The geochemical data of the gas sourced from the Majiagou Formation indicate low organic content and high thermal maturity, which make the evaluation of the hydrocarbon generative potential difficult. However, the low organic abundance and high thermal maturity of the Majiagou Formation make it difficult to evaluate its hydrocarbon generation potential. The study of the genesis of pyrite can provide a better understanding of a source-rock depositional environment and its evolution. In this paper, we report on a significant amount of pyrite linked to the hydrocarbon source in the Majiagou Formation. Light and electron microscopy were used to observe the morphology of the pyrite, while sulfur, carbon and oxygen isotopes were used to investigate the geochemical characteristics of pyrite and the surrounding rock matrix. The results showed that macroscopic stellate pyrite filled cracks and is found in veins or along the laminar surface, as well as agglomerated pyrite; microscopically, pyrite is dominated by autotypic pyrite in the form of cubes, pentagonal dodecahedrons and columns. The 34SCDT ranged from 4.6 to 27.5‰, 13CPDB values ranged from −3.4 to −2.3‰ and 18OPDB values ranged from −10.5 to −7.3‰. Our findings, combined with the geological background and thermal history of the region, suggest that the pyrite in the Majiagou Formation was formed by thermochemical sulfate reduction, which indicates that large-scale hydrocarbon generation events have occurred. The rocks of the Majiagou Formation had the ability to generate hydrocarbons. Our research can be utilized as supporting material for the exploration and development of natural gas fields in the Ordos Basin.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
Research Article|
March 20, 2025
The genesis and significance of pyrite in the Ordovician Majiagou Formation in the central and eastern Ordos Basin
Wanliu Qiu;
Wanliu Qiu
1
State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics
, Department of Geology
, Northwest University
, Northern Taibai Street 229
, Xi'an 710069, China
Search for other works by this author on:
Dongdong Zhang;
Dongdong Zhang
*
1
State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics
, Department of Geology
, Northwest University
, Northern Taibai Street 229
, Xi'an 710069, China
*
Correspondence: [email protected]
Search for other works by this author on:
Xiaoyan Chen;
Xiaoyan Chen
1
State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics
, Department of Geology
, Northwest University
, Northern Taibai Street 229
, Xi'an 710069, China
Search for other works by this author on:
Wenhui Liu;
Wenhui Liu
1
State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics
, Department of Geology
, Northwest University
, Northern Taibai Street 229
, Xi'an 710069, China
Search for other works by this author on:
Xiaofeng Wang;
Xiaofeng Wang
1
State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics
, Department of Geology
, Northwest University
, Northern Taibai Street 229
, Xi'an 710069, China
Search for other works by this author on:
Tao Zhang;
Tao Zhang
2
Sinopec Petroleum Exploration and Research Institute
, No. 31, Xueyuanlu, Haidian District
, Beijing 100083, China
Search for other works by this author on:
Houyong Luo;
Houyong Luo
1
State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics
, Department of Geology
, Northwest University
, Northern Taibai Street 229
, Xi'an 710069, China
Search for other works by this author on:
Qian Zhang;
Qian Zhang
1
State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics
, Department of Geology
, Northwest University
, Northern Taibai Street 229
, Xi'an 710069, China
Search for other works by this author on:
Danting Feng
Danting Feng
1
State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics
, Department of Geology
, Northwest University
, Northern Taibai Street 229
, Xi'an 710069, China
Search for other works by this author on:
Wanliu Qiu
1
State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics
, Department of Geology
, Northwest University
, Northern Taibai Street 229
, Xi'an 710069, China
Dongdong Zhang
*
1
State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics
, Department of Geology
, Northwest University
, Northern Taibai Street 229
, Xi'an 710069, China
Xiaoyan Chen
1
State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics
, Department of Geology
, Northwest University
, Northern Taibai Street 229
, Xi'an 710069, China
Wenhui Liu
1
State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics
, Department of Geology
, Northwest University
, Northern Taibai Street 229
, Xi'an 710069, China
Xiaofeng Wang
1
State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics
, Department of Geology
, Northwest University
, Northern Taibai Street 229
, Xi'an 710069, China
Tao Zhang
2
Sinopec Petroleum Exploration and Research Institute
, No. 31, Xueyuanlu, Haidian District
, Beijing 100083, China
Houyong Luo
1
State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics
, Department of Geology
, Northwest University
, Northern Taibai Street 229
, Xi'an 710069, China
Qian Zhang
1
State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics
, Department of Geology
, Northwest University
, Northern Taibai Street 229
, Xi'an 710069, China
Danting Feng
1
State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics
, Department of Geology
, Northwest University
, Northern Taibai Street 229
, Xi'an 710069, China
*
Correspondence: [email protected]
Publisher: Geological Society of London
Received:
17 Jun 2024
Revision Received:
20 Nov 2024
Accepted:
19 Jan 2025
First Online:
24 Mar 2025
Online ISSN: 2041-496X
Print ISSN: 1354-0793
Funding
- Funder(s):the National Nature Science Foundation of China
- Award Id(s): 41930426
- Award Id(s):
- Funder(s):the National Nature Science Foundation of China
- Award Id(s): 42172173
- Award Id(s):
- Funder(s):the National Nature Science Foundation of China
- Award Id(s): 42230815
- Award Id(s):
- Funder(s):the National Nature Science Foundation of China
- Award Id(s): 42102172
- Award Id(s):
- Funder(s):Shaanxi Provincial Department of Education Youth Innovation Team Programme for Colleges and Universities
- Award Id(s): 23JP173
- Award Id(s):
© 2025 The Author(s). Published by The Geological Society of London for GSL and EAGE. All rights, including for text and data mining (TDM), artificial intelligence (AI) training, and similar technologies, are reserved. For permissions: https://www.lyellcollection.org/publishing-hub/permissions-policy. Publishing disclaimer: https://www.lyellcollection.org/publishing-hub/publishing-ethics
© 2025 The Author(s)
Petroleum Geoscience (2025) 31 (1): petgeo2024-049.
Article history
Received:
17 Jun 2024
Revision Received:
20 Nov 2024
Accepted:
19 Jan 2025
First Online:
24 Mar 2025
Citation
Wanliu Qiu, Dongdong Zhang, Xiaoyan Chen, Wenhui Liu, Xiaofeng Wang, Tao Zhang, Houyong Luo, Qian Zhang, Danting Feng; The genesis and significance of pyrite in the Ordovician Majiagou Formation in the central and eastern Ordos Basin. Petroleum Geoscience 2025;; 31 (1): petgeo2024–049. doi: https://doi.org/10.1144/petgeo2024-049
Download citation file:
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.