Upper Carboniferous stratigraphy of the West Midlands (UK) revised in the light of borehole geophysical logs and detrital compositional suites

Besly, B. M.; Cleal, Christopher J.

doi:10.1002/(sici)1099-1034(199706)32:2<85::aid-gj732>3.0.co;2-o

Cited by 27 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 15 publications

(14 reference statements)

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“…However, the grey-to-red transition cannot be regarded as a consistent regional marker horizon because variations occur as a result of the NWadvancing Variscan orogenic front and related regional differences in timing of uplift and erosion, as has been shown for the Lower Saxony Basin (David, 1990). Regional differences in the occurrence of the grey-red boundary have also been found in the Midlands of England (Besly and Cleal, 1997).…”

Section: Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 82%

Reservoir Quality Evolution of Upper Carboniferous (Westphalian) Tight Gas Sandstones, Lower Saxony Basin, Nw Germany

Becker

Busch

Koehrer³

et al. 2019

Journal of Petroleum Geology

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This paper investigates reservoir quality development in tight Upper Carboniferous fluvial sandstones (Westphalian C/D) in the Lower Saxony Basin, NW Germany. The study integrates data from three outcrops (Piesberg, Woitzel and Hüggel) in the south of the basin with that from two wells (Wells A and B) located at gas fields approximately 50 km to the north. Petrographic and petrophysical data are related to the diagenetic evolution of the sandstones and the burial and structural history of the Lower Saxony Basin. The outcrop and subsurface data sets are compared in order to investigate the factors controlling reservoir quality evolution. Upper Carboniferous fluvial sandstones from the Woitzel and Hüggel outcrops and from Wells A and B have similar matrix permeabilities (0.01 to 10 mD), but matrix porosities vary between Well A (average 6%), Well B (average 10%), Woitzel (average 15%), and Hüggel (average 19%). Permeability reduction during burial is related to the formation of clay mineral cement, which was mainly controlled by variations in both the palaeo‐climate and in the sandstones’ depositional composition. Matrix porosity was controlled by local differences in burial history related to basin inversion tectonics. The greater amount of inversion‐related uplift at Well B (about 2.8 km) resulted in lower thermal exposure of the Westphalian sandstones at this location, which thus show higher matrix porosities than the sandstones at Well A which were uplifted by only about 1.2 km. Further increases in porosity in the outcrop sandstones may be related to the dissolution of carbonate cement during late‐stage uplift in near‐surface conditions. Upper Carboniferous fluvial sandstones from the Piesberg quarry show the poorest reservoir characteristics compared to the samples from the subsurface and the other outcrops, with matrix porosities averaging 6% and permeabilities <0.01 mD. Reservoir quality reduction was controlled by thermal anomalies associated with a large fault at the Piesberg quarry. By contrast, a few outliers in the sample data sets from Well B and the Piesberg quarry, which have permeabilities of more than 100 mD, show that faulting or natural fracturing may enhance reservoir quality within a particular area. Faults/fractures may act as potential migration pathways for leaching fluids, or may provide fracture‐permeability systems with production potential. Depositional setting, burial‐related diagenetic processes and structural characteristics in the Lower Saxony Basin need to be carefully evaluated in order to provide an improved understanding of the reservoir quality of the Upper Carboniferous sandstones.

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Section: Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 82%

Reservoir Quality Evolution of Upper Carboniferous (Westphalian) Tight Gas Sandstones, Lower Saxony Basin, Nw Germany

Becker

Busch

Koehrer³

et al. 2019

Journal of Petroleum Geology

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“…Reaching a thickness of 100–247 m (Powell et al, 2000) in the West Midlands, the Enville Member has been proposed to be of Westphalian D to Stephanian age within regional European stratigraphy (Waters, Glover & Powell, 1994; Glover & Powell, 1996; Johnson, Glover & Turner, 1997; Besly & Cleal, 1997; Powell et al, 2000), which correlates to the late Moscovian to Kasimovian of the global Carboniferous stratigraphy (Gradstein, Ogg & Schmitz, 2012). The Enville Member is the upper of the two members of the Salop Formation, the other being the Alveley Member (formerly Keele Formation), the source of the Alveley track assemblage (Haubold & Sarjeant, 1973; Haubold & Sarjeant, 1974; Tucker & Smith, 2004).…”

Section: Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hardaker used the similarities between the Hamstead and German footprints to argue for a lower Permian age for the beds exposed at Hamstead; however, subsequent stratigraphic work has assigned the Hamstead deposits to the Enville Member of the Salop Formation. The Salop Formation is dated as late Carboniferous on the basis of macrofloral remains (Besly & Cleal, 1997). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A revision of tetrapod footprints from the late Carboniferous of the West Midlands, UK

Meade¹,

Jones²,

Butler³

2016

PeerJ

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A series of sandstone slabs from Hamstead, Birmingham (West Midlands, UK), preserve an assemblage of tetrapod trackways and individual tracks from the Enville Member of the Salop Formation (late Carboniferous: late Moscovian–Kasimovian). This material has received limited previous study, despite being one of the few British sites to preserve Carboniferous tetrapod footprints. Here, we restudy and revise the taxonomy of this material, and document it using 3D models produced using photogrammetry. The assemblage is dominated by large tracks assigned to Limnopus isp., which were made by early amphibians (temnospondyls). A number of similar but smaller tracks are assigned to Batrachichnus salamandroides (also made by temnospondyls). Dimetropus leisnerianus (made by early synapsids) and Dromopus lacertoides (made by lizard-like sauropsids such as araeoscelids) are also present. This ichnofauna contrasts with a slightly stratigraphically older, more extensive and better-studied assemblage from Alveley (Shropshire), which is dominated by small amphibians with relatively rare reptiliomorphs, but which lacks Dromopus tracks. The presence of Dromopus lacertoides at Hamstead is consistent with the trend towards increasing aridity through the late Carboniferous. It is possible that the assemblage is the stratigraphically oldest occurrence of this important amniote ichnotaxon.

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“…Canadian Maritimes: Pictou Formation, New Brunswick (Bell 1962); upper Sydney Mines Formation, Sydney Coalfield, Cape Breton (Bell 1938;Zodrow & McCandlish 1980;Zodrow 1986). United Kingdom: Grovesend Formation, Somerset Coalfield (Kidston 1924;Thomas & Cleal 1994;Cleal 1997;Pendleton et al 2012); Forest of Dean and associated coalfields (Arber 1912;Wagner & Spinner 1972;Cleal 1986Cleal , 1987; upper Pennant Formation and Grovesend Formation, South Wales (Cleal 1978(Cleal , 1997(Cleal , 2007; Halesowen Formation, central England (Besly & Cleal 1997;Cleal 2005Cleal , 2008. Germany: Asturian Substage, boreholes in northern Germany (Josten & van Amerom 1999).…”

Section: Systematic Palaeontologymentioning

confidence: 99%

A revision of the Pennsylvanian marattialean fernLobatopteris vestita auct. and related species

Wittry

Glasspool

Béthoux

et al. 2014

Journal of Systematic Palaeontology

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Upper Carboniferous stratigraphy of the West Midlands (UK) revised in the light of borehole geophysical logs and detrital compositional suites

Cited by 27 publications

References 15 publications

Reservoir Quality Evolution of Upper Carboniferous (Westphalian) Tight Gas Sandstones, Lower Saxony Basin, Nw Germany

Reservoir Quality Evolution of Upper Carboniferous (Westphalian) Tight Gas Sandstones, Lower Saxony Basin, Nw Germany

A revision of tetrapod footprints from the late Carboniferous of the West Midlands, UK

A revision of the Pennsylvanian marattialean fernLobatopteris vestita auct. and related species

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