--> ABSTRACT: Utility of Sandstone Diagenetic Modeling for Basin History Assessment, by R. H. Lander, V. Felt, L. Bonnell, and O. Walderhaug; #91021 (2010)

Datapages, Inc.Print this page

Utility of Sandstone Diagenetic Modeling for Basin History Assessment

LANDER, R. H.,  V. FELT, L. BONNELL, and O. WALDERHAUG

Sandstone diagenetic properties can provide valuable constraints on thermal and fluid pressure histories, particularly when combined with other thermal indicators. Sandstone properties indicative of burial history include intergranular volume (IGV) and quartz cement abundance. In this study we evaluated the utility of the compaction and quartz cementation algorithms of the Exemplar diagenetic model for basin history assessment.

To test the modeling approach we simulated IGV and quartz cement abundance for three sandstones with relatively well known but widely differing burial histories. The modeled sandstones include a Miocene sample from the Gulf of Mexico that experienced early fluid overpressure development, a Jurassic sample from the North Sea that developed fluid overpressures late in its burial history, and a Cambrian sample from the Baltic region that was never deeply buried or overpressured. Identical parameter values were used for the compaction and quartz cementation algorithms and modeled predictions for the samples agree to within 4 percent of measurements.

To illustrate the utility of using diagenetic indicators in areas with poorly known burial histories, we applied it together with organic thermal indicators to regions with complex erosional histories. In the Nordland VI area of the Norwegian Shelf for example stratal geometries indicate the existence of at least four erosional events during the Tertiary and Quaternary. While the final Plio-Pleistocene erosional event was clearly a major one, the magnitude of the older uplift events is less obvious. Models show that organic paleothermometers such as vitrinite reflectance and sterane/hopane isomerization are sensitive to maximum paleotemperature. The organic thermal indicators are, however, comparatively insensitive to the timing of erosion and cannot be used to determine the relative magnitude of pre Plio-Pleistocene erosional events. By contrast quartz cementation is much more sensitive to time and, when used in concert with organic paleothermometers, indicates the occurrence of at least one major erosional event (e.g., > 800 m) during the Tertiary.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91021©1997 AAPG Annual Convention, Dallas, Texas.