Lithologic Characterization and Micropore Structures of Gas Shale Strata: An example from the Midra Shale of Western Qatar

Gas shale is the future hydrocarbon reservoir of Qatar. The Qatari geologic section has had important successions of gas shale at different geologic times including the Eocene Midra shale, the Cretaceous Ratawi and Nahr Umr, and the Paleozoic Qusaibah and Unayzah formations. Shale samples were collected from the outcrops of the Midra Shale in Dukhan and Umm Bab areas. Samples were subjected to geochemical analyses using XRD and RXF. Selected samples were examined under SEM and TEM microscopes. All the studied samples contain palygorskite as the main mineral and, in some cases, the only mineral present, as indicated by X-ray diffraction patterns. XRF analysis shows palygorskite range from ideal palygorskite (equal aluminum and magnesium content) to aluminous palygorskite where no magnesium is recorded. The most common other minor minerals are halite, quartz, calcite, and other clay minerals: illite, smectite and sepiolite. The palygorskite chain phyllo silicates results in a fibrous habit with channels running parallel to the fiber length. Images from Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) clearly show the presence of bundled lath-like crystals of palygorskite 5 to 20 nm in width and several micrometers in length. The Midra Shale was deposited in a shallow marine shelf that was subjected to clastic influx from the nearby land. Although, the Midra contains many elements that support deposition under marine conditions such as large foraminifera and shark teeth, the presence of fully developed shale horizons indicate a mixed marine-continental depositional setting. Most of the micropores are channels associated with the palygorskite laths as can be seen from the TEM images or some dissolution pores that resulted from halite and gypsum dissolution by meteoric water.

LATE EOCENE BIOSTRATIGRAPHIC AGE FOR ANDESITIC VOLCANIC HOST ROCKS FORMED IN AN ISLAND ENVIRONMENT AT THE COBRE PANAMA PORPHYRY Cu-Mo-Au-Ag DEPOSIT, PANAMA

The giant Cobre Panama porphyry Cu-Mo-Au-Ag deposit in western Panama is hosted by an undated andesitic volcanic sequence, the Petaquilla batholith (32.20 ± 0.76–28.28 ± 0.61 Ma), and porphyry stocks (28.96 ± 0.62–27.48 ± 0.68 Ma). Here we present a biostratigraphic age for the volcanic sequence based on stratigraphically diagnostic large foraminifera from thin limestone beds within kilometer-thick andesitic rocks. These yield a late middle to late Eocene biostratigraphic age (41.2–33.9 Ma), with a probable late Eocene age (Priabonian stage, 37.8–33.9 Ma), which is slightly older than the age of the batholith and porphyry intrusions. The volcanic sequence is dominated by fine-grained, massive basalt to andesite lavas with subordinate volcaniclastic deposits. A preliminary description of volcanic textures based on macroscopic observation of drill core and quarry/road exposures supports the occurrence of lavas, fallout tuffs, volcanic breccias, and possible pyroclastic density current deposits. Rare polymictic conglomerates with well-rounded clasts of igneous rocks attest to minor sedimentary reworking from a nearby subaerial volcanic environment. The dated limestone that is interbedded with the submarine volcanic sequence was deposited in an estimated water depth of 50 to 80 m, probably in a middle- to outer-shelf large foraminiferal shoal. These results support deposition on the flank of an active volcanic island during early shallowing of the Isthmus of Panama. The Cobre Panama volcanic center is interpreted to have formed in the final stages of the latest Cretaceous-Eocene volcanic arc before, or possibly during, the 175-km sinistral offset of the Panama volcanic front in the late Eocene-Oligocene. However, it remains unclear whether the volcanic center formed on the western continuation of the San Blas-Chagres arc segment or the eastern termination of the Azuero-Soná arc segment and whether it was emplaced during broadening of the pre-Oligocene volcanic front or in a back-arc setting.

LARGE FORAMINIFERA FROM LIMESTONE IN THE RAJAMANDALA FORMATION, SUKABUMI, WEST JAVA

Rajamandala Formation is a limestone reef formation that is exposed in the Rajamandala – Sukabumi area, West Java. Different from those in the Rajamandala area, this formation which is located in the Sukabumi area is still rarely analyzed, especially from its large foraminifera. This study aims to assess the content, age, and depositional environment of reef limestone from the Rajamandala Formation based on large foraminifera. Research method was carried out in several stages. Sampling was done by spot sampling as many as 6 samples. Then, thin section observations was carried out using Olympus CX-22 binocular microscope. Finally, age and environmental analysis were carried out using basic biostratigraphic methods and cluster analysis based on the fossil content of large foraminifera. Result, the limestone reefs of Rajamandala Formation in Sukabumi area have varied material content. These rock ages were found to be in the Late Oligocene range (Chattian). This rock depositional environment is in shallow marine environment which is divided into 3 main clusters. The first cluster is dominated by Austrotrilina and Borelis which shows the Backreef shelf environment. The second cluster is dominated by Heterostegina and Cycloclypeus which shows the Forereef shelf environment. Finally, the third cluster is dominated by all large foraminifera representing the Reef environment. When compared with previous studies, the limestone of Rajamandala Formation in Sukabumi and Rajamandala areas has the same age and depositional environment.

Automated analysis of foraminifera fossil records by image classification using a convolutional neural network

Manual identification of foraminiferal morphospecies or morphotypes under stereo microscopes is time consuming for micropalaeontologists and not possible for nonspecialists. Therefore, a long-term goal has been to automate this process to improve its efficiency and repeatability. Recent advances in computation hardware have seen deep convolutional neural networks emerge as the state-of-the-art technique for image-based automated classification. Here, we describe a method for classifying large foraminifera image sets using convolutional neural networks. Construction of the classifier is demonstrated on the publicly available Endless Forams image set with a best accuracy of approximately 90 %. A complete automatic analysis is performed for benthic species dated to the last deglacial period for a sediment core from the north-eastern Pacific and for planktonic species dated from the present until 180 000 years ago in a core from the western Pacific warm pool. The relative abundances from automatic counting based on more than 500 000 images compare favourably with manual counting, showing the same signal dynamics. Our workflow opens the way to automated palaeoceanographic reconstruction based on computer image analysis and is freely available for use.

LATE CRETACEOFS SEDIMENTARY ROCK IN BARITO BASIN, INDONESIA: LITHOLOGY, PALEONTOLOGY, AND PALEOENVIRONMENT

The Barito Basin so far known as back-arc basin that formed by the rifting in Early Tertiary, which the oldest sedimentary rock in this basin is believed has a Middle Eocene to Early Oligocene age. However, this research will present new evidence regarding the existence of sedimentary rocks that are older than Cenozoic age in the Barito Basin. This research was carried out on Bongkang-2 well, as the main data, and other five wells which have an indication of the discovery of Pre-Tertiary sedimentary rocks, which are generally located in the northern part of the Barito Basin. Integration of mud log data, petrography, paleontology, and dip-meter data, resulting the identification of lithology, age and depositional environment, and then interpretation of the paleoenvironment of the Barito Basin in the Late Cretaceous is carried out. Based on the analysis of data, it is show that Pre-Tertiary sedimentary rocks found in the six wells analyzed has Cenomanian age, which is indicated by the presence of large foraminifera fossils in the form of Sulcoperculina sp. and Orbitolina sp. in Bongkang-2, Hayup-1 and Hayup-3 wells, as well as palynomorph fossils in the form of Cicatrico- sisporites dorogensis, A. tricornitatus, Aquilapollenites sp., Distaverrusporites margaritus and Classopolis cf. classoidesin Bagok-1 and Bagok-2 wells. In addition, based on lithological analysis, in the Bongkang-2, Hayup-1 and Hayup-2 wells lithology develops in the form of limestone, shale and sandstone, while in the Didi-1, Bagok-1 and Bagok-2 wells lithology develops in the form of shale with sandstone and pyroclastic volcaniclastics rock intercalation. Then, based on the integration of lithology and paleontology analysis, it is known that in the Cenomanian age, terrestrial environments developed in the western part of the Barito Basin, while in the eastern part the shallow marine environment developed.

First record of a Xenophyophore (Rhizaria: Foraminifera) on the Chilean margin

Xenophyophores are a group of large foraminifera, confined to deep-sea habitats below ~500 m, whose often fragile agglutinated tests may attain sizes up to 10–15 cm or more; their agglutinated tests incorporate a variety of foreign particles (termed ‘xenophyae’), including mineral particles, foraminiferan and radiolarian tests, diatom frustules and sponge spicules, and form structures ranging from simple tubes, plates and rounded lumps to complex folded, branching or reticulated formations (Tendal, 1972). Xenophyophores are widely distributed around the world, particularly in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans with comparatively few records from the Indian Ocean and from Arctic and Antarctic seas; they occur at all depths in the oceans from ~500 m to >10,900 m (Tendal, 1972, 1996) and are particularly abundant in regions of high surface production, for example beneath upwelling zones, or on seamounts and sloped topography where particle flux is high (Levin and Gooday, 1992). There are scant records regarding xenophyophores in the SE Pacific. Species of the order Stannomida are recorded from the Ecuador and Peru margins (north of ~12°S) (Tendal 1972: Figs 18, 19), while species of the order Psamminida are common in the DISCOL experimental area of the Peru Basin (~7° 4ˈS, 88° 28’W; ~4150 m depth). Maybury and Evans (1994) illustrated two specimens of an undescribed Psammina species collected during the 1989 DISCOL campaign, but otherwise these collections remain largely unpublished.

New results of the lithological and paleontological study of the Middle Eocene biogenic siliceous rocks of the central part of the Ukrainian Shield

The present paper contains new results of complex studies on the geological structure, lithology, and fauna of the Middle Eocene siliceous rocks of the Ukrainian Shield Ingul megablock located in the vicinity of the villages of Tsybulevo, Verblyuzhka and Pervozvanovka of Kirovograd Oblast and Voronovka village of Mykolayiv Oblast. Based on new findings and analysis of malacofauna, the Middle Eocene age of the gaize-like sandstones of Verblyuzhka village was confirmed. For the first time, numerous remains of rock-forming organisms such as sponges (lithistid Demospongiae), coralline (Corallinaceae) and green algae (Dasycladales, Halimedaceae) have been found in the siliceous deposits of this region. In addition, biogenic buildups formed by organisms with carbonate (coralline and green algae, large foraminifera) and silicate (lithistid sponges) skeletons were found for the first time in the siliceous rocks of the Pervozvanovka deposit. The observed biogenic lepispheres in the studied rocks suggests that the latter have been formed with active participation of silica-producing bacterial communities. Based on the first finds of zeolites, as well as montmorillonite traces, it is forecast that "disguised" pyroclastic material is present in the gaize-like sandstones of Voronovka village. Analysis of the lithological features and the mineral and faunal composition of the studied rocks allow us to draw a conclusion about the multi-stage genesis of the Middle Eocene siliceous deposits in the central part of the Ukrainian Shield and the influence of Paleogene volcanism on their formation. It appears that volcanic activity and denudation of volcanic products caused a massive flow of SiO2 into the waters of the Middle Eocene paleobasin. This contributed to the widespread development of siliceous-skeleton organisms (in particular, silica-producing bacterial communities) that actively participated in the formation of siliceous rocks.

Radiocarbon Age Offsets in Different-Sized Carbonate Components of Deep-Sea Sediments

We compared accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) 14C ages of large (>150 μm) pelagic foraminifera with radiometric bulk carbonate 14C ages in two northeastern Atlantic cores. The foraminiferal ages are consistently older than those of the bulk sediment (by + 0.76 ka in Core 11881 and by + 1.1 ka in Core 11886), whereas corresponding fine (<5 μm) fraction ages are similar to those of the bulk sediment carbonate. We calculated near-identical sediment accumulation rates from both the foraminiferal and bulk sediment age/depth relations (3.0 cm ka−1 in Core 11881 and 5.9 cm ka−1 in Core 11886). Consideration of various factors that might produce such offsets leads us to believe that they are not artifacts, but were most probably caused by differential bioturbation of the different size-fractions in the sediment surface mixed layer. The importance of this finding is that many paleoceanographic records, such as the oxygen isotope record, also derive from analyses of large foraminifera, so that these records must be offset in time from the bulk of the sediments that they characterize.