolution of anhydrite nodules.     

Dolomite-rock textures and secondary porosity development in Ellenburger Group carbonates (Lower Ordovician), west Texas and southeastern New Mexico

Pervasive early- to late-stage dolomitization of Lower Ordovician Ellenburger Group carbonates in the deep Permian Basin of west Texas and southeastern New Mexico is recorded in core samples having present-day burial depths of 1.5–7.0 km. Seven dolomite-rock textures are recognized and classified according to crystal-size distribution and crystal-boundary shape. Unimodal and polymodal planar-s (subhedral) mosaic dolomite is the most widespread type, and it replaced allochems and matrix or occurs as void-filling cement. Planar-e (euhedral) dolomite crystals line pore spaces and/or fractures, or form mosaics of medium to coarse euhedral crystals. This kind of occurrence relates to significant intercrystalline porosity. Non-planar-a (anhedral) dolomite replaced a precursor limestone/dolostone only in zones that are characterized by original high porosity and permeability. Non-planar dolomite cement (saddle dolomite) is the latest generation and is responsible for occlusion of fractures and pore space. Dolomitization is closely associated with the development of secondary porosity; dolomitization pre-and post-dates dissolution and corrosion and no secondary porosity generation is present in the associated limestones. The most common porosity types are non-fabric selective moldic and vuggy porosity and intercrystalline porosity. Up to 12% effective porosity is recorded in the deep (6477 m) Delaware basin. These porous zones are characterized by late-diagenetic coarse-crystalline dolomite, whereas the non-porous intervals are composed of dense mosaics of early-diagenetic dolomites. The distribution of dolomite rock textures indicates that porous zones were preserved as limestone until late in the diagenetic history, and were then subjected to late-stage dolomitization in a deep burial environment, resulting in coarse-crystalline porous dolomites. In addition to karst horizons at the top of the Ellenburger Group, exploration for Ellenburger Group reservoirs should consider the presence of such porous zones within other Ellenburger Group dolomites.     

Formation of bed‐scale spatial patterns in dolomite abundance during early dolomitization: Part I. Mechanisms and feedbacks revealed by reaction–transport modelling

Dolomites of varied ages exhibit metre‐scale nested patterns of lateral periodic variation in permeability and porosity and, by inference, dolomite abundance as most examples are 100% dolomite. Two‐dimensional reaction–transport modelling simulations of bed‐scale dolomitization were used to assess whether those patterns in dolomite abundance could form during near‐surface replacement dolomitization. Simulations used a 2 m high and 18 m long model domain, a low‐Mg calcite grainstone precursor and an evaporated Mississippian seawater brine (430 parts per thousand salinity) as the dolomitizing fluid. The domain was initially populated with random variations in porosity and/or grain size. Results reveal that spatial patterns in dolomite abundance emerge when there is as little as 1% dolomite formed, with similarities between the modelled patterns and outcrop‐documented patterns. The nested patterns include a near‐random component that constitutes ≤40% of the total variance, short‐range correlation ranging from 1·5 to 3·3 m and a longer‐range periodic trend with a wavelength up to 6·5 m. The emergence of pattern in dolomite abundance is the result of an autogenic self‐organizing phenomenon. It is triggered by variation in initial calcite reactive surface area that occurs due to the random heterogeneities in initial porosity and/or grain sizes. The pattern develops due to a combination of kinetic disequilibrium reactions (dolomite precipitation and calcite dissolution) and positive feedbacks between dolomite growth, calcite dissolution and fluid flow. Flow is around loci of higher dolomite, lower porosity and higher reactive surface areas, but through loci of lower dolomite, higher porosity and lower reactive surface areas. The resulting less porous/more dolomite and more porous/less dolomite structures at the metre‐scale arise from those localized interactions. This self‐organizing mechanism for pattern formation constitutes a new model for geochemical self‐organization during dolomitization and is the only self‐organization model that is proven applicable to the formation of metre‐scale patterns during early, near‐surface dolomitization.     

Fault‐controlled dolomite bodies as palaeotectonic indicators and geofluid reservoirs: New insights from Gargano Promontory outcrops

The Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous platform‐slope to basinal carbonate strata cropping out in Gargano Promontory (southern Italy) are partly dolomitized. Fieldwork and laboratory analyses (petrographic, petrophysical and geochemical) allowed the characterization of the dolomite bodies with respect to their distribution within the carbonate succession, their dimensions, geometries, textural variability, chemical stability, age, porosity, genetic mechanisms and relation with tectonics. The dolomite bodies range from metres to kilometres in size, are fault‐related and fracture‐related, and probably formed during the Early Cretaceous at <500 m burial depths and temperatures <50°C. The proposed dolomitization model relies on mobilization of Early Cretaceous seawater that flowed, downward and then upward, along faults and fractures and was modified in its isotopic composition moving through Triassic and Jurassic strata that underlie the studied dolomitized succession. Despite the numerous cases reported in literature, this study demonstrates that hydrothermal and/or high‐temperature fluids are not necessarily required for fault‐controlled dolomitization. Distribution and geometries of dolomite bodies can be used for palaeotectonic reconstructions, as they partly record the characteristics (size, attitude and kinematics) of the palaeo‐faults, even if not preserved, that controlled dolomitization. In Gargano Promontory, dolomites record Early Cretaceous palaeo‐faults from metres to kilometres long, striking north‐west/south‐east to east/west and characterized by normal to strike‐slip kinematics. Dolomitization increases the matrix porosity by up to 7% and, therefore, can improve the geofluid storage capacity of tight, platform‐slope to basinal limestones. The results have a great significance for characterization of geofluid (for example, hydrocarbons) reservoirs hosted in similar dolomitized carbonate successions. Distribution, size and shapes of reservoir rocks (i.e. dolomite bodies) could be broadly predictable if the characteristics of the palaeo‐fault system present at the time of dolomitization are known.     

Multiple Dolomitization and Fluid Flow Events in the Precambrian Dengying Formation of Sichuan Basin,Southwestern China

The Precambrian Dengying Formation is a set of large-scale, extensively dolomitized, carbonate reservoirs occurring within the Sichuan Basin. Petrographic and geochemical studies reveal dolomitization was a direct result of precipitation by chemically distinct fluids occurring at different times and at different intensities. Based on this evidence, dolomitization and multiple fluid flow events are analyzed, and three types of fluid evolution models are proposed. Results of analysis show that Precambrian Dengying Formation carbonates were deposited in a restricted peritidal environment(630–542 Ma). A high temperature and high Mg~(2+) concentration seawater was a direct result of dolomitization for the micrite matrix, and for fibrous aragonite in primary pores. Geochemical evidence shows low δ~(18)O values of micritic dolomite varying from-1.29‰ to-4.52‰ PDB, abundant light rare earth elements(REEs), and low dolomite order degrees. Microbes and meteoric water significantly altered dolomite original chemical signatures, resulting in algal micritic dolomite and the fine-grained, granular, dolosparite dolomite having very negative δ~(18)O values. Finely crystalline cement dolomite(536.3–280 Ma) and coarsely crystalline cement dolomite have a higher crystallization degree and higher order degree. The diagenetic sequence and fluid inclusion evidence imply a linear correlation between their burial depth and homogenization temperatures, which closely resemble the temperature of generated hydrocarbon. Compared with finely crystalline dolomite, precipitation of coarsely crystalline dolomite was more affected by restricted basinal fluids. In addition, there is a trend toward a more negative δ~(18)O value, higher salinity, higher Fe and Mn concentrations, REE-rich. Two periods of hydrothermal fluids are identified, as the exceptionally high temperatures as opposed to the temperatures of burial history, in addition to the presence of high salinity fluid inclusions. The early hydrothermal fluid flow event was characterized by hot magnesium-and silicon-rich fluids, as demonstrated by the recrystallized matrix dolomite that is intimately associated with flint, opal, and microcrystalline quartz in intergranular or intercrystalline pores. This event was likely the result of a seafloor hydrothermal chimney eruption during Episode I of the Tongwan Movement(536.3±5.5 Ma). In contrast, later hydrothermal fluids, which caused precipitation of saddle dolomite, were characterized by high salinity(15–16.05 wt% NaCl equivalent) and homogenization temperatures(250 to 265°C), δ~(18)O values that were more enriched, and REE signatures. Geochemical data and the paragenetic sequence indicate that this hydrothermal fluid was related to extensive Permian large igneous province activity(360–280 Ma). This study demonstrates the presence of complicated dolomitization processes occurring during various paleoclimates, tectonic cycles, and basinal fluids flow; results are a useful reference for these dolomitized Precambrian carbonates reservoirs.     

雪峰山西侧重点白云岩储层成岩、储集特征及质量影响因素

雪峰山西侧地区下古生界中-上寒武统和震旦系灯影组白云岩是潜在的重要油气储集层。作为主要目的层段．本区的白云岩类型主要包括结晶白云岩、残余颗粒白云岩、灰质白云岩和藻白云岩四大类。白云岩储层总体上均属于低-特低孔、低-特低渗储层。影响储层发育的成岩事件包括重结晶作用、白云岩化作用、溶蚀作用、破裂作用等。研究表明,白云岩结晶程度可以影响其初始孔隙的发育程度,具粉晶一细晶结晶程度的白云岩具有最好的孔渗性。白云岩化作用的强弱对储层物性具有较为直接的影响。最佳白云岩储层中主要储集空间包括晶间孔隙（包括剩余晶间孔和晶间溶蚀孔）、次生溶孔、洞和裂缝。总体上,较强的白云岩化作用、一定程度的重结晶、较发育的微裂缝、较好的区域渗透性、晚期压溶缝合线发育和晚期较大构造缝不发育等因素有利于白云岩储层的发育。     

雪峰山西侧重点白云岩储层成岩、储集特征 及质量影响因素

雪峰山西侧地区下古生界中—上寒武统和震旦系灯影组白云岩是潜在的重要油气储集层。作为主要目的层段,本区的白云岩类型主要包括结晶白云岩、残余颗粒白云岩、灰质白云岩和藻白云岩四大类。白云岩储层总体上均属于低—特低孔、低—特低渗储层。影响储层发育的成岩事件包括重结晶作用、白云岩化作用、溶蚀作用、破裂作用等。研究表明,白云岩结晶程度可以影响其初始孔隙的发育程度,具粉晶—细晶结晶程度的白云岩具有最好的孔渗性。白云岩化作用的强弱对储层物性具有较为直接的影响。最佳白云岩储层中主要储集空间包括晶间孔隙(包括剩余晶间孔和晶间溶蚀孔)、次生溶孔、洞和裂缝。总体上,较强的白云岩化作用、一定程度的重结晶、较发育的微裂缝、较好的区域渗透性、晚期压溶缝合线发育和晚期较大构造缝不发育等因素有利于白云岩储层的发育。     

Dolomitization of the Upper Jurassic carbonate rocks in the Geneva Basin,Switzerland and France

The Upper Jurassic carbonates represent important potential targeted reservoirs for geothermal energy in the Geneva Basin (Switzerland and France). Horizons affected by dolomitization, the focus of the present study, are of particular interest because they proved to be productive in time-equivalent deposits currently exploited in Southern Germany. The study is based on sub-surface samples and outcrops in the Geneva Basin. Petrographic analyses allowed to constrain the paragenesis of the Upper Jurassic units prior to discussing the cause(s) and effect(s) of dolomitization. Data reveal that the facies are affected by early and late diagenesis. All samples show at least two stages of burial blocky calcite cementation with the exception of those from the sub-surface, which display an incomplete burial blocky cementation preserving primary intercrystalline porosity. Dolomitization affected all units. The results point to an early dolomitization event, under the form of replacement dolomite. Dedolomitization, through calcitization and/or dissolution, is an important process, creating secondary pore space. Results of the present study favor a reflux model for dolomitization rather than the mixing-zone model suggested in earlier work. However, considering the geodynamic context, other dolomitization models cannot be excluded for the subsurface. The presence of secondary pore space might contribute to the connectivity of the porous network providing enhanced reservoir properties. These results are a first step towards a better understanding of the diagenetic history of the Upper Jurassic in the Geneva Basin. Moreover, it provides a reasonable framework for further geochemical analyses to constrain the nature and timing of fluid migration. The paragenesis and the dolomitization model hold the potential to help in ongoing exploration for geothermal energy beyond the Geneva Basin.     

Genesis of Dolomite from Ma55–Ma510 Sub-members of the Ordovician Majiagou Formation in the Jingxi Area in the Ordos Basin

We clarified three stages of dolomitization and secondary changes by studying the petrology and geochemistry characteristics of dolomite from the Ma55–Ma510 sub-members of the Ordovician Majiagou Formation in the Jingxi area in the Ordos Basin: (1) Syngenetic microbial dolomitization is characterized by formation of dolomite with a mainly micrite structure and horse tooth-shape dolomite cements. (2) Seepage reflux dolomitization during the penecontemporaneous period superposed adjustment functions such as recrystallization and stabilization in the middle-deep burial stage, forming dolomites mainly consisting of micro crystal and powder crystal structure. (3) Powder dolomite, fine dolomite, and medium-coarse crystalline dolomite formed in pores and fractures in the middle-deep burial stage. The secondary concussive transgression-regression under a regressive background is an important condition for the occurrence of many stages of dolomitization in the study area. The basin was an occlusive epicontinental sea environment in the Ma5 member of the Ordovician Majiagou Formation sedimentary period. In the sediments, sulfate content was high, which is conducive to the preservation of microbial activity and microbial dolomitization. Micritic dolomite formed by microbial dolomitization provides good migration pathways for seepage reflux dolomitization. Affected by evaporation seawater with increased Mg/Ca ratio, seepage reflux dolomitization was widely developed and formed large-scale dolomite, and underwater uplifts and slopes are favorable areas for dolomite. In the middle-deep burial stage, dolomitizing fluid in the stratum recrystallized or stabilized the previous dolomite and formed a small amount of euhedral dolomite in the pores and fractures.     

Fault-controlled dolomitization at Swan Hills Simonette oil field (Devonian), deep basin west-central Alberta, Canada

The partly dolomitized Swan Hills Formation (Middle‐Upper Devonian) in the Simonette oil field of west‐central Alberta underwent a complex diagenetic history, which occurred in environments ranging from near surface to deep (>2500 m) burial. Five petrographically and geochemically distinct dolomites that include both cementing and replacive varieties post‐date stylolites in limestones (depths >500 m). These include early planar varieties and later saddle dolomites. Fluid inclusion data from saddle dolomite cements (T_h=137–190 °C) suggest that some precipitated at burial temperatures higher than the temperatures indicated by reflectance data (T_peak=160 °C). Thus, at least some dolomitizing fluids were ‘hydrothermal’. Fluorescence microscopy identified three populations of primary hydrocarbon‐bearing fluid inclusions and confirms that saddle dolomitization overlapped with Upper Cretaceous oil migration. The source of early dolomitizing fluids probably was Devonian or Mississippian seawater that was mixed with a more ⁸⁷Sr‐rich fluid. Fabric‐destructive and fabric‐preserving dolostones are over 35 m thick in the Swan Hills buildup and basal platform adjacent to faults, thinning to less than 10 cm thick in the buildup between 5 and 8 km away from the faults. This ‘plume‐like’ geometry suggests that early and late dolomitization events were fault controlled. Late diagenetic fluids were, in part, derived from the crystalline basement or Palaeozoic siliciclastic aquifers, based on ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr values up to 0·7370 from saddle dolomite, calcite and sphalerite cements, and ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb of 22·86 from galena samples. Flow of dolomitizing and mineralizing fluids occurred during burial greater than 500 m, both vertically along reactivated faults and laterally in the buildup along units that retained primary and/or secondary porosity.     

环开江—梁平海槽长兴组台缘礁滩相储层特征及成岩作用

通过岩心观察、薄片鉴定、电镜扫描、阴极发光、物性分析,对四川盆地东部环开江—梁平海槽上二叠统长兴组礁滩相储层特征、储层成岩作用进行研究,并初步建立成岩演化序列。储层特征研究发现,长兴组储层发育良好,储集岩以"花斑状"生屑云岩和生物礁云岩为主,粒间孔、粒间溶孔和粒内溶孔较为发育,孔隙度总体介于2%~6%,渗透率集中在0.1~1 m D,结合孔渗相关关系将其划分为4种储层类型:"低孔高渗"型、"中孔中渗"型、过渡型、"高孔低渗"型。储层成岩作用研究发现,储层在成岩阶段经历了多期胶结、压实、白云岩化、溶蚀、构造破裂等成岩作用。由于成岩作用对孔隙结构的改造,孔隙演化整体上呈减小趋势。胶结作用及压实作用使得原生孔隙大幅度减少,对储层的形成具有破坏性作用,溶蚀及白云岩化作用对储层的形成具有建设性作用,构造破裂对储层进一步优化改造。研究表明原生粒间孔和早成岩期岩溶及热液白云岩化作用形成的早期次生孔隙不仅是现今储层储集空间的雏形,也基本决定了储层的最终面貌。     

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。     

Research on Diageneses of Cambrian Shoal Facies Carbonate Rocks in the Xiadong Area, Hubei Province

With continuous outcrops, developed shoal fades rocks, complete types of diagenesis and changeable diagenetic environments, Cambrian strata are well developed in the Xiadong area, Yichang, Hubei Province. Under the combined influence of numerous diageneses, secondary pores can be formed, which result in better reservoir properties of the rock strata.The Cambrian rocks in this area consist of mainly carbonate rocks and secondarily detrital rocks. The carbonate rocks are dominated by grainstones including wormkalk, calcirudite-calcarenite, oolitic limestone and oncolitic limestone. Graded bedding and cross bedding are well developed in the strata, which indicates that the formation environment is of a high-energy shoal facies.In this area, there has developed a sequence of stable Cambrian platform carbonate deposition. The evolution trend is as follows: open sea shelf facies→intertidal low-energy restricted sea facies→Hntertidal high-energy shoal facies→coastal shoal facies→evaporite tidal-flat facies     

塔中Ⅰ号坡折带上奥陶统礁滩的白云石化及其储集意义

塔里木盆地塔中Ⅰ号坡折带上奥陶统良里塔格组礁滩灰岩发生了少量白云石化作用。白云石化主要发育在溶洞充填的钙质渗流粉砂,泥晶生物碎屑灰岩的泥晶基质,亮晶颗粒灰岩的钙藻屑、藻砂屑、藻泥屑等三种组构中。白云石化直接贡献了平均1%的孔隙度,同时产生的白云石晶间孔为进一步溶蚀提供了通道,对有效储层的形成起到了重要作用。高镁方解石生物是白云石化所需镁离子的重要来源。这套与生物白云石化相关的礁滩储层地质预测需要深入研究钙藻、海百合等生物的古生态、岩相环境及分布。     

The role and impact of freshwater–seawater mixing zones in the maturation of regional dolomite bodies within the proto Floridan Aquifer, USA

Palaeogene dolostones from the sub‐surface of Florida are ideal for the study of dolomite maturation because they record the early stages of a secondary dolomite overprint without destruction by later diagenetic overprints. Two distinct dolomite textures occur in the dolostones of the Upper Eocene Ocala and Lower Oligocene Suwannee limestones in west‐central Florida: a porous and permeable sucrosic dolomite and a less porous and relatively impermeable indurated non‐sucrosic dolomite. In both textures, the initial matrix dolomite is dully luminescent, whereas the secondary overprint is dominantly luminescent cement in the Suwannee and only neomorphic luminescent dolomite in the Ocala. The abundance of luminescent dolomite ranges from 2% to 38%, which translates to 1·6 km³ of material in the Suwannee and 13·5 km³ in the Ocala. Extrapolated trace‐element contents (Sr and Na) and δ¹⁸O values for the matrix and luminescent end‐members indicate a marine origin for the matrix dolomite in both units, and a freshwater–seawater mixing‐zone origin for the secondary luminescent dolomites. The δ¹⁸O values indicate that a saline, middle mixing‐zone environment overprinted the Suwannee but a more dilute mixing zone affected the Ocala. Fluid–fluid mixing models constrained by modern Floridan aquifer hydrochemistry and extrapolated ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr values of the luminescent phases indicate that the mixing zones operated during the Late Miocene to Pliocene in the Ocala and affected the Suwannee in the Pliocene. The luminescent Suwannee mixing‐zone cement reduced porosity up to threefold and permeability up to 100‐fold, which converted many sucrosic dolomites to indurated dolomites. By contrast, the neomorphic luminescent Ocala dolomite did not have an appreciable impact on the maturations. Although freshwater–seawater mixing zones were not the sites of the initial dolomitization, the mixing‐zone environment did dramatically overprint and mature the regionally widespread dolomites of the Ocala and Suwannee limestones. This maturation occurred shortly after formation of the proto‐Floridan aquifer; the timing suggests the matrix dolomites were ‘ripe’ for alteration and that the only prerequisite for mixing‐zone dolomite is pre‐existing dolomite substrates to reduce kinetic barriers. In contrast to recent claims, the results of this study demonstrate that mixing zones can be effective in forming regionally significant amounts of secondary dolomite and influencing the petrophysical maturation of dolomite bodies.     

Controls on the formation of stratabound dolostone bodies,Hammam Faraun Fault block,Gulf of Suez

Dolomitization is commonly associated with crustal‐scale faults, but tectonic rejuvenation, diagenetic overprinting and a fluid and Mg mass‐imbalance often makes it difficult to determine the dolomitization mechanism. This study considers differential dolomitization of the Eocene Thebes Formation on the Hammam Faraun Fault block, Gulf of Suez, which has undergone a simple history of burial and exhumation as a result of rifting. Stratabound dolostone bodies occur selectively within remobilized sediments (debrites and turbidites) in the lower Thebes Formation and extend into the footwall of, and for up to 2 km away from, the Hammam Faraun Fault. They are offset by the north–south trending Gebel fault, which was active during the earliest phases of rifting, suggesting that dolomitization occurred between rift initiation (26 Ma) and rift climax (15 Ma). Geochemical data suggest that dolomitization occurred from evaporated (ca 1·43 concentration) seawater at less than ca 80°C. Geothermal convection is interpreted to have occurred as seawater was drawn down surface‐breaching faults into the Nubian sandstone aquifer, convected and discharged into the lower Thebes Formation via the Hammam Faraun Fault. Assuming a ca 10 Myr window for dolomitization, a horizontal velocity of ca 0·7 m year⁻¹ into the Thebes Formation is calculated, with fluid flux and reactivity likely to have been facilitated by fracturing. Although fluids were at least marginally hydrothermal, stratabound dolostone bodies do not contain saddle dolomite and there is no evidence of hydrobrecciation. This highlights how misleading dolostone textures can be as a proxy for the genesis and spatial distribution of such bodies in the subsurface. Overall, this study provides an excellent example of how fluid flux may occur during the earliest phases of rifting, and the importance of crustal‐scale faults on fluid flow from the onset of their growth. Furthermore, this article presents a mechanism for dolomitization from seawater that has none of the inherent mass balance problems of classical, conceptual models of hydrothermal dolomitization.     

Dolomite characteristics and diagenetic model of the Calcari Grigi Group (Asiago Plateau,Southern Alps – Italy): an example of multiphase dolomitization

A multidisciplinary study, conducted over the carbonate platform deposits of the Liassic Calcari Grigi Group (Southern Alps), highlighted how the use of outcrop analogues can contribute to better define the distribution of dolomitic bodies related to fault networks, to characterize the petrophysical properties of the dolomitic sequence and unravel a complex diagenetic history. This study was carried out in the Asiago Plateau (southernmost part of the eastern Southern Alps, northern Italy) which provides excellent outcrops of the Jurassic Calcari Grigi Group. The dolomitization of the Jurassic sequence is variable in terms of stratigraphic extension and geographic distribution. In the studied localities the dolomitization is generally limited to the Mount Zugna Formation and is characterized by an undulatory front, with ‘sub‐vertical dolomitic chimneys’ along the major faults. Within this unit, and often associated with faults, stacked high‐porosity and permeability bed‐parallel dolomitic bodies are developed that show excellent petrophysical properties. The dolomitic intervals are characterized by pervasive unimodal and patchy polymodal dolomite crystals. Thin section, cathodoluminescence, isotopic and fluid inclusion analyses were used to constrain the paragenetic evolution of the sequence which is similar in all the studied localities. The first dolomitization stage is marked by zoned dolomite crystals with a dull luminescent core. The porosity is thought to have increased after this stage, with dark blue luminescent dolomite accompanied by the corrosion of older crystals. The appearance of saddle dolomite marks the onset of the porosity reduction stage, ending with the infilling of vugs and the remaining open pores with calcite cement. The diagenetic evolution locally stopped at the saddle dolomite stage with the complete occlusion of the remaining pores. Paragenetic and fluid‐inclusion data suggest an evolutionary trend of increasing temperatures and decreasing salinity toward brackish fluids responsible for dolomite and calcite precipitation. The integration of the available data seem to indicate that the diagenetic evolution of the study area is related to: (i) the interplay between evolving fluids (from marine to brackish); (ii) the burial of the sequence (increasing temperature); and (iii) the evolution of the hydrogeological system (fault and fracture network, fluid mixing). This complex paragenetic evolution is strongly linked to the evolution of the porosity framework that evolved from a good, widespread network in the early stages of the burial history to a confined system in the later stages due to reduction of porosity by the deposition of late calcite and dolomite cements.     

Geologic map of lower surface of sedimentary mantle of the East European Platform

An unusual type of metasomatic dolomitization occurs in the region. Here numerous zones of dolomitization are developed in Ordovician and Silurian sediments, confined to tectonic disturbances and zones of jointing with northeasterly strike. The zones of dolomitization have been traced along fractures and are up to 10-12 km long and up to 400 wide. The dolomitization has a regional character and is apparently associated with the effects of rising magnesian waters on the Ordovician and Silurian carbonate sequence. Possible formation of the zones of dolomitization embraces the interval from the Late Silurian to the Middle Devonian, that is, these zones are of Caledonian age.—Authors.