Organic Geochemistry, Geochronology, and Paleogeography of Shale Deposits

A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Mineralogy and Biogeochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2024 | Viewed by 3119

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
UERJ, Faculdade de Geologia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Av. São Francisco Xavier, 24, sala 2020A, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro 20550-013, RJ, Brazil
Interests: stratigraphy; chemostratigraphy; depositional system; stable isotopes; organic geochemistry; biostratigraphy; atypical petroleum systems; unconventional reservoir

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Guest Editor
Chemostratigraphy and Organic Geochemistry Laboratory, Rio de Janeiro State University, São Francisco Xavier street, 524, 4◦floor - Maracana, Rio de Janeiro 20550-900, RJ, Brazil
Interests: shale geochemistry; organic geochemistry: lipid biomarkers; petroleum systems; unconventional; stable isotopes; paleoenvironmental interpretation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Shale deposits remain one of the most fascinating topics of study in sedimentary geology. These deposits have the potential to provide a huge amount of key information regarding the paleoenvironmental evolution at different scales (from molecular to seismic). The development of new analytical techniques allows the precise reconstruction of past aquatic environments through geochemical proxies while seismic attributes of shales support correlations at long distances enabling paleogeographic reconstructions. Furthermore, over the last decade, in addition to their fundamental role as the source rock in conventional petroleum systems, shale deposits became an important source of energy in the sense of unconventional deposits. Therefore, this Special Issue aims to embrace all the aspects associated with the shale deposits preserved along the geological record exploring relevant topics to the scientific community and the oil and gas industry. Topics include, but are not limited to: 

  • Shale geochemistry;
  • Paleogeography of shale deposits;
  • Anoxic events;
  • Source-rock geochemistry;
  • Machine-learning applied to the characterization of shale deposits;
  • Carbon capture and storage in shales.

Prof. Dr. Egberto Pereira
Dr. Lucas Pinto Heckert Bastos
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • shale geochemistry
  • paleogeography of shale deposits
  • anoxic events
  • source-rock geochemistry
  • machine-learning applied to the characterization of shale deposits
  • carbon capture and storage in shales

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 7836 KiB  
Article
Lake-Level-Fluctuation Control on Shale Oil Enrichment of the Salinized Lacustrine Organic-Rich Shale in the Paleogene Biyang Depression, East China
by Yu Song, Li Wan, Shilin Xu, Bo Gao, Chuang Li, Zhonghui Li and Paerhati Paerzhana
Minerals 2024, 14(1), 94; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14010094 - 14 Jan 2024
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Abstract
The paleolake level, which is controlled by the moisture balance (precipitation minus evaporation) within the lake basin, is a significant factor in determining the deposition of lacustrine organic-rich shale (LORS) across geological time, and hence influences shale oil enrichment. However, the impact of [...] Read more.
The paleolake level, which is controlled by the moisture balance (precipitation minus evaporation) within the lake basin, is a significant factor in determining the deposition of lacustrine organic-rich shale (LORS) across geological time, and hence influences shale oil enrichment. However, the impact of lake-level-fluctuations on shale oil enrichment of LORS is not well understood. Based on an integration of bulk geochemistry, organic petrography, pyrolysis gas chromatography, and element compositions, we address this issue using the Paleogene Biyang Depression in East China as an example. High lake levels, combined with anoxic–suboxic conditions, brackish–saline water, high productivity, and low detrital influx, are favorable for LORS deposition, which is characterized by a large distribution area and thickness, a high potential for oil generation and emplacement, and a high free shale oil content. In contrast, LORS deposited during low lake levels, with suboxic–dysoxic conditions, fresh–brackish water, low productivity, and high detrital influx, has a small distribution area and thickness, a low potential for oil generation and emplacement, and a low free shale oil content (a comparable maturity was present in all the studied LORS). Our data suggests that the elevated lake level led to higher salinity, stronger reduction conditions, higher productivity, and lower clastic inflow in the paleolake, forming LORS with higher shale oil potential. It has a positive effect on shale oil enrichment of LORS. The findings are also applicable to regional shale oil exploration. Full article
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17 pages, 9516 KiB  
Article
Multi-Proxies Analysis of Organic Matter Accumulation of the Late Ordovician–Early Silurian Black Shale in the Lower Yangtze Region, South China
by Chengcheng Zhang, Chaogang Fang, Qing Zhao, Guixi Meng, Daorong Zhou, Jianqing Li and Wei Shao
Minerals 2023, 13(3), 400; https://doi.org/10.3390/min13030400 - 14 Mar 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1793
Abstract
The evolutional process of palaeoceanic environment and its effect on the accumulation of organic matter during the Ordovician–Silurian transition in Lower Yangtze region has been overlooked compared to that in Upper Yangtze region of South China, although their paleogeographic settings were expected to [...] Read more.
The evolutional process of palaeoceanic environment and its effect on the accumulation of organic matter during the Ordovician–Silurian transition in Lower Yangtze region has been overlooked compared to that in Upper Yangtze region of South China, although their paleogeographic settings were expected to be discrepant. This paper documents the marine depositional environment, paleoclimate, and sediment supply changes, and discusses their roles in controlling the organic matter enrichment in sedimentary rocks within the Ordovician–Silurian transition of the Lower Yangtze region, using the latest geochemical data of the continuous drilling core. The stratigraphic framework of the Ordovician–Silurian transition in the Lower Yangtze region is composed of two third-order sequences, each of which can be subdivided into a lower TST (transgressive systems tract) and an upper RST (regressive systems tract). TST1 represented an evident depositional transition stage which was marked by the ending of the underlying carbonate sediments and the initiation of the terrigenous clastic-dominated sediments. Geochemical proxies indicate that the relatively low productivity, dysoxic water column condition, and high sediment supply flux collectively resulted in inadequate organic matter hosted in deposits of the TST1. During the depositional period of RST1, the global sea level declined due to the Hirnantian glaciation age. The icehouse also caused the decrease in overall river flux and, thus, the terrigenous clastic sediment supply. The icehouse also strengthened the upwelling that occurred in the Lower Yangtze sea. The upwelling boosted the marine algae explosion through the delivery of abundant nutrients, which not only enhanced paleoproductivity but also led to an anoxic environment by oxygen consumption. Such high paleoproductivity, anoxic water column environment, and low sediment supply flux caused the deposition of organic-rich shale. The sea level rose during the TST2 due to the ending of an ice age. The relatively large water depth and high paleoproductivity associated with volcanic eruptions are the main factors that caused the enrichment of organic matter during this stage. During the deposition of RTS2, the increase of sediment supply flux resulted in a decrease in accommodation space and water depth and the dilution of organic matter in deposits, which was the primary constraint of organic matter accumulation. Full article
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