Origin and environment of formation of late diagenetic dolomite in Cretaceous/Tertiary chalk, North Sea Central Graben

Abstract

AbstractDolomite is common in parts of the Chalk Group of North Sea petroleum reservoirs. The stratigraphic distribution, microtextures, and stable isotope ratios of dolomite vary both within and between four of the North Sea chalk fields examined in this study, the Eldfisk and Tor of the Norwegian Sector, the Dan Field of the Danish Sector, and the Machar Field of the United Kingdom Sector, indicating that the conditions favourable for dolomitization occurred at different times and places in the North Sea Central Graben. Dolomitization in all of the examined fields occurred late during diagenesis, after significant compactional grain breakage. Dolomite precipitation in the Eldfisk, Dan, and Machar fields occurred in modified sea water, which had Σ18O values between the assumed Cretaceous/Tertiary seawater value −1 and +8‰ (SMOW). The enrichment in 18O was probably the product of calcite recrystallization at elevated temperatures in a low water/rock ratio system. The timing of dolomitization varied with respect to organic diagenesis; dolomite precipitation in the Eldfisk Field coincided with bacterial methanogenesis whereas dolomite precipitation in the Machar Field probably coincided with bacterial sulphate reduction. The magnesium in the dolomite may have been derived from the neomorphism of high magnesium calcite to low magnesium calcite.