Recognition of foraminifers in petrographic thin section, Monterey Formation, Santa Maria coast

Conference · Tue Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1988 · AAPG Bull.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6594909

Finger, K L

Foraminifera are often found on petrographic slides of mudstones from the California Neogene, but the lack of a reference for identifying sectioned tests has made it impossible for these observations to yield much information. In a study of coastal outcrops of the Monterey Formation in the Santa Maria basin, this shortcoming was particularly evident, as many of the foraminiferal rocks are highly indurated and the specimens commonly are too eroded and fragile to survive conventional disaggregation procedures. Also, foraminifers encased as nuclei of phosphatic pellets remain obscured in washed residues. In order to overcome these problems, well-preserved specimens from coeval strata elsewhere (e.g., upper Newport Bay, Naples Beach) were isolated, identified, and thin sectioned for comparison with the specimens seen in petrographic slides derived from the Mussel Rock, Lions Head, and Boathouse Beach (Rodeo Canyon) sections. An innovative thin-sectioning technique devised for this analysis has been useful in interpreting foraminiferal assemblages that are not readily extracted from the rocks.

• Research Organization: Chevron Oil Field Research Co., La Habra, CA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6594909
• Report Number(s): CONF-8804144-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AAPG Bull.; (United States) Journal Volume: 72:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
ANIMALS
CALIFORNIA
CARBONATE ROCKS
CORRELATIONS
FEDERAL REGION IX
FORAMINIFERA
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
INVERTEBRATES
LITHOLOGY
MICROORGANISMS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
PROTOZOA
RESERVOIR ROCK
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SARCODINA
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
USA