Benthic foraminiferal zonation in deep-water carbonate platform margin environments, northern Little Bahama Bank

The utility of benthic foraminifera in bathymetric interpretation of clastic depositional environments is well established. In contrast, bathymetric distribution of benthic foraminifera in deep-water carbonate environments has been largely neglected. Approximately 260 species and morphotypes of benthic foraminifera were identified from 12 piston core tops and grab samples collected along two traverses 25 km apart across the northern windward margin of Little Bahama Bank at depths of 275-1,135 m. Certain species and operational taxonomic groups of benthic foraminifera correspond to major near-surface sedimentary facies of the windward margin of Little Bahama Bank and serve as reliable depth indicators. Globocassidulina subglobosa, Cibicides rugosus, and Cibicides wuellerstorfi are all reliable depth indicators, being most abundant at depths >1,000 m, and are found in lower slope periplatform aprons, which are primarily comprised of sediment gravity flows. Reef-dwelling peneroplids and soritids (suborder Miliolina) and rotaliines (suborder Rotaliina) are most abundant at depths <300 m, reflecting downslope bottom transport in proximity to bank-margin reefs. Small miliolines, rosalinids, and discorbids are abundant in periplatform ooze at depths <300 m and are winnowed from the carbonate platform. Increased variation in assemblage diversity below 900 m reflects mixing of shallow- and deep-water species by sediment gravity flows.

ABSTRACT The Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous carbonate succession exposed near Khatt provides exceptional conditions for the investigation of sedimentary facies and depositional geometries in a carbonate slope-to-platform-margin setting. A coarsening-upward sequence in Lower Cretaceous limestones indicates decreasing depth of deposition and platform progradation. A pronounced shedding of sediments containing reefal fragments occurs in a slope environment with a well exposed basin-to-platform transect. The carbonate succession consists of mudstone, wackestone, grainstone, coarse rudstone with conglomerate/breccia interbeds, and framestone at the top. The depositional architecture is characterized by the abundance of massive sheet- or channel-like limestone bodies within thinly bedded and generally uniform strata. Quantitative analysis of many carbonate channel deposits and their geometries measured in outcrop led to the distinction of two major types. Type I channel deposits are thin (0.3 to 5 m) but massive, and are commonly irregularly shaped in cross-section. They are as much as 200 m wide. Type I channel deposits are characterized by a wide size range of skeletal and non-skeletal carbonate components. Type II channel deposits, by contrast, are more regularly bedded and have much larger thickness-to-width ratios, in general close to 1:10. Furthermore, they are composed of packstone to grainstone calciturbidite sediments. As with some sheet deposits, they can be correlated through most of the 5.5-km-long Khatt outcrop. Stratigraphically, however, their occurrence is very much restricted, indicating significant alternation of depositional styles as a consequence of changing carbonate platform production and changing sedimentary environments. The data presented here can serve as input for 3-D geological modeling of equivalent depositional environments in the subsurface. They can also be applied to object-based deterministic and stochastic facies modeling.

NOTE: This article was published in a former series of GEUS Bulletin. Please use the original series name when citing this article, for example: Ineson, J. R., & Peel, J. S. (1997). Cambrian shelf stratigraphy of North Greenland. Geology of Greenland Survey Bulletin, 173, 1-120. https://doi.org/10.34194/ggub.v173.5024 _______________ The Lower Palaeozoic Franklinian Basin is extensively exposed in northern Greenland and the Canadian Arctic Islands. For much of the early Palaeozoic, the basin consisted of a southern shelf, bordering the craton, and a northern deep-water trough; the boundary between the shelf and the trough shifted southwards with time. In North Greenland, the evolution of the shelf during the Cambrian is recorded by the Skagen Group, the Portfjeld and Buen Formations and the Brønlund Fjord, Tavsens Iskappe and Ryder Gletscher Groups; the lithostratigraphy of these last three groups forms the main focus of this paper. The Skagen Group, a mixed carbonate-siliciclastic shelf succession of earliest Cambrian age was deposited prior to the development of a deep-water trough. The succeeding Portfjeld Formation represents an extensive shallow-water carbonate platform that covered much of the shelf; marked differentiation of the shelf and trough occurred at this time. Following exposure and karstification of this platform, the shelf was progressively transgressed and the siliciclastics of the Buen Formation were deposited. From the late Early Cambrian to the Early Ordovician, the shelf showed a terraced profile, with a flat-topped shallow-water carbonate platform in the south passing northwards via a carbonate slope apron into a deeper-water outer shelf region. The evolution of this platform and outer shelf system is recorded by the Brønlund Fjord, Tavsens Iskappe and Ryder Gletscher Groups. The dolomites, limestones and subordinate siliciclastics of the Brønlund Fjord and Tavsens Iskappe Groups represent platform margin to deep outer shelf environments. These groups are recognised in three discrete outcrop belts - the southern, northern and eastern outcrop belts. In the southern outcrop belt, from Warming Land to south-east Peary Land, the Brønlund Fjord Group (Lower-Middle Cambrian) is subdivided into eight formations while the Tavsens Iskappe Group (Middle Cambrian - lowermost Ordovician) comprises six formations. In the northern outcrop belt, from northern Nyeboe Land to north-west Peary Land, the Brønlund Fjord Group consists of two formations both defined in the southern outcrop belt, whereas a single formation makes up the Tavsens Iskappe Group. In the eastern outcrop area, a highly faulted terrane in north-east Peary Land, a dolomite-sandstone succession is referred to two formations of the Brønlund Fjord Group. The Ryder Gletscher Group is a thick succession of shallow-water, platform interior carbonates and siliciclastics that extends throughout North Greenland and ranges in age from latest Early Cambrian to Middle Ordovician. The Cambrian portion of this group between Warming Land and south-west Peary Land is formally subdivided into four formations.The Lower Palaeozoic Franklinian Basin is extensively exposed in northern Greenland and the Canadian Arctic Islands. For much of the early Palaeozoic, the basin consisted of a southern shelf, bordering the craton, and a northern deep-water trough; the boundary between the shelf and the trough shifted southwards with time. In North Greenland, the evolution of the shelf during the Cambrian is recorded by the Skagen Group, the Portfjeld and Buen Formations and the Brønlund Fjord, Tavsens Iskappe and Ryder Gletscher Groups; the lithostratigraphy of these last three groups forms the main focus of this paper. The Skagen Group, a mixed carbonate-siliciclastic shelf succession of earliest Cambrian age was deposited prior to the development of a deep-water trough. The succeeding Portfjeld Formation represents an extensive shallow-water carbonate platform that covered much of the shelf; marked differentiation of the shelf and trough occurred at this time. Following exposure and karstification of this platform, the shelf was progressively transgressed and the siliciclastics of the Buen Formation were deposited. From the late Early Cambrian to the Early Ordovician, the shelf showed a terraced profile, with a flat-topped shallow-water carbonate platform in the south passing northwards via a carbonate slope apron into a deeper-water outer shelf region. The evolution of this platform and outer shelf system is recorded by the Brønlund Fjord, Tavsens Iskappe and Ryder Gletscher Groups. The dolomites, limestones and subordinate siliciclastics of the Brønlund Fjord and Tavsens Iskappe Groups represent platform margin to deep outer shelf environments. These groups are recognised in three discrete outcrop belts - the southern, northern and eastern outcrop belts. In the southern outcrop belt, from Warming Land to south-east Peary Land, the Brønlund Fjord Group (Lower-Middle Cambrian) is subdivided into eight formations while the Tavsens Iskappe Group (Middle Cambrian - lowermost Ordovician) comprises six formations. In the northern outcrop belt, from northern Nyeboe Land to north-west Peary Land, the Brønlund Fjord Group consists of two formations both defined in the southern outcrop belt, whereas a single formation makes up the Tavsens Iskappe Group. In the eastern outcrop area, a highly faulted terrane in north-east Peary Land, a dolomite-sandstone succession is referred to two formations of the Brønlund Fjord Group. The Ryder Gletscher Group is a thick succession of shallow-water, platform interior carbonates and siliciclastics that extends throughout North Greenland and ranges in age from latest Early Cambrian to Middle Ordovician. The Cambrian portion of this group between Warming Land and south-west Peary Land is formally subdivided into four formations.

The Cenomanian to early Santonian interval is usually considered a time of postrifting tectonic quiescence around the northern margins of Iberia that preceded the onset of the Pyrenean convergence by crustal thrusting in the latest Santonian. However, plate kinematic models of the Mesozoic evolution of Iberia poorly constrain the Turonian-Santonian position of Iberia relative to Eurasia. This study reconstructs changes in the sedimentary facies and architecture of the Iberian carbonate platform throughout the Late Cretaceous and sheds new light on the geodynamic evolution of the Iberia-Eurasia relationship at that time. Sixteen outcrop sections were described and 24 sedimentary facies identified that define 5 depositional environments ranging from the basin to the continental setting. From these and previously published field data we reconstruct the evolution of the Pyrenean carbonate platform, on an east-west transect nearly 400 km long, on the basis of 11 short-term depositional sequences and 5 long-term systems tracts. In our interpretation, the Cenomanian and Turonian correspond to a postrift stage during which the European and Iberian margins, together with the deep basin between them, subside gently, as shown by accommodation rates varying from ~15 to 30 m/My in the margins and ~100 to 150 m/My in the basin. The Coniacian and early Santonian are characterized by a large-scale flexural response consisting of (1) uplift of the southern Iberian margin, with negative accommodation rates, karstified surfaces and paleosols, and (2) increasing subsidence rates in the basin and its edges (the northern Iberian margin and eastern Aquitaine platform), with accommodation rates several times greater than during the Turonian. We propose that far-field stress associated with slight northward motion of the Iberia plate led to the incipient large-scale flexural deformation in the Pyrenean domain. The late Santonian and Campanian are an early orogenic stage marked by rapid subsidence throughout the Pyrenean domain, except at its western end. We argue that the initiation of the Pyrenean convergence, usually considered to occur during the latest Santonian, occurred in the Coniacian.

Abstract — The Mauléon basin, in the northwestern Pyrenean belt, is related to Early Cretaceous rifting and continental breakup. Here we review the evolution of depositional environments in the hyperextended Mauléon rift basin during Albian and Cenomanian time. This review includes the lithostratigraphy, regional distribution, boundaries, age and facies sedimentology of the basin’s syn-rift formations and their members. We construct paleogeographic maps to elucidate (1) the 3D distribution of sedimentary facies and depositional environments during the Albian and Cenomanian from the Iberian proximal margin to the hyperextended domain and (2) the link between major extensional structures and sedimentation during rifting and continental breakup. The Mauléon rift was supplied during most of the Albian by sediments from the Iberian proximal margin. The southern margin had a steep and abrupt topographic boundary related to a northward crustal rollover along the south-dipping Saint-Palais detachment. This feature controlled the deposition of base-of-slope conglomerates at the base of the margin that abruptly gave way to low-density turbidites, then hemipelagic deposits in the hyperextended domain. During latest Albian to Early Cenomanian time, continental breakup occurred in the eastern Mauléon basin and the vergence of the detachment systems reversed. Minor debris-flow deposits formed at the foot of fault scarps associated with the newly formed north-dipping detachments. Elsewhere, sediment from deltaic systems to the west in the Saint-Jean-de-Luz area deposited low-density turbidites in the hyperextended domain. During the post-rift stage, the flux of coarse sediment from the detachment footwall gradually declined as deformation waned, and low-density turbidites expanded onto the hyperextended domain from the European Late Cretaceous carbonate platform. These paleogeographic reconstructions, in addition to offering a synthetic view of the evolution of sedimentary environments during rifting, offer new insight into the post-rifting exhumation of the lower crust and mantle.

In order to clarify the sedimentary development law under the Cambrian Ordovician regional stratigraphic framework in Tadong area, and lay a theoretical foundation for further oil and gas exploration in the study area. The distribution, characteristics and evolution of main sedimentary facies belts of Cambrian Ordovician are studied by means of drilling core observation, cast thin section identification, logging curve feature analysis, seismic profile and well connection profile. The results show that the Cambrian middle lower Ordovician in Tadong area is equivalent to a second-order sequence and can be further divided into 12 thirdorder sequences. Each third-order sequence is mainly composed of transgressive and highstand tracts. Carbonate platform margin beach facies and Reef (mound) beach complex facies are favorable reservoir development facies belts in this area; Under the regional stratigraphic framework, three types of sedimentary facies can be identified in Cambrian Ordovician, and a total of 10 subfacies are developed; The evolution of sedimentary facies is mainly controlled by the rise and fall of sea level, which is characterized by the migration of platform margin facies and the change of platform facies.

AbstractThe up to 450 m-thick Upper Jurassic Lemeš Formation includes organic-rich deep-water (max. ~ 300 m) sedimentary rocks deposited in the Lemeš Basin within the Adriatic Carbonate Platform (AdCP). The Lemeš Formation was investigated regarding (1) bio- and chemostratigraphy, (2) depositional environment, and (3) source rock potential. A multi-proxy approach—microfacies, Rock–Eval pyrolysis, maceral analysis, biomarkers, and stable isotope ratios—was used. Based on the results, the Lemeš Formation is subdivided from base to top into Lemeš Units 1–3. Deposition of deep-water sediments was related to a late Oxfordian deepening event causing open-marine conditions and accumulation of radiolarian-rich wackestones (Unit 1). Unit 2, which is about 50 m thick and Lower early Kimmeridgian (E. bimammatum to S. platynota, ammonite zones) in age, was deposited in a restricted, strongly oxygen-depleted basin. It consists of radiolarian pack- and grainstones with high amounts of kerogen type II-S organic matter (avg. TOC 3.57 wt.%). Although the biomass is predominantly marine algal and bacterial in origin, minor terrestrial organic matter that was transported from nearby land areas is also present. The overlying Unit 3 records a shallowing of the basin and a return to oxygenated conditions. The evolution of the Lemeš Basin is explained by buckling of the AdCP due to ophiolite obduction and compressional tectonics in the Inner Dinarides. Lemeš Unit 2 contains prolific oil-prone source rocks. Though thermally immature at the study location, these rocks could generate about 1.3 t of hydrocarbon per m2 surface area when mature.

AbstractThe present study investigates the reservoir characteristics of the Mount Messenger Formation of Kaimiro-Ngatoro Field which was deposited in deep-water environment. A 3D seismic dataset, core data and well data from the Kaimiro-Ngatoro Field were utilized to identify lithofacies, sedimentary structures, stratigraphic units, depositional environments and to construct 3D geological models. Five different lithologies of sandstone, sandy siltstone, siltstone, claystone and mudstone are identified from core photographs, and also Bouma sequence divisions are also observed. Based on log character Mount Messenger Formation is divided into two stratigraphic units slope fans and basin floor fans; core analysis suggests that basin floor fans show better reservoir qualities compared to slope fan deposits. Seismic interpretation indicates 2 horizons and 11 faults, majority of faults have throw less than 10 m, and most of the faults have high angle dips of 70–80°. The Kaimiro and Ngatoro Fields are separated by a major Inglewood fault. Variance attribute helped to interpret faults, and other seismic attributes such as root-mean-square amplitude, envelope and generalized spectral decomposition also helped to detect hydrocarbons. The lithofacies model was constructed by using sequential simulation indicator algorithm, and the petrophysical models were constructed using sequential Gaussian simulation algorithm. The petrophysical parameters determined from the models comprised of  up to ≥ 25% porosity, permeability up to around 600mD, hydrocarbon saturation up to 60%, net to gross varies from 0 to 100%, majority of shale volumes are around 15–20%, the study interval mostly consists of macropores with some megapores and 4 hydraulic flow units. This study best characterizes the deep-water turbidite reservoir in New Zealand.

Current paleogeographic reconstructions extend Late Ordovician Taconic-derived siliciclastics across the central Canadian craton prior to the terminal Ordovician glacioeustatic lowstand. Revision of the Late Ordovician Dawson Point Formation of the Timiskaming outlier greatly reduces the distribution of these siliciclastics, and documents a greater spread of shallow-water carbonate of Richmondian age. As revised, the Dawson Point Formation contains two informal members: a deep-water graptolitic shale that grades upward into shallow-water siliciclastic redbeds, and an upper member of shallow-water, muddy, crinoidal limestone with interbedded shale, likely representing low-energy shoals on a muddy shelf. Deep-water shale accumulation began in the upper manitoulinensis graptolite Zone following foundering of the regional foreland carbonate platform. Basin development documents a northward-younging (~1 million years) from southern Ontario foreland basins, in keeping with regional tectonic-driven transgression along eastern North America. The shale-to-carbonate succession of the Dawson Point Formation correlates with the Georgian Bay Formation on Manitoulin Island, wherein the upper carbonate-dominated divisions of both formations are equivalent to the siliciclastic Queenston Formation of southern Ontario. In absence of additional biostratigraphic information, the upper member of the Dawson Point Formation is likely Richmondian (or late Ashgillian) in age. The revised Late Ordovician history of the Timiskaming outlier may identify a once significant volume of shallow-water carbonate across the central Canadian craton, with related sequestration of carbon dioxide possibly aiding global cooling. Erosion of the carbonate, driven by developing glacioeustatic lowstand conditions, was likely contemporaneous with early Hirnantian peritidal deposition of the uppermost Queenston Formation in southern Ontario.