Deciphering relationships between the Nicobar and Bengal submarine fans, Indian Ocean

The Nicobar Fan and Bengal fans can be considered as the eastern and western parts, respectively, of the largest submarine-fan system in the world. This study presents the integrated results of petrographic and provenance studies from the Nicobar Fan and evaluates these in the context of controls on sedimentation. Both fans were predominantly supplied by Himalaya-derived material from the main tectono-stratigraphic sequences as well as the Gangdese arc. A lack of volcanic material in the Nicobar Fan rules out sources from the Sumatra magmatic arc. Overall, the petrographic data shows a progressive decrease in sedimentary detritus and corresponding increase of higher-grade metamorphic detritus up-section. Changes in sediment provenance and exhumation rates in the Himalaya are seen to track changes in sediment accumulation rates. High sediment accumulation rates in the Bengal Fan occurred at ∼13.5–8.3 Ma, and in the Nicobar Fan from ∼9.5–5 Ma. Both fans show peak accumulation rates at 9.5–8.3 Ma (but with the Nicobar Fan being about twice as high), and both record a sharp drop from ∼5.5–5.2 Ma, that coincided with a change in river drainage associated with the Brahmaputra River diverting west of the uplifting Shillong Plateau. At ∼5 Ma, the Nicobar Fan was supplied by an eastern drainage route that finally closed at ∼2 Ma, when sediment accumulation rates in the Nicobar Fan significantly decreased. Sediment provenance record these changes in routing whereby Bengal Fan deposits include granitoid sources from the Namche Barwa massif in the eastern syntaxis that are not seen in the Nicobar Fan, likely due to a more localised eastern drainage that included material from the Indo-Burman wedge. Prior to ∼3 Ma, source exhumation rates were rapid and constant, and the short lag-time rules out significant intermediate storage and mixing. In terms of climate versus tectonic controls, tectonically driven changes in the river network have had most influence on fan sedimentation

Factors controlling reservoir quality in tertiary sandstones and their significance to geopressured geothermal production. Annual report, May 1, 1979-May 31, 1980

Differing extents of diagenetic modification is the factor primarily responsible for contrasting regional reservoir quality of Tertiary sandstones from the Upper and Lower Texas Gulf Coast. Detailed comparison of Frio sandstones from the Chocolate Bayou/Danbury Dome area, Brazoria County, and Vicksburg sandstones from the McAllen Ranch Field area, Hidalgo County, reveals that extent of diagenetic modification is most strongly influenced by (1) detrital mineralogy and (2) regional geothermal gradients. Vicksburg sandstones from the McAllen Ranch Field area are less stable, chemically and mechanically, than Frio sandstones from the Chocolate Bayou/Danbury dome area. Vicksburg sandstones are mineralogically immature and contain greater proportions of feldspars and rock fragments than do Frio sandstones. Thr reactive detrital assemblage of Vicksubrg sandstones is highly susceptible to diagenetic modification. Susceptibility is enhanced by higher than normal geothermal gradients in the McAllen Ranch Field area. Thus, consolidation of Vicksburg sandstones began at shallower depth of burial and precipitation of authigenic phases (especially calcite) was more pervasive than in Frio sandstones. Moreover, the late-stage episode of ferroan calcite precipitation that occluded most secondary porosity in Vicksburg sandstones did not occur significantly in Frio sandstones. Therefore, regional reservoir quality of Frio sandstones from Brazoria County is far better than that characterizing Vicksburg sandstones from Hidalgo County, especially at depths suitable for geopressured geothermal energy production

Using presence of calcite cap rock in shales to predict occurrence of reservoirs composed of leached secondary porosity in the geopressured zone. Annual report, June 1, 1980-October 31, 1980

The distribution of high-resistivity shale in the Frio Formation between hydropressured and geopressured strata has been mapped along the Texas Gulf Coast. Two high-resistivity intervals more than 1000 ft thick have been mapped, one in Brazoria and Galveston Counties and the other in Kenedy County. They coincide with Frio delta systems and may be related to extraordinary quantities of CO/sub 2/ produced by deltaic sediments rich in woody and herbaceous matter. Beyond being calcareous, the nature of the high-resistivity interval is enigmatic and its relationship to deep secondary porosity problematic. Most of the contained carbonate is microscopically and isotopically skeletal in origin, revealing no evidence of diagenetic modification. Minor rhombs of iron-bearing carbonate tens of microns in size were identified. Detrital feldspar compositions are being established to test subsequent changes in feldspar composition resulting from progressive burial and albitization. Hydrolysis reactions for authigenic minerals and reactions between key pairs of minerals have been written. Thermodynamic functions for complex phyllosilicates at temperatures up to 200/sup 0/C have been calculated. From thermodynamic calculations it was predicted that ferroan calcite would be the favored authigenic carbonate in shales

Study of the Surface Adsorption Properties of Feldspar

The adsorption properties of Polish feldspar towards hydrocarbons from the gaseous phase have been studied and the adsorption energy distribution functions for n-octane, benzene and toluene are presented. It appears that there are three types of adsorption sites present on the feldspar surface examined. Treatment of feldspar with aqua regia led to the elimination of low-energy interaction centres. The adsorption properties of the raw and leached feldspar with respect to Cr VI ions have also been studied. The kinetic curves for the sorption of Cr VI ions exhibited two stages which suggest two different mechanisms of sorption. The adsorption capacity depended on the pH with a maximum for pH = 4.8. The excess adsorption isotherm of Cr VI on the raw feldspar surface showed a maximum value at 20 mmol/dm3 equilibrium concentration of Cr VI ions

Imported quartz cement in aeolian sandstone grew from water of uniform composition but has complex zonation

The origins and volumes of waters which mass-transport silica in sedimentary basins remain obscure. Many previous analytical studies have illustrated cases where quartz cements in sandstones originate from complex and variable fluids. By contrast we show, by using a combination of separation and analytical techniques, that in Lower Permian sandstones of the southern North Sea the cementing fluid was isotopically uniform during growth of quartz cement with a δ1BO of 19.6 + 1.0%‰ V-SMOW. In this relatively uniform fluid quartz cements grew and developed complex cathodoluminescence (CL) zonations. Petrographic data show that 8–10% quartz cement (locally 30%) was imported into this 380 km2× 180 m thick aeolian sandstone, and cement distribution controlled by depositional permeabilities. We infer a large-scale, high volume, flux of evolved meteoric fluid during 2 km deep burial, and show that complex CL zonation may arise from relatively subtle changes in water composition