Silica Diagenesis and Compositional Controls on Formation Reservoir Potential - An XRD Perspective

Abstract:
A review of silica diagenesis in the Monterey Formation and related primary siliceous sediments is presented with emphasis on X-ray diffraction pattern characteristics of opal-A, opal-CT, and authigenic quartz. During burial diagenesis, opal-A (biogenic amorphous hydrous silica) is transformed to opal-CT (a poorly crystallized hydrous cristobalite-tridymite phase). As opal-CT is buried, the material undergoes structural ordering as evidenced by a progressive sharpening of the X-ray peak and a decrease in the measured d-spacing of the d(101) cristobalite peak. Continued burial results in the transformation of opal-CT to authigenic crystallinity" is presented along with guidelines for interpreting the origin of quartz (detrial vs. authigenic) in diagenetically mature Monterey Formation reservoirs.

About the speaker:

Mike Kelton began his career in geology in 1982 as a Research Associate with Getty Oil Company Research Center, Houston, TX where he was responsible for developing and maintaining X-ray diffraction (XRD) capabilities for the stratigraphy and petrology laboratory. From 1984-1987 he was a Petrologist and Reservoir Geologist with Core Laboratories in Houston, TX and Denver, CO. From 1987-1994 he held the position of Senior Research Geologist with ARCO E&P Technology Center in Plano, TX where he was principal operator of the ARCO research mineralogy laboratory and a member of ARCO's Monterey Formation Research Team. From 1995-2000 he was co-owner of K/T GeoServices, a consulting XRD laboratory located in Richardson, TX. In April, 2000 he rejoined Core Lab as Senior Staff Geologist and XRD Mineralogist in Houston. His current responsibilities include quantitative XRD analysis, laboratory operation / supervision, and training and support for other Core Lab XRD facilities in the U.S. and overseas. He holds a B.S. in Geology from Ohio University (1981) and Certification in Geotechnical / Environmental Applications from Brookhaven College (1993). He has published papers in the fields of clastic petrology/diagenesis, quantitative X-ray mineral analysis, and applications of clay mineralogy to petrophysics and wireline log interpretations.

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