Papers by Lorenzo Petracchini
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ABSTRACT Thrust fault-related folds in carbonate rocks are characterized by deformation accommoda... more ABSTRACT Thrust fault-related folds in carbonate rocks are characterized by deformation accommodated by different kinds of structures, such as joints, faults, pressure solution seams (PSSs), and deformation bands, which may form at various stages during the folding process. Defining the distribution, orientation, and the type of fold-related structures and understanding the relationships between folding and fracturing is significant both for theoretical and practical purposes. Furthermore, as the deformation related to the folding process influences fluid flow through rocks, identifying the types of structures formed during folding is as important as predicting their geometries. To unravel the relationship between mechanical stratigraphy and folding process, the well-exposed Cingoli anticline (Northern Apennines), has been studied in detail. The Upper Cretaceous-Middle Eocene stratigraphy of the Cingoli anticline is characterized by a pelagic multilayer made up of fine-grained pelagic limestones and, marly limestones, in places alternated with thin continuous chert layers. The presence of several outcrops located in different structural positions of the anticline makes the Cingoli anticline an excellent natural laboratory to investigate relationships between folding, fracturing, and mechanical stratigraphy relative to the structural setting of the fold. The field data collected show that high angle to bedding PSSs, which formed before tilting and during the first stage of folding, are not homogeneously distributed in the pelagic limestones. Generally, high angle to bedding PSSs form in the marly pelagic limestones and they have been observed in several outcrops and in different structural positions except where the marly limestones are inter-bedded with stiffer chert layers. In order to analyse theoretically what observed in the field, we compared the deformation of limestones and chert layers with the deformation acting on fiber composites. In the mechanics of materials, composites refer to a matrix reinforced with particles, fibers, or laminae. During the early stage of folding, when the compressive stress is almost bedding parallel, chert layers act as a stiff lamina embedded in a weak limestone matrix. As a result, the stress is partitioned and the chert layers bear the greatest stress. Considering the mechanical properties (Poisson and Young's modulus) of the two materials (chert and limestone), and the estimated tectonic stress acting at the onset of the folding process, the stress magnitude in the limestone beds does not reach the expected value for the onset of pressure solution. For this reason, pelagic limestones containing chert layers are mainly characterized by joints whereas PSSs form in pelagic limestones without the stiffer phase (chert). This study suggests that within the same fold, and even within the same formation, different mechanical units can be characterized by different fractures types and fluid flow behaviour as a result of mechanical stratigraphy distribution.
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The stratigraphic succession of this area is constrained by a deep well, and is characterized by ... more The stratigraphic succession of this area is constrained by a deep well, and is characterized by sedimentary rocks constituted by terrigenous marine units resting above marly-sandy-calcarenitic flysches, which are tectonically superimposed above calcareous units and ...
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Within the framework of the VIGOR project, a characterization of medium enthalpy geothermal resou... more Within the framework of the VIGOR project, a characterization of medium enthalpy geothermal resources have been carried out in the Campania region (southern Italy), with a focus on the" Guardia dei Lombardi" area (province of Avellino). The VIGOR project began on the basis of an agreement between the Ministry of Economic Development and the Italian National Research Council, and it deal with the exploitation of innovative uses of geothermal energy in the so-called" regions of convergence"(Campania, Calabria, Puglia and Sicilia). ...
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In 1904 the first electricity production from geothermal resources took place in Larderello (Ital... more In 1904 the first electricity production from geothermal resources took place in Larderello (Italy) inaugurating the geothermal exploration activity worldwide. After over one century, the peri-Tyrrhenian regions of Tuscany and Latium (Central Italy) has still a relevant unexploited geothermal potential. According to the Italian Ministry of Economic Development, 23 exploration applications in Italy out of 38 are within Latium (data referred at the end of 2013).
The Italian National Research Council (CNR), recognizing the value of geothermal energy, has promoted the "Geothermal Atlas Project" in central and southern Italy. The purpose of the project is to update and to organize all the relevant data (i.e., geological, geophysical, geochemical, hydrogeological) in order to evaluate the favourability of the central-southern regions of Italy for the exploration of conventional and unconventional geothermal resources for electricity generation. Through this project, CNR aims to encourage the development of the geothermal resources and to facilitate investment in this energy sector.
This work, part of the Geothermal Atlas project, focuses on the northern Latium, which is an area characterized, together with
Tuscany, by the highest values of heat-flow in Italy and hence notably interesting for geothermal exploration. The work shows the first results of a review of geological, geophysical and hydrogeological data collected to define the geological structure of the northern Latium and to build up an updated 3D subsurface geological model. The revised structural setting and the 3D geological model of the area will be used in the further stages of the Atlas project to develop the favorability geothermal maps of the study area.
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Excellent continuous exposures of Oligo-Miocene
carbonate ramp deposits along the Majella NNW fla... more Excellent continuous exposures of Oligo-Miocene
carbonate ramp deposits along the Majella NNW flank
(e.g. Orfento and S. Bartolomeo valleys), allow to
investigate facies changes both along and across the ramp
environment. Relationships among sedimentary structures
and depositional processes, among stratigraphic
architecture and syn/post-depositional tectonics are
investigated and discussed. Moreover, extensive well
known bitumen shows, found both along fractured zones
and in the rock matrix, are analysed and possible
controlling factors are discussed.
The main aim of this field trip is to show the geometrical
and spatial relationship of the lithostratigraphic units of
the Bolognano Fm and its structural setting and, secondly,
how these elements controlled the migration and trapping
of hydrocarbons in this formation.
The Bolognano Fm (from fundum Belonianum) is
dominated by a heterozoan skeletal carbonates, that were
deposited into a wide middle to outer carbonate ramp
depositional environment within the oligophotic to
aphotic zone, with reworked inner ramp material swept
from the shallowest zone and re-deposited into the middle
ramp environment. The sedimentological characters of
these heterozoan carbonates (dominated by grain
supported textures, low percentage of mud and silt
fraction, low percentage of aragonite grains) resulted in a
combination of petrophysical properties that make them
a good potential carbonate reservoir.
The outcrops and stops selected for this Field Trip are:
• Decontra - Orfento Valley;
• Panoramic view of Piano delle Cappelle and Costa
dell’Avignone;
• Dune fields of Piano delle Cappelle;
• Panoramic view of Fosso S. Angelo and Acquafredda
mines;
• Piano delle Cappelle fault;
• Acquafredda mines;
• Valle Romana Quarry
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The Cingoli arcuate anticline is part of the Apennines fold-thrust belt in Italy. The anticline i... more The Cingoli arcuate anticline is part of the Apennines fold-thrust belt in Italy. The anticline involves sedimentary carbonate strata generally affected by syn-thrusting contractional structures such as bed-normal pressure solution seams, folds, and reverse faults. An exception is constituted by an outcrop in the anticline hinge, where sub-horizontal carbonate and chert beds are affected by joints and intraformational short normal faults. These faults are poorly-systematic and conceivably polygonal in map view. They cut through the carbonate beds while usually stop against the chert layers that are bent and extended along the faults themselves. At the fault tips, the displacement is generally transferred, via a lateral step, to an adjacent similar fault segment. The fault surfaces are often characterized by slickolites, greenish clayey residue, and micro-breccias including chert and carbonate clasts. Fault displacement is partly or largely accommodated by pressure solution. The faults, in effect, are usually accompanied by bed-parallel pressure solution seams in the two contractional quadrants located at the present or past fault tips. The pressure solution features fade away departing from the faults. This evidence and others are analytically explained with fault tip stress distributions. The faults are interpreted as polygonal normal faults syn-tectonically (syn-thrusting) nucleated in response to multi-directional stretching processes occurred at the Cingoli triple-folded anticline extrados. The faults then grew through a four-stage process: (1. stop) the faults stopped at the competent chert beds; (2. shrink) faulting produced shrinkage (pressure solution) of carbonate beds at the fault compressive tips; (3. shrink and step) the faults stepped laterally at the competent chert beds; (4. shatter) the chert beds were shattered along the fault surfaces. The case presented constitutes the first reported one of syn-thrusting non-diagenetic polygonal normal faults.
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Tectonophysics, 2015
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Tectonophysics, 2014
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Journal of Structural Geology, 2012
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Books by Lorenzo Petracchini
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Papers by Lorenzo Petracchini
The Italian National Research Council (CNR), recognizing the value of geothermal energy, has promoted the "Geothermal Atlas Project" in central and southern Italy. The purpose of the project is to update and to organize all the relevant data (i.e., geological, geophysical, geochemical, hydrogeological) in order to evaluate the favourability of the central-southern regions of Italy for the exploration of conventional and unconventional geothermal resources for electricity generation. Through this project, CNR aims to encourage the development of the geothermal resources and to facilitate investment in this energy sector.
This work, part of the Geothermal Atlas project, focuses on the northern Latium, which is an area characterized, together with
Tuscany, by the highest values of heat-flow in Italy and hence notably interesting for geothermal exploration. The work shows the first results of a review of geological, geophysical and hydrogeological data collected to define the geological structure of the northern Latium and to build up an updated 3D subsurface geological model. The revised structural setting and the 3D geological model of the area will be used in the further stages of the Atlas project to develop the favorability geothermal maps of the study area.
carbonate ramp deposits along the Majella NNW flank
(e.g. Orfento and S. Bartolomeo valleys), allow to
investigate facies changes both along and across the ramp
environment. Relationships among sedimentary structures
and depositional processes, among stratigraphic
architecture and syn/post-depositional tectonics are
investigated and discussed. Moreover, extensive well
known bitumen shows, found both along fractured zones
and in the rock matrix, are analysed and possible
controlling factors are discussed.
The main aim of this field trip is to show the geometrical
and spatial relationship of the lithostratigraphic units of
the Bolognano Fm and its structural setting and, secondly,
how these elements controlled the migration and trapping
of hydrocarbons in this formation.
The Bolognano Fm (from fundum Belonianum) is
dominated by a heterozoan skeletal carbonates, that were
deposited into a wide middle to outer carbonate ramp
depositional environment within the oligophotic to
aphotic zone, with reworked inner ramp material swept
from the shallowest zone and re-deposited into the middle
ramp environment. The sedimentological characters of
these heterozoan carbonates (dominated by grain
supported textures, low percentage of mud and silt
fraction, low percentage of aragonite grains) resulted in a
combination of petrophysical properties that make them
a good potential carbonate reservoir.
The outcrops and stops selected for this Field Trip are:
• Decontra - Orfento Valley;
• Panoramic view of Piano delle Cappelle and Costa
dell’Avignone;
• Dune fields of Piano delle Cappelle;
• Panoramic view of Fosso S. Angelo and Acquafredda
mines;
• Piano delle Cappelle fault;
• Acquafredda mines;
• Valle Romana Quarry
Books by Lorenzo Petracchini
The Italian National Research Council (CNR), recognizing the value of geothermal energy, has promoted the "Geothermal Atlas Project" in central and southern Italy. The purpose of the project is to update and to organize all the relevant data (i.e., geological, geophysical, geochemical, hydrogeological) in order to evaluate the favourability of the central-southern regions of Italy for the exploration of conventional and unconventional geothermal resources for electricity generation. Through this project, CNR aims to encourage the development of the geothermal resources and to facilitate investment in this energy sector.
This work, part of the Geothermal Atlas project, focuses on the northern Latium, which is an area characterized, together with
Tuscany, by the highest values of heat-flow in Italy and hence notably interesting for geothermal exploration. The work shows the first results of a review of geological, geophysical and hydrogeological data collected to define the geological structure of the northern Latium and to build up an updated 3D subsurface geological model. The revised structural setting and the 3D geological model of the area will be used in the further stages of the Atlas project to develop the favorability geothermal maps of the study area.
carbonate ramp deposits along the Majella NNW flank
(e.g. Orfento and S. Bartolomeo valleys), allow to
investigate facies changes both along and across the ramp
environment. Relationships among sedimentary structures
and depositional processes, among stratigraphic
architecture and syn/post-depositional tectonics are
investigated and discussed. Moreover, extensive well
known bitumen shows, found both along fractured zones
and in the rock matrix, are analysed and possible
controlling factors are discussed.
The main aim of this field trip is to show the geometrical
and spatial relationship of the lithostratigraphic units of
the Bolognano Fm and its structural setting and, secondly,
how these elements controlled the migration and trapping
of hydrocarbons in this formation.
The Bolognano Fm (from fundum Belonianum) is
dominated by a heterozoan skeletal carbonates, that were
deposited into a wide middle to outer carbonate ramp
depositional environment within the oligophotic to
aphotic zone, with reworked inner ramp material swept
from the shallowest zone and re-deposited into the middle
ramp environment. The sedimentological characters of
these heterozoan carbonates (dominated by grain
supported textures, low percentage of mud and silt
fraction, low percentage of aragonite grains) resulted in a
combination of petrophysical properties that make them
a good potential carbonate reservoir.
The outcrops and stops selected for this Field Trip are:
• Decontra - Orfento Valley;
• Panoramic view of Piano delle Cappelle and Costa
dell’Avignone;
• Dune fields of Piano delle Cappelle;
• Panoramic view of Fosso S. Angelo and Acquafredda
mines;
• Piano delle Cappelle fault;
• Acquafredda mines;
• Valle Romana Quarry