Rock pulverization and localization of a strike-slip fault zone in dolomite rocks (Salzach–Ennstal–Mariazell–Puchberg fault,Austria)

Detailed investigations of dolomite fault rocks, formed at shallow crustal depths along the Salzach–Ennstal–Mariazell–Puchberg (SEMP) fault system in the Northern Calcareous Alps, revealed new insights into cataclasite formation. The examined Miocene, sinistral strike-slip faults reveal grain size reduction of dolomite host rocks by tensile microfracturing at a large range of scales, producing rock fragments of centimetre to micrometre sizes. In situ fracturing leads to grain size reduction down to grain sizes <25 μm, producing mosaic breccias and fault rocks which have previously been described as “initial/embryonic” and “intermediate” cataclasites. At all scales, grain fragments display little to no rotation and no or minor evidence of shear deformation. The observed microstructures are similar to those previously described in studies on pulverized rocks. Microstructural investigations of cataclasites and mosaic breccias revealed aggregations of small dolomite grains (<50 μm) that accumulated on top of large fragments or as infillings of V-shaped voids between larger grains and show constant polarity throughout the investigated samples. Fabrics indicate deposition in formerly open pore space and subsequent polyphase cementation. The newly described tectonic geopetal fabrics (geopetal-particle-aggregates, GPA) prove that these faults temporarily passed through a stage of extremely high porosity/permeability prior to partial cementation.     

Microbialites of the Neoproterozoic Beck Spring Dolomite,Southern California

Ancient microbialites reflect interactions between microbial communities and environmental conditions. However, evaluating the relative roles of microbial community processes and environmental influences on microbialite morphology and internal fabric in the rock record can be challenging. The Neoproterozoic Beck Spring Dolomite preserves diverse microbialites, and thus provides an opportunity to explore the factors that influenced microbialite development locally. Stromatolitic, thrombolitic and composite microbialites are abundant in subtidal to upper intertidal carbonates in the Beck Spring Dolomite. Thrombolitic and composite microbialites have not been recognized previously in this unit, but compose much of the newly defined thrombolitic member. Stratigraphic relationships demonstrate that these three types of microbialites formed in close spatial and temporal association in subtidal to intertidal environments. The relative proportions and distributions of stromatolitic and thrombolitic microbialites vary with depositional environment; stromatolitic microbialites dominate in deeper intertidal to subtidal facies, whereas thrombolitic textures are more abundant in upper intertidal facies. Composite microbialites, composed of intermingled clotted and laminated textures, formed in all environments but are most abundant in intertidal facies. The broad environmental distribution of stromatolitic, thrombolitic and composite microbialites and the intermingling of textures suggest that laminated and clotted textures reflect diverse microbial community morphologies rather than environmental variations. Furthermore, the ca 750 Ma age of thrombolitic microbialites in the Beck Spring Dolomite requires that they formed without the influence of calcimicrobes or metazoans colonizing and grazing the microbial mat surface. Thus, these thrombolites provide further evidence that the biostratigraphic distribution of thrombolites cannot be uniquely attributed to evolution of calcifying and grazing organisms in the earliest Cambrian, and that older microbial communities were capable of producing clotted textures.     

Extensive carbonate cementation of fluvial sandstones: An integrated outcrop and petrographic analysis from the Upper Cretaceous, Book Cliffs, Utah

Extensive, large-scale pervasive cementation in the form of cement bodies within fluvial strata has rarely been documented although fluvial strata commonly act as important hydrocarbon reservoirs, as well as groundwater aquifers. Here, we present outcrop, petrographic and geochemical data for pervasive ferroan dolomite cement bodies up to 250 m in size from Upper Cretaceous Desert Member and Castlegate Sandstone fluvial strata exposed in the Book Cliffs in Utah. These cement bodies are present with coastal plain fluvial strata within both the Desert and Castlegate lowstand sandstones and are most abundant in the thin, distal fluvial strata. Cement bodies are almost entirely absent in updip, thicker, fluvial strata. Petrographic observations suggest a predominantly early diagenetic timing to the mildly ferroan dolomite, with a component of later burial origin. δ¹³C values for the cement (+4.8 to −5.7‰ V-PDB) suggest a marine-derived source for the earliest phase with a burial organic matter source for later cement. δ¹⁸O data (−6.3 to −11.8‰ V-PDB) suggest precipitation from freshwater dominated fluids. It is proposed here that dolomite was derived from leaching of detrital dolomite under lowstand coals and cementation took place in coastal aquifers experiencing mixed meteoric-marine fluids as a result of base-level fluctuations. This data presented here shows that large cement bodies can be an important component within fluvial sandstones with a potentially significant impact upon both reservoir quality and fluid flow within reservoirs, especially at the marine-non-marine interface.     

塔中古城墟隆起下古生界碳酸盐岩沉积与储层特征

古城墟隆起作为塔里木盆地中央隆起带的一部分,近年来,油气显示丰富,展现了良好的油气勘探前景.但由于长期以来勘探程度低、钻井少等因素影响,碳酸盐岩沉积与储层研究十分薄弱,已成为制约该区油气勘探突破的瓶颈问题.为此,本文以古城墟隆起与卡塔克隆起构造、沉积演化差异对比分析为基础,结合单并相分析及沉积相模式的建立,刻画了晚寒武...     

川东北飞仙关组甲烷为主的TSR及其同位素分馏作用

川东北开江-梁平陆棚东北侧飞仙关组多孔鲕粒白云岩中发生了以甲烷为主的热化学硫酸盐还原作用(TSR),产生高达20%的H₂S;而西南侧鲕粒灰岩以低孔、低H₂S天然气为特征。东北侧白云岩主要发育白云石粒间溶孔或粒间扩大溶孔,这些溶孔可与方解石(δ¹³C=-10‰~-19‰)、储层沥青、元素硫、黄铁矿和石英紧密共生,可分布于片状储层沥青与白云石晶体之间,说明白云石溶解作用发生在沥青形成以后。白云石的溶解作用导致现今天然气以无机CO₂为主,δ¹³C_CO2主要介于-2‰~+2‰之间。这种溶解作用是在酸性条件下,硬石膏或天青石参与下发生的,可能先产生MgSO₄配对离子,而后MgSO₄又与甲烷反应产生H₂S,净增大了孔隙。研究还发现,普光气田及以东天然气的来源不同于河坝和元坝天然气;对普光气田及以东天然气分析显示,甲烷δ¹³C值与残余烃含量 之间存在对数相关关系。这表明TSR过程中,甲烷同位素分馏作用遵从封闭体系下瑞利分馏原理。据此计算显示,渡4井约有15%甲烷被氧化了。     

Dolomite–silica stromatolites in Miocene lacustrine deposits from the Duero Basin, Spain: the role of organotemplates in the precipitation of dolomite

This research provides an ancient analogue for biologically mediated dolomite precipitation in microbial mats and biofilms, and describes the involvement of highly structured extracellular polymeric secretion (EPS) templates in dolomite nucleation. The structure of EPS is shown to match the hexagonal–trigonal lattice geometry of dolomite, which favoured the epitaxial crystallization of dolomite on the organic substrate. This structure of EPS also matches the arrangement of silica nanospheres in opal, which further accounts for the organically‐templated formation of opal enabling the non‐replacive co‐existence of dolomite and silica. The study is focused on a 50 m thick dolomite succession that is exposed in central areas of the Tertiary Duero Basin and was deposited in a mudflat‐saline lake sedimentary complex during the Middle to Late Miocene (9 to 15 Ma). In the intermediate intervals of the succession, poorly indurated dolomite beds pass gradually into silica beds. On the basis of sedimentological, compositional, geochemical and petrographic data, silica and dolomite beds have been interpreted as mineralized microbial mats. The silica beds formed in marginal areas of the lake in response to intense evaporative concentrations; this resulted in the rapid and early precipitation of opal. Silicification accounted for the exceptional preservation of the microbial mat structure, including biofilms, filamentous and coccoid microbes, and EPS. Extracellular polymeric secretions have a layered structure, each layer being composed of fibres which are arranged in accordance with a reticular pattern, with frequent intersection angles at 120° and 60°. Therefore, the structure of EPS matches the lattice geometry of dolomite and the arrangement of silica nanospheres in opal. Additionally, EPS binds different elements, with preference to Si and Mg. The concurrence of suitable composition and surface lattice morphologies in the EPS favoured the crystallization of dolomite on the substrate. In some cases, dolomite nucleation took place epicellularly on coccoid micro‐organisms, which gave way to spheroid crystals. Organic surfaces enable the inorganic mineral precipitation by lowering the free energy barrier to nucleation. Most of the microbial mats probably developed on the lake floor, under sub‐aqueous conditions, where the decomposition of organic matter took place. The subsequent formation of openly packed dolomite crystals, with inter‐related Si‐enriched fibrils throughout, is evidence for the pre‐existence of fibrillar structures in the mats. Miocene dolomite crystals are poorly ordered and non‐stoichiometric, with a slight Ca‐excess (up to 5%), which is indicative of the low diagenetic potential the microbial dolomite has towards a more ordered and stoichiometric structure; this confirms that microbial imprints can be preserved in the geological record, and validates their use as biosignatures.     

四川盆地南部寒武系白云石地球化学特征与形成机制

以四川盆地南部范店、岩孔、三汇场三个野外露头剖面的寒武系白云岩样品为研究对象,通过对白云石有序度、碳氧同位素、稀土元素、包裹体等地球化学特征的分析,认为研究区主要发育同生期微晶白云石(岩)、细-粉晶白云石、浅埋藏细晶白云石、以及鞍状白云石等四种类型,其中:微晶白云石(岩)、细-粉晶白云石的有序度较低,具有与同时期正常海相碳酸盐岩相近似的δ18O值,稀土元素配分模式近似一致,表现为具有LREE弱富集、HREE弱亏损的特征,这揭示了白云石化流体主要来源于高盐度海水,为蒸发泵白云石化、渗透回流白云石化作用的产物;而细晶白云石的有序度相对较高,稀土元素出现贫化迁移现象,∑REE值有所减少,推断为埋藏白云石化作用的产物;鞍状白云石的有序度高、δ18O值低,稀土元素富集,Eu具有正、负异常,包裹体均一化温度呈异常高值,呈双区间分布,表征白云石化流体来源于深部热液流体,可能为热液白云石化作用的产物。     

镁同位素在“白云岩问题”研究中的应用及进展

困扰几代地质学家的"白云岩问题"不仅是重要的基础地质问题,而且与油气勘探开发实践密切相关。传统岩石学、地球化学研究手段在白云岩成因研究中起了重要作用,但均不能对其形成过程及Mg离子来源提供很好的约束。作为一种新兴的非传统稳定同位素,镁(Mg)同位素已经在白云岩问题研究领域受到了广泛关注。随着Mg同位素地球化学体系研究的不断深入,目前已经积累了大量不同时代、不同类型白云岩的Mg同位素数据。此外,通过理论计算、模拟实验与实际观测等方法,对白云岩(石)形成过程中的Mg同位素分馏研究已取得较大进展,为Mg同位素在白云岩问题研究中的应用奠定了坚实的理论基础。理论计算、实验模拟和实际观测的Mg同位素分馏存在较大差异,造成这种差异的原因一方面可能是模拟或实际观测的Mg同位素分馏未达到平衡,另一方面可能是实际白云岩的形成过程与理论过程不同。由于直接根据Mg同位素值判断白云岩成因存在较大难度,基于典型的白云石化地质模式,最新的研究建立了两个Mg同位素地球化学数值模型(DAR模型、AF模型),用于模拟不同白云石化过程中的Mg同位素变化,可对白云石化过程及Mg离子来源进行定量-半定量研究。其中DAR模型用于模拟海水白云石化过程的Mg同位素地球化学特征,而AF模型用于模拟流动水体白云石化过程的Mg同位素地球化学特征。通过这两个模型可以示踪白云岩的Mg离子来源并区分不同白云石化过程。尽管目前已建立的Mg同位素地球化学模型总体框架正确,但在适用范围和参数设置等方面存在一定不足,仍需要在后期研究中不断完善。     

白云石镁水泥材料的初步研究

以活性较高的苛性白云石粉和氯化镁溶液制备白云石镁水泥材料。研究氧化镁、氯化镁和水不同配比条件下对白云石镁水泥材料的抗压强度、相组成以及形貌的影响。在所研究的配比条件下,以氧化镁、氯化镁和水摩尔比为3.38∶1.00∶16.86和3.24∶1.00∶16.26配比的镁水泥样块强度较高,结构致密,水化物胶凝相稳定;氯化镁加入量较低,水的加入量较高会使镁水泥试块强度不高;氯化镁加入量较高,水的加入量较低会使镁水泥试块吸潮返卤现象严重,导致强度逐渐下降。     

Stable isotope evidence for multiple fluid regimes during carbonate cementation of the Upper Tertiary Hazeva Formation, Dead Sea Graben, southern Israel

Stable carbon- and oxygen-isotope compositions of calcite and dolomite cements have been used to understand porewater evolution in the Upper Tertiary Hazeva Formation within the Dead Sea Graben, southern Israel. Sandstone samples were obtained from four boreholes in three tectonic blocks of the graben over depths of 253–6448 m, a variation that largely reflects differential subsidence of individual fault-bounded blocks. Early carbonate cements dominate diagenesis. Calcite occurs at <1600 m, but was replaced by dolomite at greater depths. Dolomite at 1600–2700 m is Fe-poor (<0.8 mol% FeCO₃), and at 4700–6200 m, Fe-rich (0.5–7.2 mol% FeCO₃). Magnesite, anhydrite and halite are the final diagenetic phases. Calcite has positively correlated δ¹⁸O (+21‰ to +25‰) and δ¹³C (−6‰ to −2‰) values that generally decrease with depth. Dolomite has a wider variation in δ¹⁸O (+18‰ to +30‰) and δ¹³C (−8‰ to −1‰) values, which also generally are lower with increasing depth. However, the δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O values of dolomite from the uppermost 400 m of the Hazeva Formation in the Sedom Deep-1 borehole are anomalous in spanning the entire range of stable carbon and oxygen isotopic compositions over this relatively small interval.The decreasing dolomite δ¹³C values likely indicate an increased contribution of carbon from organic sources with increasing depth. Except for the uppermost 400 m, Hazeva Formation dolomite in the Sedom Deep-1 borehole has stable carbon-isotope compositions that imply initial dolomitization at much shallower levels, prior to the preferential subsidence of this tectonic block. The oxygen isotopic compositions of the calcite cement are best explained by equilibration at present burial temperatures (≤55 °C) with porewater of meteoric origin. Its δ¹⁸O values increased from −5‰ at the shallowest depths to 0‰ at 1600 m. The dolomite oxygen isotopic compositions also reflect equilibration at present burial temperatures with porewaters ranging from 0‰ at 1600 m to +7‰ at 3600 m (100 °C). In the deepest fault block (Sedom Deep-1 borehole), however, increasingly Fe-rich dolomite has (re)equilibrated with porewater whose δ¹⁸O values decreased from +9‰ at 4750 m (120 °C) to +1‰ to +2‰ by 6200 m (150 °C).Much of the dolomite likely formed at relatively shallow depths from saline brines derived from precursors to the Dead Sea. These infiltrated the Hazeva Formation, mixing with and largely displacing meteoric water, and dolomitizing calcite. Rock–water ratios tended to be high during these processes. However, the upper 400 m of the Hazeva Formation in the deepest fault block were likely deposited during its rapid tectonic subsidence, and largely escaped the initial style of dolomitization pervasive elsewhere in the study area. These sediments were also capped by evaporites. This relatively thin interval likely became a preferential conduit for brines that escaped underlying and overlying strata, including the Fe-rich, lower ¹⁸O fluids (evolved seawater?) present in the deepest part of the graben. These rocks present the most promising target for the passage and accumulation of hydrocarbons in the study area.