Paleoenvironment and Organic Matter Accumulation Mechanism of Marine–Continental Transitional Shales: Outcrop Characterizations of the Carboniferous–Permian Strata, Ordos Basin, North China

Leifu Zhang, Qun Zhao, Sizhong Peng, Zhen Qiu, Congjun Feng, Qin Zhang, Yuman Wang, Dazhong Dong and Shangwen Zhou
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Leifu Zhang: Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), Beijing 100083, China
Qun Zhao: Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), Beijing 100083, China
Sizhong Peng: Department of Geology, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069, China
Zhen Qiu: Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), Beijing 100083, China
Congjun Feng: Department of Geology, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069, China
Qin Zhang: Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), Beijing 100083, China
Yuman Wang: Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), Beijing 100083, China
Dazhong Dong: Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), Beijing 100083, China
Shangwen Zhou: Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), Beijing 100083, China

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 21, 1-19

Abstract: In the Carboniferous–Permian period, several organic-rich black shales were deposited in a marine–continental transitional environment in the Linfen area on the eastern margin of the Ordos Basin. Integrated sedimentological and organic geochemical analyses are performed on an outcrop in order to clarify the relationship between paleoenvironment and organic matter accumulation. The results of this study show that the marine–continental transitional strata of the Upper Carboniferous Benxi Formation to Lower Permian Taiyuan and Shanxi Formation exposed in the Linfen area are composed of sandstone, shale, coal, and limestone. Total organic carbon (TOC) contents of the studied samples were mainly distributed in the range of 0.59%–35.4%, with an average of 7.32%. From Benxi Formation to Shanxi formation, the humidity gradually increased, and the climate gradually changed from hot and humid to warm and humid during Carboniferous to Permian. The deposition of the Shanxi Formation ended with the climate returning to hot and humid, having an oxic-suboxic conditions and a high paleoproductivity. Paleoredox conditions and paleoproductivity are the two vital factors controlling the formation of organic matter in black shales. The transitional environment characterized by oxic-suboxic, relatively high deposition rate, and various source of organic matter, although different from the marine environment, provides a good material basis for the deposition of organic-rich shales.

Keywords: marine–continental transitional facies; geochemical characterization; organic matter accumulation; eastern Ordos Basin (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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