The relationship between dolomite textures and their formation temperature: a case study from the Permian-Triassic of the Sichuan Basin and the Lower Paleozoic of the Tarim Basin

Study of dolomite texture can contribute to understanding the process of dolomitization.This research reports textures and homogenization temperatures of dolomites from the Permian-Triassic strata in the Sichuan Basin and the Lower Paleozoic strata in the Tarim Basin,which provided insights into relationships between dolomite textures and their formation temperatures.Our results are summarized as follows：1） dolomites with well-preserved texture indicate low dolomitization temperature.However,in certain diagenetic environments,the hydrothermal dolomitization may completely or partially preserve the original texture of dolomites.2） The formation temperatures of non-planar dolomites are always higher than those of planar dolomites.3） The formation temperatures of dolomite cements are generally higher than those of replacive dolomites.4） Although the formation temperatures of saddle dolomite cements have a wide range,they show higher values than those of the planar subhedral to euhedral dolomite cements.Thus,saddle dolomites could generally be an indicator of high precipitation temperature.5） The fluid Mg/Ca ratio is another element controlling dolomite morphology.Micritic dolomites,which precipitate from hypersaline fluids with a high Mg/Ca ratio in a subaerial environment could also have features of non-planar anhedral crystal shape because of rapid nucleation and crystallization during dolomitization.

The Original Organism Assemblages and Kerogen Carbon Isotopic Compositions of the Early Paleozoic Source Rocks in the Tarim Basin, China

Original organisms are the biological precursors of organic matter in source rocks. Original organisms in source rocks are informative for oil-source rock correlation and hydrocarbon potential evaluation, especially for source rocks which have high-over level of thermal maturity. Systematic identification of original organism assemblages of the Lower Paleozoic potential source rocks and detailed carbon isotopic composition of kerogen analyses were conducted for four outcrop sections in the Tarim basin. Results indicated that the original organism assemblages of the lower part of the Lower Cambrian were composed mainly of benthic algae, whereas those of the Upper Cambrian and the Ordovician were characterized by planktonic algae. Kerogen carbon isotopic data demonstrated that the δ13 Ckerogen values of source rocks dominated by benthic algae are lower than-34‰, whereas the δ13 Ckerogen values of source rocks dominated by planktonic algae are higher than-30‰ in general. We tentatively suggested that the carbon species those are utilized by algae and the carbon isotopic fractionation during photosynthesis are the major controls for the δ13 Ckerogen values in the Lower Paleozoic source rocks in the Tarim basin. Correlating the δ13 C values of oils exploited in the Tarim basin, the original organism assemblages, and δ13 Ckerogen values of source rocks, it implied that the Lower Paleozoic oils exploited in the Tarim basin should be sourced from the source rocks with original organism assemblages dominated by planktonic algae, and the hydrocarbon sourced from the Cambrian benthic algae should be of great exploration potential in future. Original organism assemblages in source rocks can provide important clues for oil-source rocks correlation, especially for the source rocks with high thermal maturity.