Polyphase palaeokarst development in complex tectonic regimes: a case from Mesoproterozoic Wumishan formation in Jizhong depression, North China

Abstract

To characterize the polyphase palaeokarst development of Wumishan formation in Jizhong depression, the data of outcrops, cores, thin sections, SEM, core plugs, drilling relief and leakage, and carbon isotope have been analyzed in this paper. The results reveal that the polyphase palaeokarst was petrography controlled of microbial dolostone and grain dolostone, and was identified as three phases: (1) poly-period eogenetic karst during Wumishan depositional environment, (2) two-period telogenetic karst in Triassic and Cretaceous, and (3) hydrothermal karst in Paleogene. The eogenetic karst was related to high frequent sea level fluctuations with development of vugs and selective dissolution porosities which distributed at the top of microbial dolostone and grain dolostone layers. The origin of the telogenetic karst was related to Indosinian and Yanshan orogeny which formed widespread fold belts and thrust faults, and provided the endokinetic force and a strong topography difference. Each period’s telogenetic karst was characteristic of one-period fracture-cave system, and the Cretaceous telogenetic karst was stronger than the Triassic telogenetic karst in karst intensity. Moreover, the karst intensity increased downward in superimposed telogenetic karst zones. Hydrothermal karst was related to volcanic activities and provided the hydrothermal environment for its formation. It was featured by solution-enlarged porosities and new forming porosities. The microbial dolostone and grain dolostone layers with three-phase palaeokarst were the best exploration targets for high-quality reservoirs. This paper rebuilds a suitable karst model to show the palaeokarst evolution process.