An Integrated Calcareous Microfossil Biostratigraphic and Carbon-Isotope Stratigraphic Framework for the La Luna Formation, Western Venezuela

Abstract

Other| October 01, 2003 An Integrated Calcareous Microfossil Biostratigraphic and Carbon-Isotope Stratigraphic Framework for the La Luna Formation, Western Venezuela LINDA M. DE ROMERO; LINDA M. DE ROMERO 1Department of Geological Sciences, CB #3315, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, deromero@email.unc.edu Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar IRENE M. TRUSKOWSKI; IRENE M. TRUSKOWSKI 2Petróleos de Venezuela, PDVSA, Exploración, Apdo. 829, Caracas 1010A, Venezuela Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar TIMOTHY J. BRALOWER; TIMOTHY J. BRALOWER 3Department of Geological Sciences, CB #3315, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 * Current address: Department of Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar JAMES A. BERGEN; JAMES A. BERGEN 4Department of Geological Sciences, CB #3315, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC ** Current address: BP America, Inc., 501 Westlake Park Blvd., Houston, TX 77079. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar OSCAR ODREMAN; OSCAR ODREMAN 5Escuela de Ingeniería Geológica, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida, Venezuela Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar JAMES C. ZACHOS; JAMES C. ZACHOS 6Earth Sciences Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar FRANCIA A. GALEA-ALVAREZ FRANCIA A. GALEA-ALVAREZ 7Petróleos de Venezuela, PDVSA, Exploración, Apdo. 829, Caracas 1010A, Venezuela Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information LINDA M. DE ROMERO 1Department of Geological Sciences, CB #3315, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, deromero@email.unc.edu IRENE M. TRUSKOWSKI 2Petróleos de Venezuela, PDVSA, Exploración, Apdo. 829, Caracas 1010A, Venezuela TIMOTHY J. BRALOWER * Current address: Department of Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802. 3Department of Geological Sciences, CB #3315, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 JAMES A. BERGEN ** Current address: BP America, Inc., 501 Westlake Park Blvd., Houston, TX 77079. 4Department of Geological Sciences, CB #3315, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC OSCAR ODREMAN 5Escuela de Ingeniería Geológica, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida, Venezuela JAMES C. ZACHOS 6Earth Sciences Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 FRANCIA A. GALEA-ALVAREZ 7Petróleos de Venezuela, PDVSA, Exploración, Apdo. 829, Caracas 1010A, Venezuela Publisher: SEPM Society for Sedimentary Geology Accepted: 24 Jun 2003 First Online: 03 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1938-5323 Print ISSN: 0883-1351 Society for Sedimentary Geology PALAIOS (2003) 18 (4-5): 349–366. https://doi.org/10.1669/0883-1351(2003)018<0349:AICMBA>2.0.CO;2 Article history Accepted: 24 Jun 2003 First Online: 03 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation LINDA M. DE ROMERO, IRENE M. TRUSKOWSKI, TIMOTHY J. BRALOWER, JAMES A. BERGEN, OSCAR ODREMAN, JAMES C. ZACHOS, FRANCIA A. GALEA-ALVAREZ; An Integrated Calcareous Microfossil Biostratigraphic and Carbon-Isotope Stratigraphic Framework for the La Luna Formation, Western Venezuela. PALAIOS 2003;; 18 (4-5): 349–366. doi: https://doi.org/10.1669/0883-1351(2003)018<0349:AICMBA>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyPALAIOS Search Advanced Search Abstract The biostratigraphy of the La Luna Formation has long been in dispute, despite the importance of this unit as the most important source rock for hydrocarbons in Venezuela. In this paper, calcareous microfossil biostratigraphy combined with carbon-isotope stratigraphy provides a stratigraphic framework for the formation, permitting revision of temporal and spatial patterns of deposition of organic-rich sediments. Detailed studies were conducted on a cored borehole and five outcrop sections distributed across the Maracaibo Basin of western Venezuela.Planktic foraminifera have fair to good preservation, and nannofossils are poorly preserved. Many of the Cenomanian to Campanian planktic foraminiferal marker species are present, permitting the application of a traditional zonal scheme. An informal nannofossil biostratigraphic zonal scheme, based primarily on dissolution-resistant species, has been developed. Integration of these zonal schemes has enabled the correlation of changes in carbon-isotope ratios to the global C-isotope stratigraphy. The results have been used to estimate temporal variation in sedimentation rates as well as to reconstruct depositional patterns across the Maracaibo Basin. Deposition began in the eastern and northwestern part of the Maracaibo Basin in the middle Cenomanian and progressed towards the south and west, reaching the southwestern corner by the middle Coniacian. Although the uppermost part of the formation could not be dated, deposition in the eastern basin continued at least into the Coniacian and in the western basin at least until the middle–late Santonian. Sedimentation rates were highly variable with a period of condensed sedimentation at the Cenomanian–Turonian boundary. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.