Sedimentary Structures of the La Luna, Navay and Querecual Formations, Upper Cretaceous of Venezuela

Abstract

Other| October 01, 2003 Sedimentary Structures of the La Luna, Navay and Querecual Formations, Upper Cretaceous of Venezuela OLIVER MACSOTAY; OLIVER MACSOTAY 1Urbanización El Trigal Norte, Ave. Atlántico, no. 155-61B, Valencia, Venezuela Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar ROBERT N. ERLICH; ROBERT N. ERLICH 2Burlington Resources International, 400 North Sam Houston Parkway East, Suite 1200, Houston, TX 77060, rerlich@br-inc.com * Corresponding author. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar TULIO PERAZA TULIO PERAZA 3Intevep-Laboratorios Generales, Sur 1, nivel 2, oficina 222, Los Teques, Edo. Miranda, Venezuela Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information OLIVER MACSOTAY 1Urbanización El Trigal Norte, Ave. Atlántico, no. 155-61B, Valencia, Venezuela ROBERT N. ERLICH * Corresponding author. 2Burlington Resources International, 400 North Sam Houston Parkway East, Suite 1200, Houston, TX 77060, rerlich@br-inc.com TULIO PERAZA 3Intevep-Laboratorios Generales, Sur 1, nivel 2, oficina 222, Los Teques, Edo. Miranda, Venezuela Publisher: SEPM Society for Sedimentary Geology Accepted: 01 Jun 2003 First Online: 03 Mar 2017 Online Issn: 1938-5323 Print Issn: 0883-1351 Society for Sedimentary Geology PALAIOS (2003) 18 (4-5): 334–348. https://doi.org/10.1669/0883-1351(2003)018<0334:SSOTLL>2.0.CO;2 Article history Accepted: 01 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 OLIVER MACSOTAY, ROBERT N. ERLICH, TULIO PERAZA; Sedimentary Structures of the La Luna, Navay and Querecual Formations, Upper Cretaceous of Venezuela. PALAIOS 2003;; 18 (4-5): 334–348. doi: https://doi.org/10.1669/0883-1351(2003)018<0334:SSOTLL>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 Late Cretaceous seas of Venezuela were characterized by deposition of organic carbon-rich limestones, cherts, and shales in the Maracaibo and Barinas/Apure Basins of western Venezuela (La Luna and Navay Formations) and in the Maturín and Guarico Sub-basins of eastern Venezuela (Querecual, Tigre, and San Antonio Formations). Deposition of these units typically occurred under low-energy, low-oxygen conditions that were punctuated by the episodic activity of bottom currents, debris flows, turbidites, syndepositional faulting, and by intermittent oxygenation. These events produced a characteristic set of sedimentary structures that can be used to provide more detailed interpretations of each depositional system. Four main types of sedimentary structures noted in this study are: (1) hydrodynamic—primarily produced through the actions of currents; (2) rheotropic—structures produced during loading and dewatering of unconsolidated sediments; (3) biogenic—formed through the actions of living organisms, such as trace fossils; and (4) diagenetic—structures and textures formed through near surface and burial diagenetic processes.Identification of these structures can provide new insights on the hydrodynamic and biologic settings of Venezuelan Cretaceous strata. Utilizing observations made in this study along with previously published works, bottom-water conditions in the La Luna depositional system are interpreted to have been maintained consistently in a state of anoxia or very low dissolved oxygen content. This contrasts with bottom waters in the Querecual depositional system, during which strong periods of anoxia or low dissolved oxygen content were punctuated by periods of intermittent oxygenation. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.