The Cretaceous period is particularly well represented by a thick sequence of clastic sedimentary rocks exposed in the Antarctic Peninsula region of western Antarctica. This was an active margin throughout the Late Mesozoic and in total some 7km+ of Cretaceous sedimentary rocks accumulated in a series of fore-, intra-, and back-arc basins. The Fossil Bluff Group of eastern Alexander Island can be traced from the Jurassic - Cretaceous boundary into the Upper Albian and represents a broad-scale shallowing-upwards sequence from deep marine to a prominent Upper Albian fluvial interval in which high density forests developed at a palaeolatitude of 75°S. The Cretaceous sequence exposed in the James Ross Island group continues right through the Upper Cretaceous to the K–Pg boundary. The Campanian - Maastrichtian succession in particular is over 2km in total thickness and richly fossiliferous. The improved Cretaceous stratigraphy of Antarctica is an invaluable terrestrial record of climatic change at a high palaeolatitude. This includes a gradual increase in temperature to the Cretaceous Thermal Maximum, and then a decline to the K–Pg boundary. There may be no simple link between these palaeotemperature changes and Cretaceous patterns of biotic radiation and extinction.
{"title":"Cretaceous stratigraphy of Antarctica and its global significance","authors":"J. Crame, Jane E. Francis","doi":"10.1144/sp545-2023-153","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1144/sp545-2023-153","url":null,"abstract":"The Cretaceous period is particularly well represented by a thick sequence of clastic sedimentary rocks exposed in the Antarctic Peninsula region of western Antarctica. This was an active margin throughout the Late Mesozoic and in total some 7km+ of Cretaceous sedimentary rocks accumulated in a series of fore-, intra-, and back-arc basins. The Fossil Bluff Group of eastern Alexander Island can be traced from the Jurassic - Cretaceous boundary into the Upper Albian and represents a broad-scale shallowing-upwards sequence from deep marine to a prominent Upper Albian fluvial interval in which high density forests developed at a palaeolatitude of 75°S. The Cretaceous sequence exposed in the James Ross Island group continues right through the Upper Cretaceous to the K–Pg boundary. The Campanian - Maastrichtian succession in particular is over 2km in total thickness and richly fossiliferous. The improved Cretaceous stratigraphy of Antarctica is an invaluable terrestrial record of climatic change at a high palaeolatitude. This includes a gradual increase in temperature to the Cretaceous Thermal Maximum, and then a decline to the K–Pg boundary. There may be no simple link between these palaeotemperature changes and Cretaceous patterns of biotic radiation and extinction.","PeriodicalId":281618,"journal":{"name":"Geological Society, London, Special Publications","volume":"28 15","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138590874","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A. M. W. Newton, K. J. Andresen, K. J. Blacker, R. Harding, E. Lebas
Since the last Special Publication on Seismic Geomorphology, the application of seismic data has grown substantially, revolutionising our understanding of basin evolution in the process. The papers presented here provide an insight into the direction of travel for seismic geomorphological analyses and how the science has evolved since 2007. New methods of data collection, new methods of processing and visualisation, and the integration of new types of complementary data, all have played a role in maximising the potential palaeo-environmental insights that can be derived from such studies. The submissions range across different geological settings, consisting of glacial, fluvial, volcanic, deltaic, and slope settings. Many of these studies integrate different methods, showing what can be achieved by combining multiple datasets to understand the subsurface. As more legacy datasets become available, the observed acceleration in seismic data availability and the associated publications will likely continue. Newer methods and the greater understanding of the subsurface are yielding a greater understanding on not just the palaeo-environments, but also what generates seismic reflectivity in the subsurface. The study of seismic geomorphology remains in its infancy, and much exciting research potential is yet to be realised.
{"title":"Seismic Geomorphology: Subsurface Analyses, Data Integration and Palaeoenvironment Reconstructions – an introduction","authors":"A. M. W. Newton, K. J. Andresen, K. J. Blacker, R. Harding, E. Lebas","doi":"10.1144/sp525-2023-108","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1144/sp525-2023-108","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Since the last Special Publication on Seismic Geomorphology, the application of seismic data has grown substantially, revolutionising our understanding of basin evolution in the process. The papers presented here provide an insight into the direction of travel for seismic geomorphological analyses and how the science has evolved since 2007. New methods of data collection, new methods of processing and visualisation, and the integration of new types of complementary data, all have played a role in maximising the potential palaeo-environmental insights that can be derived from such studies. The submissions range across different geological settings, consisting of glacial, fluvial, volcanic, deltaic, and slope settings. Many of these studies integrate different methods, showing what can be achieved by combining multiple datasets to understand the subsurface. As more legacy datasets become available, the observed acceleration in seismic data availability and the associated publications will likely continue. Newer methods and the greater understanding of the subsurface are yielding a greater understanding on not just the palaeo-environments, but also what generates seismic reflectivity in the subsurface. The study of seismic geomorphology remains in its infancy, and much exciting research potential is yet to be realised.","PeriodicalId":281618,"journal":{"name":"Geological Society, London, Special Publications","volume":"52 15","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138602179","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
3D seismic data provide new insights on ∼ 2 km thick Cenozoic post-transform slope sediments and fluid-flow phenomena along the Nigerian Transform Margin. The study documents large-scale mass-transport deposits (MTDs), deep-water channels, sediment waves, and a range of fluid flow phenomena such as pockmarks, pipes, seabed mound and gas-hydrates. They are observed from Pliocene-aged sediments and distributed above structural highs, regional faults and active and relic deep-water channels in the eastern part of the area, closest to the Niger Delta cone. The fluid flow features are interpreted to be indicative of an active petroleum system in the deeper subsurface, and from fluid migration along planes of deep-seated faults. MTDs are mapped at multiple levels and the volume of failed sediments increased through time within the western part of the study area. The repeated and increased volume of MTDs in the area is attributed to an increased rate of sedimentation through time and slope gradient during the late Cenozoic. The presence of repeated MTDs and fluid flow phenomena on the Nigerian Transform Margin has implications for installations of offshore facilities as they constitute potential geohazards. The study also documents, for the first time, polygonal fault systems offshore Nigeria.
{"title":"3D seismic analysis of Cenozoic slope deposits and fluid flow phenomena along the Nigerian transform margin","authors":"O. Olobayo, M. Huuse","doi":"10.1144/sp525-2023-13","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1144/sp525-2023-13","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 3D seismic data provide new insights on ∼ 2 km thick Cenozoic post-transform slope sediments and fluid-flow phenomena along the Nigerian Transform Margin. The study documents large-scale mass-transport deposits (MTDs), deep-water channels, sediment waves, and a range of fluid flow phenomena such as pockmarks, pipes, seabed mound and gas-hydrates. They are observed from Pliocene-aged sediments and distributed above structural highs, regional faults and active and relic deep-water channels in the eastern part of the area, closest to the Niger Delta cone. The fluid flow features are interpreted to be indicative of an active petroleum system in the deeper subsurface, and from fluid migration along planes of deep-seated faults. MTDs are mapped at multiple levels and the volume of failed sediments increased through time within the western part of the study area. The repeated and increased volume of MTDs in the area is attributed to an increased rate of sedimentation through time and slope gradient during the late Cenozoic. The presence of repeated MTDs and fluid flow phenomena on the Nigerian Transform Margin has implications for installations of offshore facilities as they constitute potential geohazards. The study also documents, for the first time, polygonal fault systems offshore Nigeria.","PeriodicalId":281618,"journal":{"name":"Geological Society, London, Special Publications","volume":" 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138611775","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Adam Beresford-Browne, David W. Jolley, J. Millett, Carl Stevenson, Sebastian Watt, Rob Raine, Elliot Carter
The Antrim Lava Group of northeast Ireland comprises a volcanic sequence dominated by basaltic lava flows. Including subsidiary sedimentary interlayers and some evolved lavas and intrusions, the overall sequence reaches a cumulative thickness of ∼800 m. However, the tempo of eruption of the Antrim Lava Group is poorly constrained, but can be evaluated via weathering patterns and environmental reconstructions derived from lava-flow interbeds. In this contribution we present palynology from a newly-identified and well-developed 2–2.5 m thick sedimentary sequence (interbed) at Ross's Quarry, Ballycastle, Co. Antrim, that helps elucidate the contemporary development of environments in a setting subject to periodic basaltic volcanism. The interbed is subdivided into geologically distinct subunits of cross-bedded and parallel bedded sandstones and sandy siltstones, all rich in visible organic remains such as rootlets and fragments of wood and bark. A total of 19 samples were collected from the sequence and subsequently analysed for palynological content. The palynomorph data point toward a diversity of inputs ranging from estuaries, chalky soils, dry soils, swamps, lakes, floodplains, sand bars, wet soils, established bogs and fenlands. In contrast to current understanding, the palynological data and their inferred environments collectively reveal the presence of flora that favour a temperate climate rather than the subtropical climate that has previously been inferred from the lateritic interbeds of the Antrim Lava Group. By combining the Ross's Quarry observations with palynological data from other quarry sites and boreholes in Antrim, we provide new insights into the climate, weathering systems and eruptive history of the Antrim Lava Group. Supplementary material at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.6949132
{"title":"Depositional system and plant ecosystem responses to long-term low tempo volcanism, the Interbasaltic Formation, Antrim Lava Group","authors":"Adam Beresford-Browne, David W. Jolley, J. Millett, Carl Stevenson, Sebastian Watt, Rob Raine, Elliot Carter","doi":"10.1144/sp547-2023-75","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1144/sp547-2023-75","url":null,"abstract":"The Antrim Lava Group of northeast Ireland comprises a volcanic sequence dominated by basaltic lava flows. Including subsidiary sedimentary interlayers and some evolved lavas and intrusions, the overall sequence reaches a cumulative thickness of ∼800 m. However, the tempo of eruption of the Antrim Lava Group is poorly constrained, but can be evaluated via weathering patterns and environmental reconstructions derived from lava-flow interbeds. In this contribution we present palynology from a newly-identified and well-developed 2–2.5 m thick sedimentary sequence (interbed) at Ross's Quarry, Ballycastle, Co. Antrim, that helps elucidate the contemporary development of environments in a setting subject to periodic basaltic volcanism. The interbed is subdivided into geologically distinct subunits of cross-bedded and parallel bedded sandstones and sandy siltstones, all rich in visible organic remains such as rootlets and fragments of wood and bark. A total of 19 samples were collected from the sequence and subsequently analysed for palynological content. The palynomorph data point toward a diversity of inputs ranging from estuaries, chalky soils, dry soils, swamps, lakes, floodplains, sand bars, wet soils, established bogs and fenlands. In contrast to current understanding, the palynological data and their inferred environments collectively reveal the presence of flora that favour a temperate climate rather than the subtropical climate that has previously been inferred from the lateritic interbeds of the Antrim Lava Group. By combining the Ross's Quarry observations with palynological data from other quarry sites and boreholes in Antrim, we provide new insights into the climate, weathering systems and eruptive history of the Antrim Lava Group. Supplementary material at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.6949132","PeriodicalId":281618,"journal":{"name":"Geological Society, London, Special Publications","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139198054","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ezequiel F. Lombardo, Olivier Galland, Daniel Yagupsky, D. Jerram
Volcanic plumbing systems emplaced in sedimentary basins may exert significant mechanical and thermal effects on petroleum systems. The last decade of research has evidenced that igneous intrusions may enhance thermal maturation of organic matter in source rocks and lead to both small- and large-scale structures that can deeply impact fluid migration or trapping. This contribution describes how the emplacement of a whole intrusive complex generated a dome structure of the overburden, which is the main trapping structure of a large producing oil field. Our case study is the lower Miocene Cerro Bayo de la Sierra Negra intrusive complex, Neuquén Basin, Argentina, associated with the El Trapial oil field where the main trapping structure is a large domal antiform centered on the Cerro Bayo de la Sierra Negra complex. This study integrates the large subsurface data set produced during the development of the El Trapial oil field. More than 1,200 vertical wells (producers and injectors) have been drilled in the flanks of Cerro Bayo de la Sierra Negra complex. Additionally, five 3D seismic cubes have been acquired over the years, which have been merged and re-processed in a single volume. Such data set allows a detailed characterization of both the structure affecting the Mesozoic strata, and geometry of the intrusive complex. Igneous rocks have been recognized along the entire stratigraphical section. Sill intrusions appear to concentrate in the shale units and the stacking of them has a direct impact on the doming structure generation. Our study allowed us to establish a direct correlation between the distribution of the intrusions and the extent, amplitude, and style of doming, showing that the dome structure results from the emplacement of the intrusive complex. We also show that part of doming is related to intrusions emplaced in the Mesozoic formations of the Neuquén Basin, whereas the other part of the doming is related to deeper structures not imaged on the geophysical data. We estimate the amplitude of the doming to reach up to ∼500 m. The voluminous subsurface data, combined with exposed outcrops, makes Cerro Bayo de la Sierra Negra a world-class case study for showing how the shallow plumbing system of a volcanic complex may control the growth of large-scale trapping structures for various fluids, such as drinkable water, geothermal fluids and hydrocarbons.
沉积盆地中的火山垂悬系统可能会对石油系统产生重大的机械和热影响。过去十年的研究证明,火成侵入可能会促进源岩中有机物质的热成熟,并导致小型和大型结构,从而对流体迁移或捕集产生深刻影响。这篇论文描述了整个侵入复合体的置换如何产生了覆盖层的圆顶结构,而这正是一个大型在产油田的主要捕集结构。我们的案例研究是阿根廷内乌肯盆地的下中新世Cerro Bayo de la Sierra Negra侵入复合体,与El Trapial油田有关,该油田的主要捕集构造是以Cerro Bayo de la Sierra Negra复合体为中心的大型穹隆蚂蚁状构造。这项研究整合了埃尔-特拉皮亚尔油田开发过程中产生的大量地下数据集。在 Cerro Bayo de la Sierra Negra 复合体侧翼已钻探了 1,200 多口垂直井(生产井和注入井)。此外,多年来还获得了五个三维地震立方体,这些立方体已合并并重新处理成一个单一的体积。通过这些数据集,可以详细了解影响中生代地层的结构和侵入复合体的几何特征。整个地层剖面上的火成岩都得到了确认。岩浆侵入体似乎集中在页岩单元中,它们的堆积对穹窿结构的形成有直接影响。我们的研究使我们能够在侵入体的分布与穹隆的范围、振幅和样式之间建立起直接的相关性,表明穹隆结构是侵入体复合体置换的结果。我们还表明,部分穹隆与内乌肯盆地中生代地层中的侵入体有关,而另一部分穹隆则与地球物理数据中未显示的更深层结构有关。大量的地下数据与出露的露头相结合,使 Cerro Bayo de la Sierra Negra 成为一个世界级的案例研究,展示了火山群的浅层管道系统如何控制各种流体(如饮用水、地热流体和碳氢化合物)的大规模捕集结构的生长。
{"title":"Characterization of a structural trap associated with an intrusive complex: the El Trapial Oil Field, Neuquén basin, Argentina","authors":"Ezequiel F. Lombardo, Olivier Galland, Daniel Yagupsky, D. Jerram","doi":"10.1144/sp547-2023-98","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1144/sp547-2023-98","url":null,"abstract":"Volcanic plumbing systems emplaced in sedimentary basins may exert significant mechanical and thermal effects on petroleum systems. The last decade of research has evidenced that igneous intrusions may enhance thermal maturation of organic matter in source rocks and lead to both small- and large-scale structures that can deeply impact fluid migration or trapping. This contribution describes how the emplacement of a whole intrusive complex generated a dome structure of the overburden, which is the main trapping structure of a large producing oil field. Our case study is the lower Miocene Cerro Bayo de la Sierra Negra intrusive complex, Neuquén Basin, Argentina, associated with the El Trapial oil field where the main trapping structure is a large domal antiform centered on the Cerro Bayo de la Sierra Negra complex. This study integrates the large subsurface data set produced during the development of the El Trapial oil field. More than 1,200 vertical wells (producers and injectors) have been drilled in the flanks of Cerro Bayo de la Sierra Negra complex. Additionally, five 3D seismic cubes have been acquired over the years, which have been merged and re-processed in a single volume. Such data set allows a detailed characterization of both the structure affecting the Mesozoic strata, and geometry of the intrusive complex. Igneous rocks have been recognized along the entire stratigraphical section. Sill intrusions appear to concentrate in the shale units and the stacking of them has a direct impact on the doming structure generation. Our study allowed us to establish a direct correlation between the distribution of the intrusions and the extent, amplitude, and style of doming, showing that the dome structure results from the emplacement of the intrusive complex. We also show that part of doming is related to intrusions emplaced in the Mesozoic formations of the Neuquén Basin, whereas the other part of the doming is related to deeper structures not imaged on the geophysical data. We estimate the amplitude of the doming to reach up to ∼500 m. The voluminous subsurface data, combined with exposed outcrops, makes Cerro Bayo de la Sierra Negra a world-class case study for showing how the shallow plumbing system of a volcanic complex may control the growth of large-scale trapping structures for various fluids, such as drinkable water, geothermal fluids and hydrocarbons.","PeriodicalId":281618,"journal":{"name":"Geological Society, London, Special Publications","volume":"33 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139202329","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
J. Millett, Lucas Rossetti, Alan Bischoff, Marcos Rossetti, Marija P. Rosenqvist, Per Avseth, Malcolm J. Hole, Simona Pierdominici, Dave Healy, D. Jerram, S. Planke
Lava flows form important fluid reservoirs and have been extensively exploited for water aquifers, geothermal energy, hydrocarbon production, and more recently for carbon storage. Effusive subaerial mafic to intermediate lava flows account for vast rock volumes globally, and form reservoirs with properties dictated by well-known lava flow facies ranging from pāhoehoe through several transitional forms to ‘a’ā lava. These variations in flow type lead to critical differences in the pore structure, distribution, connectivity, strength, and fracturing of individual lava flows, which, alongside lava flow package architectures, determine primary reservoir potential. Lava flow margins with vesicular, fracture, and often autobreccia hosted pore structures can have porosities commonly exceeding 40% and matrix permeabilities over 1 E-11 m 2 (> 10 darcy) separated by much lower porosity and permeability flow interiors. Secondary post-emplacement physicochemical changes related to fracturing, meteoric, diagenetic, and hydrothermal alteration can significantly modify reservoir potential through a complex interplay of mineral transformation, pore clogging secondary minerals, and dissolution which must be carefully characterized and assessed during exploration and appraisal. Within this contribution, a review of selected global lava flow hosted reservoir occurrences is presented followed by a discussion on the factors that influence lava flow reservoir potential.
熔岩流是重要的流体储层,已被广泛用于含水层、地热能源、碳氢化合物生产以及最近的碳储存。在全球范围内,喷出的次生岩浆岩到中间岩浆岩流占据了巨大的岩石体积,形成的储层具有众所周知的熔岩流面所决定的特性,从pāhoehoe到几种过渡形态,再到'a'ā熔岩。熔岩流类型的这些变化导致单个熔岩流在孔隙结构、分布、连通性、强度和断裂方面存在重大差异,这些差异与熔岩流包体结构一起决定了主要储层的潜力。熔岩流边缘具有泡状、断裂以及通常由自生砾岩寄生的孔隙结构,其孔隙率通常超过 40%,基质渗透率超过 1 E-11 m 2(> 10 darcy),而熔岩流内部的孔隙率和渗透率要低得多。与压裂、流变、成岩和热液蚀变有关的次生置换后物理化学变化可通过矿物转化、孔隙堵塞次生矿物和溶解等复杂的相互作用显著改变储层的潜力,在勘探和评价过程中必须对这些变化进行仔细的描述和评估。在这篇论文中,将对选定的全球熔岩流赋存储层进行回顾,然后讨论影响熔岩流储层潜力的因素。
{"title":"Lava flow hosted reservoirs: a review","authors":"J. Millett, Lucas Rossetti, Alan Bischoff, Marcos Rossetti, Marija P. Rosenqvist, Per Avseth, Malcolm J. Hole, Simona Pierdominici, Dave Healy, D. Jerram, S. Planke","doi":"10.1144/sp547-2023-102","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1144/sp547-2023-102","url":null,"abstract":"Lava flows form important fluid reservoirs and have been extensively exploited for water aquifers, geothermal energy, hydrocarbon production, and more recently for carbon storage. Effusive subaerial mafic to intermediate lava flows account for vast rock volumes globally, and form reservoirs with properties dictated by well-known lava flow facies ranging from pāhoehoe through several transitional forms to ‘a’ā lava. These variations in flow type lead to critical differences in the pore structure, distribution, connectivity, strength, and fracturing of individual lava flows, which, alongside lava flow package architectures, determine primary reservoir potential. Lava flow margins with vesicular, fracture, and often autobreccia hosted pore structures can have porosities commonly exceeding 40% and matrix permeabilities over 1 E-11 m 2 (> 10 darcy) separated by much lower porosity and permeability flow interiors. Secondary post-emplacement physicochemical changes related to fracturing, meteoric, diagenetic, and hydrothermal alteration can significantly modify reservoir potential through a complex interplay of mineral transformation, pore clogging secondary minerals, and dissolution which must be carefully characterized and assessed during exploration and appraisal. Within this contribution, a review of selected global lava flow hosted reservoir occurrences is presented followed by a discussion on the factors that influence lava flow reservoir potential.","PeriodicalId":281618,"journal":{"name":"Geological Society, London, Special Publications","volume":"624 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139204102","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Marija P. Rosenqvist, J. Millett, S. Planke, Rakul M. Johannesen, S. Passey, E. Sørensen, H. Vosgerau, Bjørn Jamtveit
Offshore CO 2 sequestration in basaltic formations of the North Atlantic Igneous Province (NAIP) may allow permanent storage of large volumes of CO 2 through rapid carbonate mineralization. Characterizing the internal architecture of such reservoirs is key to assessing the storage potential. In this study, six photogrammetry models and three boreholes on the Faroe Islands have been used to characterize the internal lava sequence architectures as a direct analogue to potential offshore NAIP storage sites. The studied formations are dominated by ca. 5 m to 50 m thick simple and compound lava flows, with drill core observations documenting a transition from pāhoehoe moving towards ‘a’ā lava flow types interbedded with thin (<5 m thick) volcaniclastic rock units. The identification of flow margin breccias is potentially important as these units form excellent reservoirs in several other localities globally. Stacked, thick simple flows may present sealing units associated with dense flow interiors. Connected porous and permeable lava flow crusts present potential reservoirs, however, the degree of secondary mineralization and alteration can alter initially good reservoir units to impermeable barriers for fluid flow. Large-scale reservoir volumes may be present mainly within both vesicular, fractured pāhoehoe and brecciated flow margins of transitional simple lava flows. Supplementary material at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.6949132
{"title":"The architecture of basalt reservoirs in the North Atlantic Igneous Province with implications for basalt carbon sequestration","authors":"Marija P. Rosenqvist, J. Millett, S. Planke, Rakul M. Johannesen, S. Passey, E. Sørensen, H. Vosgerau, Bjørn Jamtveit","doi":"10.1144/sp547-2023-96","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1144/sp547-2023-96","url":null,"abstract":"Offshore CO 2 sequestration in basaltic formations of the North Atlantic Igneous Province (NAIP) may allow permanent storage of large volumes of CO 2 through rapid carbonate mineralization. Characterizing the internal architecture of such reservoirs is key to assessing the storage potential. In this study, six photogrammetry models and three boreholes on the Faroe Islands have been used to characterize the internal lava sequence architectures as a direct analogue to potential offshore NAIP storage sites. The studied formations are dominated by ca. 5 m to 50 m thick simple and compound lava flows, with drill core observations documenting a transition from pāhoehoe moving towards ‘a’ā lava flow types interbedded with thin (<5 m thick) volcaniclastic rock units. The identification of flow margin breccias is potentially important as these units form excellent reservoirs in several other localities globally. Stacked, thick simple flows may present sealing units associated with dense flow interiors. Connected porous and permeable lava flow crusts present potential reservoirs, however, the degree of secondary mineralization and alteration can alter initially good reservoir units to impermeable barriers for fluid flow. Large-scale reservoir volumes may be present mainly within both vesicular, fractured pāhoehoe and brecciated flow margins of transitional simple lava flows. Supplementary material at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.6949132","PeriodicalId":281618,"journal":{"name":"Geological Society, London, Special Publications","volume":"24 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139213546","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ian P. Hutchinson, Owain Jackson, Andrew E. Stocks, A. C. Barnicoat, Stephen R. Lawrence
A model is presented for the generation of natural hydrogen from cratonic basement rocks and its migration into the sediments of overlying cratonic basins. It is based on the ‘discovery’ of hydrogen at Bourakebougou in the Taoudeni Basin of Mali. In the Cratonic Greenstone Model hydrogen is generated by the serpentinisation of olivine-rich, ultramafic rocks contained within Precambrian ‘greenstones’. The model requires a protolith (in greenstones), a supply of water (from groundwater), connecting faults to act as a plumbing system and an indurated sediment cover to retard hydrogen movement. Hydrogen is expelled into the overlying basin sediments which form the host for hydrogen accumulations. The model describes a continental ‘hydrogen system’ which can form the basis for petroleum-type play-based hydrogen exploration in cratonic settings. Using play elements derived from the model, the Bourakebougou play fairway can be extended across the Taoudeni Basin >700 km northwards of the discovery.
{"title":"Greenstones as a source of Hydrogen in Cratonic Sedimentary Basins","authors":"Ian P. Hutchinson, Owain Jackson, Andrew E. Stocks, A. C. Barnicoat, Stephen R. Lawrence","doi":"10.1144/sp547-2023-39","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1144/sp547-2023-39","url":null,"abstract":"A model is presented for the generation of natural hydrogen from cratonic basement rocks and its migration into the sediments of overlying cratonic basins. It is based on the ‘discovery’ of hydrogen at Bourakebougou in the Taoudeni Basin of Mali. In the Cratonic Greenstone Model hydrogen is generated by the serpentinisation of olivine-rich, ultramafic rocks contained within Precambrian ‘greenstones’. The model requires a protolith (in greenstones), a supply of water (from groundwater), connecting faults to act as a plumbing system and an indurated sediment cover to retard hydrogen movement. Hydrogen is expelled into the overlying basin sediments which form the host for hydrogen accumulations. The model describes a continental ‘hydrogen system’ which can form the basis for petroleum-type play-based hydrogen exploration in cratonic settings. Using play elements derived from the model, the Bourakebougou play fairway can be extended across the Taoudeni Basin >700 km northwards of the discovery.","PeriodicalId":281618,"journal":{"name":"Geological Society, London, Special Publications","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139211273","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Geoparks and the valorization of sites with a strong geoheritage component are a new frontier for sustainable tourism. An UNESCO special recognition was established in 2015 and much work has been done for establishing sites in Europe and Asia, but only five localities have been recognized by UNESCO in North America. This paper discusses three sites relevant to geoheritage: Pulpit Rock in Massachusetts, Montmorency Falls in Quebec and Niagara Falls that were visited in 1863, by the newly appointed professor of geology at the Bologna University, Giovanni Capellini, who sailed for a four-month journey across north-eastern North America. Through his travels, he made sketches, took notes, and collected more than 2,000 specimens that together provide a depth of perspective on the importance of the geoheritage of sites he visited. We chose these sites, among the many visited by Capellini, because Niagara Falls is now seeking the UNESCO recognition, and the other two, though no longer fully accessible (Montmorency Falls and Pulpit Rock) remain important tourist sites and areas of geological interest.
{"title":"Three of North America's geoheritage sites as in the lost 1863 exploration of Giovanni Capellini","authors":"Michela Contessi, A. Fiorillo, Federico Fanti","doi":"10.1144/sp543-2022-219","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1144/sp543-2022-219","url":null,"abstract":"Geoparks and the valorization of sites with a strong geoheritage component are a new frontier for sustainable tourism. An UNESCO special recognition was established in 2015 and much work has been done for establishing sites in Europe and Asia, but only five localities have been recognized by UNESCO in North America. This paper discusses three sites relevant to geoheritage: Pulpit Rock in Massachusetts, Montmorency Falls in Quebec and Niagara Falls that were visited in 1863, by the newly appointed professor of geology at the Bologna University, Giovanni Capellini, who sailed for a four-month journey across north-eastern North America. Through his travels, he made sketches, took notes, and collected more than 2,000 specimens that together provide a depth of perspective on the importance of the geoheritage of sites he visited. We chose these sites, among the many visited by Capellini, because Niagara Falls is now seeking the UNESCO recognition, and the other two, though no longer fully accessible (Montmorency Falls and Pulpit Rock) remain important tourist sites and areas of geological interest.","PeriodicalId":281618,"journal":{"name":"Geological Society, London, Special Publications","volume":"24 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139209357","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kosuke Tsutsui, S. Holford, N. Schofield, M. Bunch, Rosalind King, Ken McClay
The Browse Basin is one of Australia's major hydrocarbon provinces, where significant discoveries have been made in recent decades including the Ichthys and Prelude fields, which accounted for ∼15% of the cumulative Australian LNG production in 2019-2020. This rift basin hosts extensive Mesozoic intrusive and extrusive igneous rocks, having been identified from both well and seismic data, and which are recognised as one of the key challenges for exploration and production activities in this region. Their impact on petroleum exploration is demonstrated by the number of wells which encountered unpredicted or thicker than expected igneous rock units both within and adjacent to target sections. This study therefore aims to document the reasons of such unexpectedness, and to develop capability to predict the occurrence of igneous rock units prior to drilling in the Browse Basin and other rift settings that contain igneous rocks. Multiple case studies of uncommercial exploration wells are developed by integrating petrophysical and seismic reflection data, focussing in particular along the outboard part of the basin where igneous rocks are most prevalent. Our study highlights the importance of understanding petrophysical, spatial and chemical heterogeneities of igneous rocks in basins to explain their emplacement and distribution, and thereby predict their occurrence prior to exploration and development activities.
{"title":"Petrophysical characteristics of igneous rocks in the outboard Browse Basin, North West Shelf of Australia: Implications for predicting igneous sequences prior to exploration drilling","authors":"Kosuke Tsutsui, S. Holford, N. Schofield, M. Bunch, Rosalind King, Ken McClay","doi":"10.1144/sp547-2023-77","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1144/sp547-2023-77","url":null,"abstract":"The Browse Basin is one of Australia's major hydrocarbon provinces, where significant discoveries have been made in recent decades including the Ichthys and Prelude fields, which accounted for ∼15% of the cumulative Australian LNG production in 2019-2020. This rift basin hosts extensive Mesozoic intrusive and extrusive igneous rocks, having been identified from both well and seismic data, and which are recognised as one of the key challenges for exploration and production activities in this region. Their impact on petroleum exploration is demonstrated by the number of wells which encountered unpredicted or thicker than expected igneous rock units both within and adjacent to target sections. This study therefore aims to document the reasons of such unexpectedness, and to develop capability to predict the occurrence of igneous rock units prior to drilling in the Browse Basin and other rift settings that contain igneous rocks. Multiple case studies of uncommercial exploration wells are developed by integrating petrophysical and seismic reflection data, focussing in particular along the outboard part of the basin where igneous rocks are most prevalent. Our study highlights the importance of understanding petrophysical, spatial and chemical heterogeneities of igneous rocks in basins to explain their emplacement and distribution, and thereby predict their occurrence prior to exploration and development activities.","PeriodicalId":281618,"journal":{"name":"Geological Society, London, Special Publications","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139212424","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}