HOWER, JAMES C., and GARRY D. WILD, University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research, Lexington, KY

ABSTRACT: Petrology of Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) Coals, Atlantic Continental Shelf, New Jersey

Ten coals of Kimmeridgian age were recovered from the COST B-3 borehole, offshore New Jersey. Separation of the coal from other cuttings was done at 1.8 specific gravity, meaning that partings and mineral-rich lithotypes were lost in processing.

The coals are distributed over an interval of 3.49 to 3.93 km depth. Coal rank, by vitrinite maximum reflectance, spans the lower portion of the high volatile A bituminous range. A single Cretaceous coal with 0.32%Rmax occurs at 2.08 km depth.

Vitrinite content ranges from 51 to over 90%, with vitrinite content generally increasing upward in the section. Telinite with resinite cell fillings is an important vitrinite form. Resinite occurs in concentrations of up to 9% in the Jurassic coals and is nearly 12% in the Cretaceous lignite. Fusinite plus semifusinite ranges from 2 to 31%. Inertinite occurs in a wide variety of forms from low-reflectance semifusinite to massive, structureless fusinite. Inertodetrinite also is a component of the abundant detrital bands of some of the Jurassic coals. The gravity separation did not eliminate all mineral matter. Massive pyrite and marcasite occur in several coals and clay occurs with the detrital minerals.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90995©1993 AAPG Eastern Section Meeting, Williamsburg, Virginia, September 19-21, 1993.