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Upper Cretaceous Chalks, Egypt

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Upper Cretaceous Chalks, Egypt Sedimentary Geology, 88 (1994) 193-200 193 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam The role of early lithification in development of chalky porosity in calcitic micrites: Upper Cretaceous chalks, Egypt Hanafy Holail *'a and Kyger C. Lohmann b a University of Qatar, Faculty of Science, Geology Department, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar b The University of Michigan, Department of Geological Sciences, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA Received September 1, 1992; revised version accepted April 8, 1993 ABSTRACT Petrological and geochemical examination of Upper Cretaceous chalks from the Abu Roash area and Bahariya Oasis (Egypt) provide insights into factors which control porosity development in fine-grained calcitic carbonates. Petrological studies indicate that primary skeletal fabrics of coccoliths and foraminifera in micrites of Abu Roash are well preserved. In contrast, primary skeletal fabrics of the Bahariya Oasis chalks are pervasively altered. Geochemical analysis of these chalks reveals a striking contrast in composition. The high porosity chalks at Bahariya Oasis have depleted isotopic values (~13C = -5.0%0, ~180 = -8.9%° PDB) and low concentrations of trace elements (Sr and Na). In contrast, the low porosity chalks at Abu Roash are less depleted in terms of their isotopic values (t~13C = 1.0%o, t~180 = - 4.0°~c) and possess elevated concentrations of Sr, Na, Fe and Zn. Importantly, fracture and collapse veins, present only at Abu Roash, are filled with calcite whose ~180 value is coincident with that of altered micrites at Bahariya Oasis. The lithic fragments cemented by this calcite, however, retain compositions identical to other lithified limestones at Abu Roash. Differences in fabric and chemistry of the pelagic marine micrites observed between Abu Roash and Bahariya Oasis reflect the degree of early lithification and compaction prior to exposure and meteoric diagenetic alteration associated with regional Late Cretaceous/pre-Eocene subaerial unconformity. I. Introduction chemical recrystallization from proceeding. Most notable of such settings is the Cretaceous chalk Previous studies (e.g. Wise, 1973; Schlanger sequence of the North Sea, Ekofisk field (Byrd, and Douglas, 1974; SchoIle, 1974, 1977) have 1975; Hancock and Scholle, 1975; Van der Bark demonstrated a systematic progression of micro- and Thomas, 1981; Feazel et al., 1985). The pat- fabric alteration of pelagic carbonate in response tern of porosity preservation in North Sea chalk to burial compaction and recrystallization pro- hydrocarbon reservoirs is a function of the com- cesses. Such changes in fabric reflect the mechan- position of the chalk, overpressuring history, and ical reduction of intergranular pore space, and the timing of hydrocarbon migration (Maliva and the chemical redistribution of carbonate from Dickson, 1992). Scholle (1974, 1977) has docu- more soluble phases to overgrowth cements. A mented a progressive alteration of chalk micro- significant exception to this orderly progression fabric in which recrystallization occurs without has been observed in overpressured sequences accompanying compaction. This process produces where mechanical reduction of porosity is inhib- a characteristic diagenetic microfabric marked by ited by hyperpressured fluids which prevent rhombic subcrystallites with high residual poros- ity (Hancock and Scholle, 1975; Scholle et al., 1983). While little geochemical data for chalks exhibiting such fabrics exist, this chalk microfab- ric is apparently diagnostic of burial recrystalliza- * Corresponding author. tion in overpressured sequences. 0037-0738/94/$07.00 © 1994 - Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved SSDI 0037-0738(93)E0065-N 194 H. HOLAIL AND K.C. LOHMANN The purpose of this study is to examine the petrofabric and geochemistry of Upper Creta- ceous chalks from northern Egypt to evaluate the environmental factors which alternatively either lead to the destruction, or local preservation, of porosity. Importantly, a wide spectrum of micro- fabrics is present in these chalks, ranging from well-indurated limestones in which nannofossil microstructure is preserved, to pervasively recrys- tallized chalks which possess extensive open in- tercrystalline porosity. In the context of the depo- sitional and burial history of this sequence, an overpressured origin for such microfabric is un- likely. Therefore, this study will propose an alter- native mechanism to generate regional variations in diagenesis of calcitic chalks. 2. Geologic setting Fig. 1. Location map showing the distribution of major car- Upper Cretaceous rocks in the Western Desert bonate rocks in Egypt, scale 1:10,000,000. After El-Hinnawi of Egypt are the most extensive of all Mesozoic and Loukina (1971). strata (Soliman and E1-Badry, 1970; Issawi, 1972). Lithologically, they consist of sandstone and shale of the Nubian Sandstone facies in the southern and Middle Eocene strata (Hume, 1911; Faris, part of the Western Desert. These terrigenous 1948; Said, 1962). clastic facies are progressively replaced by lime- The material studied consists of 60 samples stone basinward toward the north as depositional from the following two outcrop sequences encom- depths increase. This overall pattern of deposi- passing Maastrichtian chalks: (1) Bahariya Oasis tion prevailed until after the Turonian when re- which is located at the central plateau of the gression produced a regional unconformity be- Western Desert; and (2) Abu Roash, located at tween Turonian and Coniacian strata (Sestini, the northeastern corner of the Western Desert 1984). Following subsequent marine transgres- (Fig. 1). sion, open marine chalk deposition was estab- The chalk formation at the Bahariya Oasis is lished and persisted from Santonian through formed of snow-white beds exposed on the west- Maastrichtian time over large parts of northwest- ern side of the oasis as an escarpment. The water ern Egypt. The southern flank of the basin is depth at the time of deposition of these chalks characterized by relative shallowing, decreased was not more than 200 m (LeRoy, 1953; Said and stratigraphic thicknesses, and increased introduc- Kerdany, 1961; E1-Akkad and Issawi, 1963). How- tion of terrigenous clastics (Said, 1962; Bartov ever, the chalk formation at Abu Roash shows a and Steinitz, 1977). comparatively thick sequence of relatively deep Deposition of chalk was terminated by tectonic water facies dominated by planktonic foramini- deformation during Campanian to Maastrichtian fera. Osman (1955a, b) suggested a water depth time. This deformation, part of the Syrian Arc not less than 900 m for this sequence. However, system of folds, is reflected structurally as a gen- association of Thalassinoides burrow systems with tle anticlinal fold at Bahariya Oasis and as a the chalk at the top of the sequence (Maastrich- faulted anticlinal structure at Abu Roash. The tian) indicates shallow depositional depths of less tectonic activity is reflected, in these areas, by a than 900 m for that part of the section (Strougo widespread unconformity between Maastrichtian and Haggag, 1983). DEVELOPMENT OF CHALKY POROSITY IN CALCITIC MICRITES 195 3. Methods and results calcite matrix of poorly preserved skeletal compo- nents. In this case, primary depositional fabrics 3.1. Petrography are extensively altered. The matrix is highly po- rous and vuggy due to dissolution of the larger Sixty samples were examined and macroscopic skeletal components. Foraminiferal tests exhibit textures and microfabrics of Maastrichtian chalk extensive dissolution and are preserved by sparry compared at these two localities. The fabric anal- calcite infillings. ysis was performed on thin sections utilizing a Scanning electron micrographs reveal distinc- petrographic microscope and on fractured chips tive differences in microfabric and texture be- using a scanning electron microscope. Polished tween chalks of Abu Roash and Bahariya Oasis. thin sections were examined under cathodolumi- The Abu Roash chalks exhibit progressive diage- nescence. nesis in response to burial (Fig. 3). Chalks show The Abu Roash chalks can be classified as well-preserved coccoliths with extensive sec- wackestone with abundant well-preserved plank- ondary calcite overgrowths developed on both tonic foraminiferal tests and coarser bioclasts coccoliths and other carbonate grains. There is consisting of prismatic layers of Inoceramus. Al- non-uniform orientation of carbonate grains. though evidence of compaction is present in many Whole skeletons are occasionally intact but are samples, chalks at this locality are marked by usually disaggregated, producing plate or lath- overall preservation of primary depositional fab- shaped crystals. The combination of primary grain ric suggesting early lithification. Sparry calcite types within the Abu Roash chalk gives it a commonly infills unbroken foraminiferal tests. polymodal grain size distribution. Initial porosity Calcite veins, which have developed after lithi- within foraminiferal tests has been partially or fication with no preferential orientation, consti- completely filled by sparry low-magnesium calcite tute an important secondary feature in Abu Roash cement (Mapstone, 1975). This cement is be- chalks. Scholle (1974) suggested that the calcite lieved to be derived internally through solution veins present in many European chalks were transfer (e.g. Durney, 1972). However, the ab- formed by in-situ recrystallization along possible sence of Paleocene and Lower Eocene rocks and microfractures rather than by void filling of open the
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