Origin of Dolostone reservoir rocks, smackover formation (Oxfordian), northeastern Gulf Coast, U. S. A

Conference · Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States)

OSTI ID:7134879

Prather, B E ^[1]

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1. Shell Offshore Inc., New Orleans, LA (United States)

Geochemical and petrographic data suggest that, despite the effects of recrystallization, formation of regionally extensive dolostone reservoir rocks in the Smackover Formation can be deciphered. These data indicate that dolomitization took place in (1) seawater seepage, (2) reflux, (3) near-surface mixed-water, (4) shallow-burial mixed-water, and (5) deeper burial environments, which overlapped in time and space to form a platform-scale dolostone body composed of a complex mixture of dolomites. Seawater-seepage and reflux dolomitization occurred in near-surface environments penecontemporaneous with deposition of the Smackover and overlying Haynesville formations. Dolomitization by seawater seepage occurred within an oolite grainstone sill that separated an intraplatform salt basin from the open Late Jurassic sea. Seawater flowed landward through the sill in the response to evaporitic drawdown of brines in the isolated intraplatform basin during a lowstand of Late Jurassic sea level. Dolomite enriched in [sup 18]O located at the top of the Smackover suggests additional dolomitization by reflux of hypersaline brines. Reflux occurred as Buckner coastal sabkhas prograded over Smackover oolite grainstone shoreface deposits. Vugs lined with shallow-burial calcite and dolomite cements indicate flushing of the Smackover grainstone aquifer with fresh water. Freshwater intrusion probably occurred along the Smackover's updip limit and subcrop following sea level lowstands during the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous. Leaching in the proximal part of the freshwater aquifer produced excellent-quality limestone reservoir rocks in the updip Smackover. Dolomitization in the contemporaneous downdip mixed connate/freshwater zone formed dolostone reservoir rocks with depleted isotopic compositions consistent with a shallow-burial mixed-water origin.

• OSTI ID: 7134879
• Report Number(s): CONF-9310237-; CODEN: AABUD2
• Journal Information: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Vol. 77:9; Conference: American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) mid-continent section meeting, Amarillo, TX (United States), 10-12 Oct 1993; ISSN 0149-1423
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
03 NATURAL GAS
DOLOMITE
RESERVOIR ROCK
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
DEPOSITION
US GULF COAST
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
JURASSIC PERIOD
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
CARBONATE MINERALS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
MESOZOIC ERA
MINERALS
NORTH AMERICA
USA
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
030200 - Natural Gas- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration