A field, petrographic and geochemical study of two Triassic–Jurassic carbonate successions from the Maritime Alps, SE France, indicates that dolomitization is related to episodic fracturing and the flow of hydrothermal fluids. The mechanism governing hydrothermal fluids has been documented with the best possible spatio-temporal resolutions specifying the migration and trapping of hydrothermal fluids as a function of depth. This is rarely reported in the literature, as it requires a very wide range of disciplines from facies analysis (petrography) to very diverse and advanced chemical methods (elemental analysis, isotope geochemistry, microthermometry). In most cases, our different recognized diagenetic phases were mechanically separated on a centimetric scale and analyzed separately. The wide range of the δ¹⁸O_VPDB and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr values of diagenetic carbonates reflect three main diagenetic realms, including: (1) the formation of replacive dolomites (Type I) in the eogenetic realm, (2) formation of coarse to very coarse crystalline saddle dolomites (Types II and Type III) in the shallow to deep burial mesogenetic realm, respectively, and (3) telogenetic formation of a late calcite cement (C1) in the telogenetic realm due to the uplift incursion of meteoric waters. The Triassic dolomites show a lower ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio (mean = 0.709125) compared to the Jurassic dolomites (mean = 0.710065). The Jurassic calcite (C1_J) shows lower Sr isotopic ratios than the Triassic C1_T calcite. These are probably linked to the pulses of the seafloor’s hydrothermal activity and to an increase in the continental riverine input during Late Cretaceous and Early Cenozoic times. This study adds a new insight into the burial diagenetic conditions during multiple hydrothermal flow events. Full article

Trace and rare earth elements (REEs) are considered to be reliable indicators of chemical processes for the evolution of carbonate systems. One of the best examples of ancient carbonate successions (Berdiga Formation) is widely exposed in NE Turkey. The Lower Cretaceous limestone succession of Berdiga Formation may provide a case study that reveals the effect of ocean paleoredox conditions on diagenetic alteration. Measurement of major, trace and REEs was carried out on the Lower Cretaceous limestones of the Berdiga Formation, to reveal proxies for paleoredox conditions and early diagenetic controls on their geochemistry. Studied micritic limestone microfacies (MF-1 to MF-3) indicate deposition in the inner platform to a deep shelf or continental slope paleoenvironment during the Hauterivian-Albian. The studied limestone samples mainly exhibit low Mg-calcite characteristics with the general chemical formula of Ca_{98.35–99.34}Mg_0.66–1.65(CO₃). They are mostly represented by a diagnostic REE seawater signature including (1) slight LREE depletion relative to the HREEs (ave. 0.72 of Nd/Yb_N and ave. 0.73 of Pr/Yb_N), (2) negative Ce anomalies (Ce/Ce* = 0.38–0.81; ave. 0.57), (3) positive La anomaly (La/La* = 0.21–3.02; ave. 1.75) and (4) superchondritic Y/Ho (ave. 46.26). Studied micritic limestones have predominantly low Hf (bdl to 0.5 µg/g), Sc (bdl to 2 µg/g) Th (bdl to 0.9 µg/g) contents suggesting negligible to minor shale contamination. These findings imply that micritic limestones faithfully record chemical signals of their parental and diagenetic fluids. The succession also exhibits high ratios of Eu/Eu* (1.01–1.65; ave. 1.29 corresponding to the positive Eu anomalies), Sm/Yb (1.26–2.74; ave. 1.68) and La/Yb ratios (0.68–1.35; ave. 0.9) compared to modern seawater and wide range of Y/Ho ratios (29.33–70.00; ave. 46.26) which are between seawater and hydrogenetic Fe-Mn crusts. Several lines of geochemical evidence suggest water-rock interaction between parental seawater and basaltic rocks at elevated temperatures triggered by hydrothermal activity associated with Early Cretaceous basaltic magma generation. The range of Ce/Ce* values is suggestive of mostly oxic to dysoxic paleoceanographic conditions, with a sudden change to dysoxic conditions (Ce/Ce* = 0.71–0.81), in the uppermost part of the MF-1. This is followed by an abrupt deepening paleoenvironment with a relative increase in the oxic state of the seawater and deposition of deeper water sediments (MF-2 and MF-3) above a sharp transition. The differences in microfacies characteristics and foraminifera assemblage between MF-1 and overlying facies (MF-2 and MF-3) may also confirm the change in paleoceanographic conditions. Therefore, REEs data obtained from studied limestones have the potential to contribute important information as to regional paleoceanographic conditions of Tethys during an important period in Earth history. Full article

Carbonate reservoirs, especially dolomite reservoirs, contain large reserves of oil and gas. The complex diagenesis is quite challenging to document the dolomite reservoirs formation and evolution mechanism. Porosity development and evolution in dolomite reservoirs primarily reflect the comprehensive effect of mineral dissolution/precipitation during dolomitization. In this study, multicomponent multiphase flow and solute transport simulation was employed to investigate dolomitization in the deep carbonate strata of the Tarim Basin, Northwest China, where active exploration is currently under way. One- and two-dimensional numerical models with various temperatures, fluid compositions and hydrodynamic characteristics were established to quantificationally study dolomitization and its effect on porosity. After determining the main control factors, detailed petrologic characteristics in the studied area were also analyzed to establish four corresponding diagenetic numerical models under different sedimentary environments. These models enabled a systematic analysis of mineral dissolution/precipitation and a quantitative recovery of porosity evolution during various sedimentation-diagenesis processes. The results allowed for a quantitative evaluation and prediction of reservoir porosity, which would provide a basis for further oil and gas exploration in deep carbonate reservoirs. Full article

Within the Upper Triassic successions in the Iberian Basin (Spain), the occurrence of both idiomorphic bipyramidal quartz crystals as well as pseudohexagonal aragonite crystals are related to mudstone and evaporite bearing sequences. Bipyramidal-euhedral quartz crystals occur commonly at widespread locations and similar idiomorphic crystals have been described in other formations and ages from Europe, America, Pakistan, and Africa. Similarly, pseudohexagonal aragonite crystals are located at three main sites in the Iberian Range and are common constituents of deposits of this age in France, Italy, and Morocco. This study presents a detailed description of the geochemical and mineralogical characteristics of the bipyramidal quartz crystals to decipher their time of formation in relation to the diagenetic evolution of the sedimentary succession in which they formed. Petrographic and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses permit the separation of an inner part of quartz crystals with abundant anhydrite and organic-rich inclusions. This inner part resulted from near-surface recrystallization (silicification) of an anhydrite nodule, at temperatures that were <40 °C. Raman spectra reveal the existence of moganite and polyhalite, which reinforces the evaporitic character of the original depositional environment. The external zone of the quartz contains no anhydrite or organic inclusions and no signs of evaporites in the Raman spectra, being interpreted as quartz overgrowths formed during burial, at temperatures between 80 to 90 °C. Meanwhile, the aragonite that appears in the same Keuper deposits was precipitated during the Callovian, resulting from the mixing of hydrothermal fluids with infiltrated waters of marine origin, at temperatures ranging between 160 and 260 °C based on fluids inclusion analyses. Although both pseudohexagonal aragonite crystals and bipyramidal quartz appear within the same succession, they formed at different phases of the diagenetic and tectonic evolution of the basin: bipyramidal quartz crystals formed in eo-to mesodiagenetic environments during a rifting period at Upper Triassic times, while aragonite formed 40 Ma later as a result of hydrothermal fluids circulating through normal faults. Full article

Core samples from two deep boreholes were analyzed for petrographic, stable and Sr isotopes, fluid inclusion microthermometry and major, minor, trace and rare-earth elements (REE) of different types of dolomite in the Silurian and Devonian carbonates of the eastern side of the Michigan Basin provided useful insights into the nature of dolomitization, and the evolution of diagenetic pore fluids in this part of the basin. Petrographic features show that both age groups are characterized by the presence of a pervasive replacive fine-crystalline (<50 µm) dolomite matrix (RD1) and pervasive and selective replacive medium crystalline (>50–100 µm) dolomite matrix (RD2 and RD3, respectively). In addition to these types, a coarse crystalline (>500 µm) saddle dolomite cement (SD) filling fractures and vugs is observed only in the Silurian rocks. Results from geochemical and fluid inclusion analyses indicate that the diagenesis of Silurian and Devonian formations show variations in terms of the evolution of the diagenetic fluid composition. These fluid systems are: (1) a diagenetic fluid system that affected Silurian carbonates and was altered by salt dissolution post-Silurian time. These carbonates show a negative shift in δ¹⁸O values (dolomite δ¹⁸O average: −6.72‰ VPDB), Sr isotopic composition slightly more radiogenic than coeval seawater (0.7078–0.7087), high temperatures (RD2 and SD dolomite T_h average: 110 °C) and hypersaline signature (RD2 and SD dolomite average salinity: 26.8 wt.% NaCl eq.); and (2) a diagenetic fluid system that affected Devonian carbonates, possibly occurred during the Alleghenian orogeny in Carboniferous time and characterized by a less pronounced negative shift in δ¹⁸O values (dolomite δ¹⁸O average: −5.74‰ VPDB), Sr isotopic composition in range with the postulated values for coeval seawater (0.7078–0.7080), lower temperatures (RD2 dolomite T_h average: 83 °C) and less saline signature (RD2 dolomite average salinity: 20.8 wt.% NaCl eq.). Full article

Near-surface diagenesis has been studied in the Langhian siliciclastic rocks of the Montjuïc Hill (Barcelona Plain) by means of petrographical (optical and cathodoluminescence) and geochemical (electron microprobe, δ¹⁸O, δ¹³C, δ³⁴S and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) analyses. In the hill, these rocks are affected by strong silicification, but the same unit remains non-silicified at depth. The results reveal that fracturing took place after lithification and during uplift. Fracture cementation is clearly controlled by the previous diagenesis of the host rock. In non-silicified areas, cementation is dominated by calcite, which precipitated from meteoric waters. In silicified areas, fractures show multiepisodic cementation produced firstly by barite and secondly by silica, following the sequence opal, lussatite, chalcedony, and quartz. Barite precipitated only in fractures from the mixing of upflowing seawater and percolating meteoric fluids. The presence of silica stalactites, illuviation, and geopetal structures, and δ¹⁸O values indicate that silica precipitation occurred in the vadose regime from low-temperature percolating meteoric fluids, probably during a glacial period. Moreover, the presence of alunite suggests that silica cement formed under acidic conditions. Karst features (vugs and caverns), formed by arenisation, reveal that silica was derived from the dissolution of surrounding silicified host rocks. Full article

We performed mineralogical and geochemical analyses of core samples from the Lenghuqi area in the northern marginal tectonic belt of the Qaidam Basin. The clay mineralogy of the Xiaganchaigou Formation sandstone is dominated by I + I/S + C types and characterized by high illite, a higher mixed-layer illite/smectite and chlorite, lesser smectite, and an absence of kaolinite. The clay minerals reflect that the Oligocene sedimentary basin formed in an arid-semi-arid climate with weak leaching and chemical weathering, and that diagenesis occurred in a K⁺- and Mg²⁺-rich alkaline environment. Measured major oxide concentrations show clear correlations. The lower Xiaganchaigou Formation is representative of a dry and cold freshwater sedimentary environment, whereas the upper Xiaganchaigou Formation is warmer and more humid. Trace element and rare earth element variations indicate that the paleoclimate conditions of the lower Xiaganchaigou Formation sedimentary period were relatively cold and dry, while the upper Xiaganchaigou Formation formed under warmer and more humid climate conditions. These findings reflect a global climate of a cold and dry period from the late Eocene to early Oligocene, and a short warming period in the late Oligocene. Full article

The Lulehe sandstone in the Eboliang area is a major target for hydrocarbon exploration in the northern Qaidam Basin. Based on an integrated analysis including thin section analysis, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, cathodoluminescence investigation, backscattered electron images, carbon and oxygen stable isotope analysis and fluid inclusion analysis, the diagenetic processes mainly include compaction, cementation by carbonate and quartz, formation of authigenic clay minerals (i.e., chlorite, kaolinite, illite-smectite and illite) and dissolution of unstable materials. Compaction is the main factor for the deterioration of reservoir quality; in addition, calcite cement and clay minerals are present, including kaolinite, pore-filling chlorite, illite-smectite and illite, which also account for reservoir quality reduction. Integration of petrographic studies and isotope geochemistry reveals the carbonate cements might have originated from mixed sources of bioclast- and organic-derived CO₂ during burial. The quartz cement probably formed by feldspar dissolution, illitization of smectite and kaolinite, as well as pressure solution of quartz grains. Smectite, commonly derived from alteration of volcanic rock fragments, may have been the primary clay mineral precursor of chlorite. In addition, authigenic kaolinite is closely associated with feldspar dissolution, suggesting that alteration of detrital feldspar grains was the most probable source for authigenic kaolinite. With the increase in temperature and consumption of organic acids, the ratio of K⁺/H⁺ increases and the stability field of kaolinite is greatly reduced, thereby transforming kaolinite into mixed layer illite/smectite and illite. Within the study area, porosity increases with chlorite content up to approximately 3% volume and then decreases slightly, indicating that chlorite coatings are beneficial at an optimum volume of 3%. A benefit of the dissolution of unstable minerals and feldspar grains is the occurrence of secondary porosity, which may enhance porosity to some extent. However, the solutes cannot be transported over a large scale in the deep burial environment, and simultaneous precipitation of byproducts of feldspar dissolution such as authigenic kaolinite and quartz cement will occur in situ or in adjacent pores, resulting in heterogeneity of the reservoirs. Full article