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Elsevier

Carbonate Diagenesis and Porosity

  • 1st Edition, Volume 46 - April 1, 1989
  • Latest edition
  • Author: C.H. Moore
  • Language: English

Carbonate diagenesis is a subject of enormous complexity because of the basic chemical reactivity of carbonate minerals. These carbonate minerals react quickly with natural waters… Read more

Description

Carbonate diagenesis is a subject of enormous complexity because of the basic chemical reactivity of carbonate minerals. These carbonate minerals react quickly with natural waters that either dissolve the carbonates, or precipitate new carbonates to bring the water into equilibrium with the host carbonate sediments and rocks. These rock-water interactions either create porosity by dissolution, or destroy porosity by the precipitation of carbonate cements into pore spaces. Carbonate Diagenesis and Porosity examines these important relationships in detail.

This volume is published in co-operation with OGCI, and is based on training courses organised by OGCI and taught by Dr. Moore. It is intended to give the working geologist and university graduate student a reasonable overview of carbonate diagenesis and its influence on the evolution of carbonate porosity. It starts with a discussion of the major differences between carbonates and siliciclastics so that the novice will have an appreciation of the basic nature of the carbonate system. Carbonate porosity, its nature and its classification is then discussed so that the relationship between diagenesis and porosity can be established. Environments of diagenesis and their characteristics are outlined, stressing the nature of pore fluids found in each environment. Tools for the recognition of these environments are then discussed with stress on the constraints suffered by each technique. Each major diagenetic environment is then discussed in detail with petrographic, geochemical characteristics outlined, and an in depth discussion of the impact of the environment's diagenetic processes on porosity development and evolution. Diagenetic models are developed where appropriate and criteria for recognition listed. Case histories illustrating these concepts and models are presented for each major diagenetic environment and sub-environment.

Over 160 line drawings illustrate the book. Petrographic characteristics of porosity and diagenetic fabrics and textures are illustrated using numerous photomicrographs taken specifically for the book by the author. The book has been extensively indexed, and includes a large, current reference section.

This book should be useful to any geologist interested in, or working with, carbonate sediments and rocks. It will be particularly useful to the industrial geologist concerned with the exploration or exploitation of hydrocarbons from carbonate rock sequences where an understanding of porosity development, evolution, and prediction are important. In addition, this book will be a good text for advanced carbonate courses at graduate level, and an appropriate reference book for graduate students working in, or interested in, carbonate rock sequences and sediments.

Table of contents

1. The Nature of Carbonate Depositional Systems - Comparison of Carbonates and Siliciclastics. Introduction. Consequences of biological influences over carbonate sediments. Sedimentary processes and depositional environments common to both carbonates and siliclastics. Carbonate rock classification. Sedimentary style - the ubiquitous carbonate shoaling upward sequence and cyclicity. Carbonate shelf evolution - response to sea level. The changing nature of carbonate shelf margins in response to global tectonics. Consequences of high chemical reactivity of carbonates relative to siliclastics. Summary. 2. The Classification and Nature of Carbonate Porosity. Introduction. The classification of carbonate porosity. The nature of primary porosity in modern carbonate sediments. Secondary porosity. Summary. 3. Diagenetic Environments of Porosity Modification and Tools for their Recognition in the Geologic Record. Introduction. The diagenetic environments of porosity modification. Tools for the recognition of diagenetic environments of porosity modification in the geologic record. Summary. 4. Normal Marine Diagenetic Environments. Introduction. Shallow water normal marine diagenetic environments. Deep marine diagenetic environments. Summary. 5. Evaporative Marine Diagenetic Environments. Introduction. The marginal marine Sabkha diagenetic environment. Marginal marine evaporative lagoons and basins (reflux dolomitization). Summary. 6. Introduction to Diagenesis in the Meteoric Environment. Introduction. Chemical and mineralogical considerations. Summary. 7. Meteoric Diagenesis Environments. Introduction. The Vadose diagenetic environment as developed in metastable carbonate sequences. The meteoric phreatic diagenetic environment as developed in metastable carbonate sequences. The meteoric diagenetic environment in mature, mineralogically stable systems. Summary. 8. Dolomitization Associated with Meteoric and Mixed Meteoric and Marine Waters. Introduction. Summary. 9. Burial Diagenetic Environment. Introduction. The burial setting. Compaction. Burial cementation. Subsurface dissolution. Subsurface dolomitization. The role of early, surficial depositional and diagenetic processes versus burial processes in shaping ultimate porosity evolution. Predicting changes in porosity with depth. Summary. References. Index.

Product details

  • Edition: 1
  • Latest edition
  • Volume: 46
  • Published: April 1, 1989
  • Language: English

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