Diagenesis and origin of calcite cement in the Flemish Pass Basin sandstone reservoir (Upper Jurassic): Implications for porosity development

The Flemish Pass Basin is a deep-water basin located offshore on the continental passive margin of the Grand Banks, eastern Newfoundland, which is currently a hydrocarbon exploration target. The current study investigates the petrographic characteristics and origin of carbonate cements in the Ti-3 Member, a primary clastic reservoir interval of the Bodhrán Formation (Upper Jurassic) in the Flemish Pass Basin.The Ti-3 sandstones with average Q_86.0F_3.1R_10.9 contain various diagenetic minerals, including calcite, pyrite, quartz overgrowth, dolomite and siderite. Based on the volume of calcite cement, the investigated sandstones can be classified into (1) calcite-cemented intervals (>20% calcite), and (2) poorly calcite-cemented intervals (porous). Petrographic analysis shows that the dominant cement is intergranular poikilotopic (300–500 μm) calcite, which stared to form extensively at early diagenesis. The precipitation of calcite occured after feldspar leaching and was followed by corrosion of quartz grains. Intergranular calcite cement hosts all-liquid inclusions mainly in the crystal core, but rare primary two-phase (liquid and vapor) fluid inclusions in the rims ((with mean homogenization temperature (T_h) of 70.2 ± 4.9 °C and salinity estimates of 8.8 ± 1.2 eq. wt.% NaCl). The mean δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C isotopic compositions of the intergranular calcite are −8.3 ± 1.2‰, VPDB and −3.0 ± 1.3‰, VPDB, respectively; whereas, fracture-filling calcite has more depleted δ¹⁸O but similar δ¹³C values. The shale normalized rare earth element (REE_SN) patterns of calcite are generally parallel and exhibit slightly negative Ce anomalies and positive Eu anomalies. Fluid-inclusion gas ratios (CO₂/CH₄ and N₂/Ar) of calcite cement further confirms that diagenetic fluids originated from modified seawater. Combined evidence from petrographic, microthermometric and geochemical analyses suggest that (1) the intergranular calcite cement precipitated from diagenetic fluids of mixed marine and meteoric (riverine) waters in suboxic conditions; (2)the cement was sourced from the oxidation of organic matters and the dissolution of biogenic marine carbonates within sandstone beds or adjacent silty mudstones; and (3) the late phases of the intergranular and fracture-filling calcite cements were deposited from hot circulated basinal fluids.Calcite cementation acts as a main controlling factor on the reservoir quality in the Flemish Pass reservoir sandstones. Over 75% of initial porosity was lost due to the early calcite cementation. The development of secondary porosity (mostly enlarged, moldic pores) and throats by later calcite dissolution due to maturation of organic matters (e.g., hydrocarbon and coals), was the key process in improving the reservoir quality.     

四川盆地南部中-上寒武统储层成岩作用

四川盆地南部中—上寒武统(洗象池群)储层为一套碳酸盐岩局限台地沉积,其岩性为粗粉晶—细晶白云岩、砾屑白云岩、砂屑白云岩、鲕粒白云岩等。成岩作用主要有压实作用、胶结作用、白云石化作用、岩溶作用、破裂作用等,白云石化作用和岩溶作用是形成优质储层的关键。白云石化的机理为混合水白云石化。岩溶作用具有多期性,包括沉积期岩溶、风化期岩溶、埋藏期古岩溶和褶皱期古岩溶等,以风化期岩溶为主。压实作用和胶结作用破坏了大量的原生孔隙和次生孔隙。压实作用主要发生在浅埋藏期,它与埋藏期胶结一同作用使孔隙度由原来的15%左右骤降至2%～3%左右。随着后来的岩溶作用和破裂作用等,部分储层的孔隙度又扩大到4%～5%左右,以晶间孔和晶间溶孔为主要储集空间类型。     

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.     

丘陵油田侏罗系成岩作用与储层物性条件分析

利用铸体薄片、扫描电镜、物性和Ｘ－衍射分析资料,综合分析研究了吐鲁番－哈密盆地丘陵油田的油气储集层特征．侏罗系河道砂体和三角洲前缘砂体构成了丘陵地区主要的油气储集层．砂岩储层的储集空间包括粒间孔隙、残余粒间孔隙、溶蚀粒间孔隙、溶蚀粒内孔隙、填隙物内孔隙和裂缝孔隙．次生溶蚀孔隙和裂缝孔隙改善了砂岩储集层的孔隙结构．     

砂岩储层中原生孔隙的破坏与保存机制研究进展

埋藏条件下原生孔隙的破坏与保存机制是含油气盆地砂岩储层质量研究的一个核心领域,其在油气地质学研究中的意义不言而喻。与次生孔隙的形成与保存机制相比,影响原生孔隙破坏与保存的因素有着其特殊的复杂性和多样性。在总结国内外研究进展的基础上,试图深入理解不同成岩机制在砂岩储层原生孔隙破坏与保存中的意义和作用,包括破坏机制（如机械压实、胶结作用等）和保存机制（如地层超压、颗粒包膜、盐体侵位和烃类占位等）。目前难以实现砂岩储层质量钻前准确预测的一个困难在于无法明确原生孔隙演化的动力和过程,将来成岩作用、流体作用、沉积过程和盆地演化的更紧密结合可能是解决砂岩储层原生孔隙破坏与保存机制研究中最有希望的发展方向之一。     

Kilometer-scale fault-related thermal anomalies in tight gas sandstones

Upper Carboniferous sandstones make one of the most important tight gas reservoirs in Central Europe. This study integrates a variety of geothermometers (chlorite thermometry, fluid inclusion microthermometry and vitrinite reflection measurements) to characterize a thermal anomaly in a reservoir outcrop analog (Piesberg quarry, Lower Saxony Basin), which is assumed responsible for high temperatures of circa 300 °C, deteriorating reservoir quality entirely. The tight gas siliciclastics were overprinted with temperatures approximately 90–120 °C higher compared to outcropping rocks of a similar stratigraphic position some 15 km to the west. The local temperature increase can be explained by circulating hydrothermal fluids along the fault damage zone of a large NNW-SSE striking fault with a displacement of up to 600 m in the east of the quarry, laterally heating up the entire exposed tight gas sandstones. The km-scale lateral extent of this fault-bound thermal anomaly is evidenced by vitrinite reflectance measurements of meta-anthracite coals (VR_rot ∼ 4.66) and the temperature-related diagenetic overprint. Data suggest that this thermal event and the associated highest coalification was reached prior to peak subsidence during Late Jurassic rifting (162 Ma) based on K-Ar dating of the <2 μm fraction of the tight gas sandstones. Associated stable isotope data from fluid inclusions, hosted in a first fracture filling quartz generation (T ∼ 250 °C) close to lithostatic fluid pressure (P ∼ 1000 bars), together with authigenic chlorite growth in mineralized extension fractures, demonstrate that coalification was not subject to significant changes during ongoing burial. This is further evidenced by the biaxial reflectance anisotropy of meta-anthracite coals. A second event of quartz vein formation occurred at lower temperatures (T ∼ 180 °C) and lower (hydrostatic) pressure conditions (P ∼ 400 bars) and can be related to basin inversion. This second quartz generation might be associated with a second event of illite growth and K-Ar ages of 96.5–106.7 Ma derived from the <0.2 μm fraction of the tight gas sandstones.This study demonstrates the exploration risk of fault-bound thermal anomalies by deteriorating entirely the reservoir quality of tight gas sandstones with respect to porosity and permeability due to the cementation with temperature-related authigenic cements. It documents that peak temperatures are not necessarily associated with peak subsidence. Consequently, these phenomena need to be considered in petroleum system models to avoid, for example, overestimates of burial depth and reservoir quality.     

New style of honeycomb structures revealed on 3D seismic data indicate widespread diagenesis offshore Great South Basin,New Zealand

In the Great South Basin, within the Eocene section, at time-depths around 700–900 ms two way time below the seafloor, unusual features are observed on 3D seismic data closely associated with polygonal faults. The features, referred to as honeycomb structures (HS), cover an area of ∼600 km², are packed circular, oval, to polygonal depressions 150–400 m across in plan view and several to 10 + m in amplitude. Polygonal faults rapidly die out at the Marshall Paraconformity, which is overlain by the Oligocene Penrod Formation. Hence the polygonal faults are inferred to have formed prior to the Marshall Paraconformity, and they cross-cut HS features. Consequently the top of the HS probably formed at burial depths of around 375–500 m, which is their decompacted depth below the paraconformity. The interval containing HS is about 125 m vertical thick. There are several possible origins for the HS. The most probable is related to bulk contraction of the sediment volume accompanied by fluid expulsion, which suggests a diagenetic origin, in particular the opal-A/CT transition. There are actually two polygonal fault systems (PFS) present in the area. The Southern Tier 1 PFS lies laterally to the HS and overlaps with it. The Northern PFS (Tier 2) lies above the HS, appears to be independent of the HS, and formed in the upper 200–300 m of the sediment column. The Tier 1 PFS probably formed by shear failure related to the same diagenetic effects that caused the HS.     

Cadmium distribution in coastal sediments and mollusks of the US

Cadmium (Cd) concentrations in the coastal United States were assessed using the National Status and Trends (NS&T) Mussel Watch dataset, which is based on the analysis of sediments and bivalves collected from 280 sites since 1986. Using the 1997 sediment data, Pearson correlation (r = 0.44, p < 0.0001) suggested that Cd distributions in sediment can, be to some extent, explained by the proximity of sites to population centers. The 2003 tissue data indicated that “high” Cd concentrations (greater than 5.6 μg/g dry weights [dw] for mussel and 5.4 μg/g dw for oysters) were related to salinity along the East and Gulf coasts. Along the West coast, however, these “high” sites appeared to be related to upwelling phenomenon. Additionally, sedimentary diagenesis was found to be the most likely explanation of why sediment and mollusk Cd content were not well correlated.     

Diagenetic processes in cretaceous sandstones from occidental Brazilian Equatorial Margin

Despite a great interest in Brazilian Equatorial Margin exploration, very little was published on the diagenesis of sandstones from that area. A wide recognition petrographic study was performed to identify the major diagenetic processes that impacted the porosity of Lower Cretaceous sandstones of the Pará-Maranhão, São Luís, Bragança-Viseu and Barreirinhas basins. Arkoses from the Pará-Maranhão Basin show neoformed or infiltrated clay coatings, mica replacement and expansion by kaolinite and vermiculite, and precipitation of grain-replacive and pore-filling quartz, kaolinite, albite, chlorite, calcite, dolomite, siderite, pyrite and titanium oxides. Compaction, quartz and calcite cementation were the main porosity-reducing processes. Barreirinhas Basin lithic arkoses and subarkoses display clay coatings, compaction of metamorphic fragments into pseudomatrix, and precipitation of grain-replacive and pore-filling kaolinite, quartz, albite, chlorite, calcite, dolomite, TiO₂ and pyrite. The main porosity-reducing processes were calcite cementation in the subarkoses, and compaction and quartz cementation in lithic arkoses. Quartzarenites from this basin were early- and pervasively cemented by dolomite. Arkoses and lithic arkoses of the São Luís and Bragança-Viseu basins show clay coatings, pseudomatrix from mud intraclasts compaction, and precipitation of pore-filling and grain-replacive kaolinite, vermiculite, smectite, quartz, albite, chlorite, illite, calcite, dolomite, hematite, TiO₂ and pyrite. Compaction of mud intraclasts and dissolution of feldspars and heavy minerals were the main porosity-modification processes. These preliminary results may contribute to the understanding of the spatial and temporal distribution of the diagenetic processes and their impacts on the porosity of the sandstones from these basins.     

鄂尔多斯盆地陕北地区长7砂岩储层成岩相特征研究

在大量样品测试数据与野外地质调查综合分析的基础上, 对长7储层岩石学特征、物性、孔隙结构、成岩作用、成岩阶段和成岩相等进行了研究。结果表明: 研究区长7储层处于中成岩A~B期。压实作用及碳酸盐、粘土(高岭石、伊利石、伊蒙混层)矿物胶结和硅质胶结作用是造成储层原生孔隙丧失的主要原因; 绿泥石胶结抑制孔隙充填, 长石溶蚀作用使孔隙间的连通性得到改善, 储层物性得到提高。根据成岩作用类型、强度及其对储层物性的影响划分出6种成岩相, 其中压实相、碳酸盐胶结相、粘土矿物胶结相、石英加大相、浊沸石充填相不利于储层的发育, 而长石溶蚀相、绿泥石膜胶结相对储层物性改善起了重要作用。