Summary
The spatial and temporal distribution of diagenetic alterations in siliciclastic sequences is controlled by a complex array of interrelated parameters that prevail during eodiagenesis, mesodiagenesis and telodiagenesis. The spatial distribution of near‐surface eogenetic alteration is controlled by depositional facies, climate, detrital composition and relative changes in sea‐level. The most important eogenetic alterations in continental sediments include silicate dissolution and the formation of kaolinite, smectite, calcrete and dolocrete. In marine and transitional sediments, eogenetic alterations include the precipitation of carbonate, opal, microquartz, Fe‐silicates (glaucony, berthierine and nontronite), sulphides and zeolite. The eogenetic evolution of marine and transitional sediments can probably be developed within a predictable sequence stratigraphic context. Mesodiagenesis is strongly influenced by the induced eogenetic alterations, as well as by temperature, pressure and the composition of basinal brines. The residence time of sedimentary sequences under certain burial conditions is of key importance in determining the timing, extent and patterns of diagenetic modifications induced. The most important mesogenetic alterations include feldspar albitization, illitization and chloritization of smectite and kaolinite, dickitization of kaolinite, chemical compaction as well as quartz and carbonate cementation. Various aspects of deep‐burial mesodiagenesis are still poorly understood, such as: (i) whether reactions are accomplished by active fluid flow or by diffusion; (ii) the pattern and extent of mass transfer between mudrocks and sandstones; (iii) the role of hydrocarbon emplacement on sandstone diagenesis; and (iv) the importance and origin of fluids involved in the formation of secondary inter‐ and intragranular porosity during mesodiagenesis. Uplift and incursion of meteoric waters induce telogenetic alterations that include kaolinitization and carbonate‐cement dissolution down to depths of tens to a few hundred metres below the surface.
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Linking siliciclastic diagenesis to sequence stratigraphy allows a better understanding of the parameters controlling the spatial and temporal distribution of diagenetic alterations, and hence of reservoir quality. A study of the coal‐bearing, alluvial, deltaic, estuarine and shallow‐marine sandstones of the Rio Bonito Formation, early Permian, Paraná Basin (southern Brazil), reveals that the distribution of diagenetic alterations and of related reservoir quality evolution can be constrained within a sequence stratigraphic framework. Calcite, dolomite, siderite, kaolinite and pyrite cementation is consistently linked to sequence and parasequence boundaries, transgressive and maximum flooding surfaces and is systematically distributed within lowstand, transgressive and highstand systems tracts. Diagenesis of coal layers at parasequence boundaries has promoted the formation of stratabound calcite (detectable in resistivity wire line logs), concretionary pyrite and kaolinite and of silicate grain dissolution in sandstones located above and below these boundaries, particularly in the transgressive systems tract. Meteoric water diagenesis caused grain dissolution and the formation of kaolinite in sandstones below sequence boundaries and in lowstand systems tract sandstones. Carbonate bioclasts and low sedimentation rates in lag deposits at parasequence boundaries, transgressive and maximum flooding surfaces favoured the formation of grain‐rimming siderite. The results of this study are relevant to the exploration of coal‐bed methane and other coal‐bearing reservoirs, where it is crucial to unravel and predict the distribution and quality of reservoirs and compartments.
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