Application of Modern Stratigraphic Techniques: Theory and Case Histories

Application of Modern Stratigraphic Techniques: Theory and Case Histories - Much has been written and debated about the various methodologies applied to modern stratigraphic analysis and the ever increasing complexity of terminologies. However, there exist numerous stratigraphic techniques that are reliant upon precise, quantitative, reproducible data, rather than qualitative interpretive stratigraphic methodologies. Such stratigraphic techniques are applied in an entirely pragmatic non-biased manner within the petroleum industry to provide enhanced stratigraphic understanding of petroleum systems. The petroleum industry is a key driver behind the development of new stratigraphic techniques and a major provider of new stratigraphic data, which has resulted in several of these new techniques having been developed as a requirement to the industry. Furthermore, because techniques, such as isotope chemostratigraphy, elemental chemostratigraphy, magnetic susceptibility stratigraphy, numerical biostratigraphy and heavy mineral stratigraphy are based around precise, quantified and reproducible analytical data, they provide an independent means to test the more interpretive stratigraphic methodologies. This volume attempts an overview of stratigraphic methodologies, but largely focuses on data-generative stratigraphic techniques such as chemostratigraphy, magnetic susceptibility stratigraphy, numerical biostratigraphy and heavy mineral stratigraphy. Where appropriate, each paper discusses data generation methods including sample preparation and analytical methods as well outlining data interpretation methods. This is followed by case histories that demonstrate how those data are used to resolve stratigraphic problems, commonly using material derived from petroleum basins around the World.
A Whole-Rock Geochemical Approach to the Recognition and Correlation of “Marine Bands”
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Published:January 01, 2010
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CiteCitation
Tim J. Pearce, Duncan McLean, John H. Martin, Ken Ratcliffe, David S. Wray, 2010. "A Whole-Rock Geochemical Approach to the Recognition and Correlation of “Marine Bands”", Application of Modern Stratigraphic Techniques: Theory and Case Histories, Kenneth T. Ratcliffe, Brian A. Zaitlin
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Abstract
Laterally extensive, thin, eustatically controlled, transgressive marine shale beds that occur within paralic sequences are generally regarded as reliable correlative markers. Such shale beds in the Carboniferous of NW Europe are referred to as marine bands and have been used extensively for stratigraphic correlations, particularly in the petroleum industry, where they are used to construct interwell correlations. True marine bands are represented by black anoxic shales (characterized by high U levels and high gamma API responses) that contain definitive ammonoid assemblages, i.e., demonstrably were deposited in a marine environment. However, not all black shales in the Carboniferous of NW...