Controls on regional variability in marine pore-water diagenesis below the seafloor in Upper Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous prodeltaic sandstone and shales, Scotian Basin, Eastern Canada

Diagenesis in the uppermost Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous deltaic sandstones and shales of the Scotian Basin is an important control on reservoir quality. Ferruginous zone (sub-oxic) marine pore-water diagenesis controls the initial formation of Fe2+-silicates that are the precursors of grain-rimming chlorite that preserves porosity. This study assesses the regional controls on the type of marine pore-water diagenesis by studying the sedimentology, mineralogy, and geochemistry of the retrogradational units and underlying progradational units in parasequences from conventional cores in two wells in different parts of the basin. Coated grains preserve a record of whether marine pore-water diagenesis below the seafloor was dominantly in the ferruginous or sulphidic geochemical zone. Four types of coated grain were distinguished, each with a different mineral paragenesis. Mineralogical and chemical evidence of ferruginous zone diagenesis includes the presence of diagenetic chlorite and siderite, and the correlation of P with Fe or Ti. Pyrite and Fe-calcite are found where the sulphidic zone is more significant than the ferruginous zone. Ferruginous zone diagenesis was common in low-sedimentation rate retrogradational sediments with low organic carbon, and in delta-front turbidites and river-mouth sandstones. Estuarine, tidal flat and prodeltaic facies that are directly supplied by riverine sediments have a lower Fe:Ti ratio than do fully marine shoreface and open shelf facies as a result of input of detrital ilmenite and its alteration products. The relative contribution of colloidal iron (hydr)-oxides appears greater in distal low-sedimentation rate environments. Where large changes in sedimentation rate occurred at ravinement surfaces, the underlying progradational rocks have evidence of ferruginous zone diagenesis, whatever their facies. Rapid upward migration of the pore-water profile resulting from the change in sedimentation rate reduced the time available for mineral products to form in the deeper pore-water zones. This study has shown that the availability of Fe and organic carbon varying in a complex manner in marine deltaic sediments, but that the resulting diagenesis by marine pore-water can be predicted from facies and paleogeographic setting.

► Coated grains show whether seafloor diagenesis was dominantly ferruginous or sulphidic.
► Facies supplied by riverine sediment have lower Fe:Ti than fully marine facies.
► Ferruginous diagenesis occurs in retrogradational sediments and river-mouth sandstones.
► Ferruginous diagenesis gives precursors to chlorite rims that preserve porosity.
► Large sedimentation rate change at ravinements preserves ferruginous diagenetic products.