Mineralogical signature of hydrocarbon circulation in Cretaceous red beds of the Barda González area, Neuquén Basin, Argentina

• Autores: Pons, María J.; Rainoldi, Ana L.; Franchini, Marta B.; Giusiano, Adolfo; Cesaretti, Nora; Beaufort, Daniel; Patrier, Patricia; Impiccini, Agnes
• Año de publicación: 2015
• Idioma: inglés
• Tipo de recurso: artículo
• Materia: Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Ciencias Ambientales y de la Tierra; Hydrocarbon Circulation; Barda González Area; Neuquén Basin; Argentina; Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Ciencias Ambientales y de la Tierra
• Institución: Universidad Nacional de Río Negro

Fil: Pons, María J. Universidad Nacional de Río Negro, Instituto de Investigación en Paleobiología y Geología. Río Negro; Argentina.
Fil: Pons, María J. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Patagónico de Estudios Metalogenéticos; Argentina
Fil: Pons, María J. Universidad Nacional del Comahue; Argentina
Fil: Rainoldi, Ana L. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Patagónico de Estudios Metalogenéticos; Argentina
Fil: Rainoldi, Ana L. Universidad Nacional del Comahue; Argentina
Fil: Rainoldi, Ana L. Universidad Nacional de Río Negro; Argentina
Fil: Rainoldi, Ana L. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Geología; Argentina
Fil: Franchini, Marta B. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Patagónico de Estudios Metalogenéticos; Argentina
Fil: Franchini, Marta B. Universidad Nacional del Comahue; Argentina
Fil: Franchini, Marta B. Universidad Nacional de Río Negro; Argentina
Fil: Giusiano, Adolfo. Dirección Provincial de Hidrocarburos y Energía de la Provincia del Neuquén; Argentina
Fil: Cesaretti, Nora. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Geología; Argentina
Fil: Beaufort, Daniel. Université de Poitiers, IC2MP, CNRS-UMR 7285, Hydrasa, Bâtiment B08, Rue Albert Turpin, F-86022 Poitiers Cedex, France
Fil: Patrier, Patricia. Université de Poitiers, IC2MP, CNRS-UMR 7285, Hydrasa, Bâtiment B08, Rue Albert Turpin, F-86022 Poitiers Cedex, France
Fil: Impiccini, Agnes. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Patagónico de Estudios Metalogenéticos; Argentina
Fil: Impiccini, Agnes. Universidad Nacional de Río Negro; Argentina
The Portezuelo Formation is part of a red bed sequence in the Neuquén Basin assigned to the Neuquén Group (lower Cenomanian–middle Campanian). In outcrops of the Portezuelo Formation in the Barda González region, iron oxide and hydroxide cements are only preserved in the less permeable claystone layers. Paleomigration of hydrocarbons and formation waters along the most permeable layers bleached the rocks due to partial to total dissolution of cements and grains and formation of several authigenic minerals: (1) montmorillonite and pyrite in the medium- to fine-grained sandstones and mudstones, and (2) multistage calcite and pyrite in the coarse-grained sandstones and conglomerates. The δ34SCDT (Canyon Diablo troilite) of −24.4 to −60‰ values in pyrite point to microbial reduction of a sulfate precursor. The oxidation of hydrocarbons and fluctuations in pH and carbon dioxide pressure caused by organic acids resulted in multiple stages of dissolution and precipitation of calcite. Calcite crystals host hydrocarbon-bearing fluid inclusions (± pyrite) with variable fluorescence color, indicating that hydrocarbon composition changed with time. The intermediate δ13CPDB (Peedee belemnite) (−8.11‰ to −8.52‰) and δ18OPDB(−9.76 to −9.83‰) isotope composition of calcites may have resulted from mixtures of 13C-rich CO2 after the dissolution of local calcrete with 13C-poor CO2 from oxidizing hydrocarbons. This contribution provides for the first time key information to predict the distribution of authigenic minerals in reservoir rockin the basin and improves understanding of the diagenetic history of the Portezuelo Formation.
The Portezuelo Formation is part of a red bed sequence in the Neuquén Basin assigned to the Neuquén Group (lower Cenomanian–middle Campanian). In outcrops of the Portezuelo Formation in the Barda González region, iron oxide and hydroxide cements are only preserved in the less permeable claystone layers. Paleomigration of hydrocarbons and formation waters along the most permeable layers bleached the rocks due to partial to total dissolution of cements and grains and formation of several authigenic minerals: (1) montmorillonite and pyrite in the medium- to fine-grained sandstones and mudstones, and (2) multistage calcite and pyrite in the coarse-grained sandstones and conglomerates. The δ34SCDT (Canyon Diablo troilite) of −24.4 to −60‰ values in pyrite point to microbial reduction of a sulfate precursor. The oxidation of hydrocarbons and fluctuations in pH and carbon dioxide pressure caused by organic acids resulted in multiple stages of dissolution and precipitation of calcite. Calcite crystals host hydrocarbon-bearing fluid inclusions (± pyrite) with variable fluorescence color, indicating that hydrocarbon composition changed with time. The intermediate δ13CPDB (Peedee belemnite) (−8.11‰ to −8.52‰) and δ18OPDB(−9.76 to −9.83‰) isotope composition of calcites may have resulted from mixtures of 13C-rich CO2 after the dissolution of local calcrete with 13C-poor CO2 from oxidizing hydrocarbons. This contribution provides for the first time key information to predict the distribution of authigenic minerals in reservoir rockin the basin and improves understanding of the diagenetic history of the Portezuelo Formation.