The trace fossil Lepidenteron lewesiensis: a taphonomic window on diversity of Late Cretaceous fishes

The trace fossil Lepidenteron lewesiensis (Mantell 1822) provides an exceptional taphonomic window to diversity of fishes as shown for the Upper Cretaceous of Poland, in the Middle Turonian–Lower Maastrichtian deposits of the Opole Trough, Miechów Trough, Mazury-Podlasie Homocline, and SE part of the Border Synclinorium. Lepidenteron lewesiensis is an unbranched burrow lined with small fish scales and bones, without a constructed wall. It contains scales, vertebrae, and bones of the head belonging to ten taxa of teleostean fishes: two undetermined teleosteans, six undetermined Clupeocephala, one Dercetidae, and one undetermined euteleostean. The preservation of fish remains suggests that fishes were pulled down into the burrow by an animal, probably by eunicid polychaetes.Das Spurenfossil Lepidenteron lewesiensis (Mantell 1822) ermöglicht einen biostratinomischen Einblick in die Diversität von Fischen, wie Fossilmaterial aus der Oberkreide von Polen zeigt. Es stammt aus dem Mittelturonium bis Untermaastrichtium des südöstlichen Abschnittes der Grenz-Synklinale, dem Opolen-Trog, dem Miechów-Trog und der Masuren-Podlachien-Homoklinale. L. lewesiensis ist ein unverzweigter Grabgang ohne ausgekleidete Wände, dessen Ränder von kleinen Fischschuppen und—knochen gebildet werden. Diese setzen sich aus Schuppen, Wirbel und Schädelknochen von zehn Teleostei-Taxa zusammen und zwar aus zwei unbestimmte Teleosteer, sechs unbestimmten Clupeocephala, einem Dercetidae und einem unbestimmten Euteleostei. Die Erhaltung der Fischüberreste deutet darauf hin, dass die Fische von einem Tier, wahrscheinlich einem Polychaeten der Familie Eunicidae, in den Bau gezogen wurden.We are very grateful to Dr. Lionel Cavin (Geneva) and the anonymous reviewer for constructive comments on an earlier version of the manuscript. Additional support was provided by the Jagiellonian University (DS funds), National Science Center (Grant Number: PRO-2011/01/N/ST10/07717), and the Laboratory of Geology (University of Lodz) BSt Grant No. 560/844. We are grateful to Dr. Johann Egger (Wien) and Kilian Eichenseer M.Sc. (Erlangen) for help with translating the abstract into German. We are grateful to Dr. Ursula Göhlich (Wien) for access to the Dercetis specimen

The stratigraphically earliest record of Diplomoceras cylindraceum (heteromorph ammonite) : implications for Campanian/Maastrichtian boundary definition

A fragmentary specimen of the diplomoceratid heteromorph Diplomoceras cylindraceum, one of three ammonite markers used for the definition of the base of the Maastrichtian Stage, is recorded from the middle Campanian of the Roztocze Hills, southeast Poland. The new find, well constrained by associated ammonites and inoceramid bivalves, represents the earliest well-dated occurrence of this species worldwide to date. Therefore, the first occurrence (FO) of D. cylindraceum is conspicuously below the traditional base of the Maastrichtian as defined by the FO of the belemnite Belemnella lanceolata. Indeed, this is also far below the boundary designated in the Global Stratotype Section at Tercis les Bains (Landes, France). A comparison of the FOs of D. cylindraceum in sections acrossEurope clearly shows a significant diachroneity, which diminishes its value for definition of the Campanian/Maastrichtian boundary

Changes in paleo-circulation and the distribution of ammonite faunas at the Coniacian–Santonian transition in central Poland and western Ukraine

Ammonite distribution patterns and carbon and oxygen stable isotopes from the Lipnik-Kije (Poland) and Dubovcy (Ukraine) sections allow us to propose a model of sea water paleo-circulation in central Europe for the Coniacian-Santonian interval. The tectonic evolution of the south-eastern part of Poland, and expansion of the Krukienic Island areas, appears to have been one of the most important factors affecting paleotemperatures and the distribution of ammonite faunas in the shallow, epicontinental sea in this part of Europe. In the Lipnik-Kije section, low-latitude Tethyan ammonites, especially of the genera Nowakites, Parapuzosia and Saghalinites, are mixed with the cold water loving ammonite genus Kitchinites in the Lower Santonian. In the Dubovcy section (western Ukraine), Tethyan ammonites disappear abruptly in the earliest Santonian, giving place to temperate ammonites of the Kitchinites group in the early Early Santonian and to Boreal belemnites of the genus Gonioteuthis in the Middle and Late Santonian. Despite evidence for the effects of diagenesis in both sections, bulk-rock δ18O records from the limestones support higher seawater paleotemperatures in the Polish sea and cooler conditions in the western Ukraine. The proposed paleo-circulation model and paleotemperature distribution across Europe is supported independently by changes in faunal and nannoflora evidence (ammonites, foraminifera and nannoplankton), and rather unexpectedly with the bulk δ18O data. These data allow the recognition of the end-Coniacian–Early Santonian cooling event, resulting from cold currents flowing from the north, which is traceable, with different magnitude, in several European sections. Facies changes in both sections are related to the input of terrigenous material, and linked to Subhercynian tectonic movements which affected the eastern (Ukrainian) and central (Holy Cross) segment of the Mid Polish Trough at different times. Uplift and sediment input moved westwards through time. Clastic input is detectable at the Coniacian–Santonian boundary in the Ukrainian segment. Similar facies changes reached the Holy Cross segment in Poland distinctly later, somewhen in the Middle Santonian. It is likely that tectonics together with paleo-circulation changes markedly restricted or even cut-off the western Ukraine area from Tethyan ocean influences in the Early Santonian

Middle Triassic vertebrate ichnofauna from the "Krynki Beds" in the Holy Cross Mountains : preliminary

Numerous specimens of vertebrate tracks were discovered in the uppermost Röt (uppermost Buntsandstein) deposits of "Krynki Beds" that crop out at Witulin, Parszów, Małe Jodło, Jarugi, Bliżyn, and Sorbin in the north-eastern and central margin of the Holy Cross Mountains, Poland. The following vertebrate ichnotaxa were identified in these localities: Chirotherium barthii Kaup, 1835; Chirotherium cf. sickleri; Synaptichnium cf. diabloense; Isochirotherium herculis (Egerton, 1839); ? Isochirotherium cf. herculis; Isochirotherium isp.; Chirotheriidae indet.; Rhynchosauroides isp., and Rhynchosauroidae indet. The ichnoassemblage from the "Krynki Beds" is very similar to ichnoassociations which are known from: 1) latest Early and early Middle Triassic (Upper Buntsandstein) deposits of the Central European Basin, 2) latest Early and early Middle Triassic Moenkopi Formation of USA, 3) Middle Triassic deposits of United Kingdom, France and Italy

Investigation of the prospective areas and stratigraphic horizons of the unconventional hydrocarbon resources in Poland : new results and future research directions

Studies that have recently been carried out by the Polish Geological Survey aim at, among others, deepening and supplementing the knowledge of unconventional hydrocarbon systems in Poland, including petroleum systems of the lower Palaeozoic in the Polish part of the East European Craton and of the Carboniferous in the South-Western Poland. The article presents the main principles and objectives of the research and the results of the project titled “Identification of prospective zones for unconventional hydrocarbon accumulations in Poland, stageI”,which is the only project that uses a wide range of recently conducted regional geology research and laboratory analyses, integrated with geological information derived from newly drilled boreholes. Geological constraints for the occurrence of unconventional hydrocarbon deposits in the Cambrian, Ordovician Silurian and Carboniferous rocks are presented. What is emphasized is the need to continue the work and to extend it to new research directions aimed at petroleum system modelling (e.g.burial history and analysis of hydrocarbon generation), and the need to refine and clarify some of the results obtained, supplementing them with an analysis of the latest data from newly drilled boreholes

Oil and gas in Poland : prospects and licensing rounds in 2018 in terms of hydrocarbon concessions (part I)

On the 28th of June 2017, the Polish Ministry of the Environment announced the boundaries of the tender areas selected for the third licensing round for concessions for prospection, exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons. This round is going to be proceeded in the 4th Quarter of 2018 and 1st Quarter of 2019. The geologists of the Polish Geological Survey selected 15 tender areas (promising for discoveries of conventional and unconventional oil and gas fields) based on the geological data resources stored in the National Geological Archive, other published data, as well as the knowledge and experience of employees of the Polish Geological Institute - National Research Institute and the Polish Ministry of the Environment. All selected areas are located onshore. In this article we describe 10 tender areas located in the Gdańsk, Pomerania and Wielkopolska petroleum provinces. Other tender areas situated in the Carpathians (Błażowa, Proszowice W, Rudnik-Lipiny, Wetlina) and in the Lublin Petroleum Province (Ryki) will be discussed in the next publication. Three areas: Wejherowo, Bytów and Braniewo-Miłakowo are located in the northern Poland (Gdańsk Petroleum Province). The exploration targets of these areas are generally related to structural-lithological traps in the Middle Cambrian beds of the Baltic Basin, as well as to unconventional shale oil and gas in the Lower Paleozoic. Seven tender areas are situated in the northwestern Poland (Pomerania and Wielkopolska Petroleum Provinces). Three of them - Chodzież, Piła and Leszno are dedicated to conventional gas deposits in the Rotliegend sandstones and, in some cases, also oil deposits in the Zechstein/Main Dolomite. Excluding the Leszno tender area, chances for tight gas discoveries exist within the Rotliegend sandstones. The exploration target of the Konin tender area is related to possible conventional fields in the Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous beds. In the Pomerania region the exploration target is generally related to conventional hydrocarbon deposits in the Devonian, Carboniferous and Permian (Rotliegend and Zechstein/Main Dolomite). Three tender areas are situated within the region of: Sierpowo, Orle and Chełmno. As a rule, a concession is granted for a period of 10 to 30 years and is divided into 2 phases: 1) prospecting and exploration phase (which lasts from 4 to 5 years and can be extended to another 2-year period), 2) production phase. Every entity interested in obtaining a concession needs to undergo the qualification procedure. We believe that this publication will contribute to better understanding of the offered tender areas and encourage activity in the Polish oil and gas sector

Prospective zones for unconventional hydrocarbon resources in Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian and Carboniferous rocks of Poland : integration of the research results

The paper presents the characteristics of prospective zones identified for the first time within the lower Palaeozoic shale formations occurring in the Baltic-Podlasie-Lublin Basin and within the Carboniferous shale, sandstone, and mixed shale-sandstone complexes (the so-called hybrid complexes) in the basin of south-western Poland. The lateral and vertical ranges of these zones are determined based on specific criteria using the results of various research methods and analyses, i.e.: stratigraphic, sedimentological, mineralogical, petrological and geochemical of organic matter, petrographic and petrophysical, including interpretation of well logs. Archived geological materials and those coming from the boreholes drilled recently in the concession areas were also used. Four prospective zones have been distinguished in the lower Palaeozoic of the so-called shale belt: SP1, SP2, SP3 and SP4. The most prospective area for the occurrence of unconventional hydrocarbon deposits in shale formations is the Baltic region – the Łeba Elevation, where there are all four perspective zones, only partially covering the range of potentially prospective formations. In each of these zones, both liquid and gas hydrocarbons can be expected in this area. Due to the low percentage of organic matter, the lowest hydrocarbon generation potential is attributed to the Lublin region. However, the low values of this parameter are compensated by other parameters, i.e. the considerable thickness and lateral extent of zone SP4 corresponding partly to the Pelplin Formation. In the Carboniferous rocks of south-western Poland, seven prospective zones have been distinguished in four borehole sections. Four of them are “tight” zones in compact sandstones, while the other three zones represent a hybrid type in complexes with mixed lithology. No prospective zones have been defined in complexes with homogeneous shale lithologies. Determination of lateral extents of the identified zones has not been possible due to the scarcity of data on the geological structure and stratigraphy of the Carboniferous succession in the study are