Petrographic and geochemical evidence of the diagenetic environment and fluid source of dolomitization of dolomite: a case study from the Ma55 to Ma51 submembers of the Ordovician Majiagou Formation, central Yishan Slope, Ordos Basin, China

Abstract

Dolomite is the most important component of the prolific reservoirs in the Ma55 to Ma51 submembers of the Ordovician Majiagou Formation in the central Yishan Slope, Ordos Basin. However, the origins of the different types of dolomite are unclear because of the different diagenetic environments and complex diagenetic fluids. This paper mainly focuses on the diagenetic environment and diagenetic fluid associated with the dolomite. The petrographic features of the dolomite were studied on the basis of core observation and thin section identification. Geochemical characteristics were analyzed according to the O, C and Sr stable isotopes and major and trace elements. The results demonstrate that, petrographically, the dolomite can be divided into four types, namely, type 1, type 2, type 3 and type 4. Type 1 is mainly characterized by dolomite with gypsum and salt dissolution as well as breccia structures with no clay minerals filling between breccia clasts. Type 2 is characterized by powder-fine crystalline dolomite with apparent residual textures and residual intergranular and intercrystal pores. Type 3 is characterized by leopard limestone or dolomite with leopard textures and massive bioborings. Finally, type 4 is characterized by karst breccia dolomite with many fractures and caves filled by abundant terrigenous clay minerals. In combination with the petrographic data, analysis of the geochemical data reveals that the type 1 dolomite formed in an early near-surface diagenetic environment and the diagenetic fluid might have been early freshwater. Type 2 and type 3 dolomite formed in a shallow-burial diagenetic environment. The diagenetic fluid of type 2 dolomite might have been hypersaline brine that was influenced by freshwater, but that of type 3 dolomite might have been a mixed fluid consisting of seawater and freshwater, which was less saline than the type 2 dolomite fluid. Type 4 dolomite formed in an epidiagenetic near-surface environment and the diagenetic fluid might have been superficial freshwater carrying abundant terrigenous clay minerals. The study shows that the analysis of the diagenetic environment and fluid of dolomite has great significance for research on dolomite origins. The porosity and permeability values of the four types of dolostone reservoirs indicate that type 1 dolomite reservoirs are the best reservoir, type 2 dolomite reservoirs have good physical properties, type 4 dolomite reservoirs are relatively good reservoirs, and the worst reservoir is the type 3 dolomite reservoirs.